This book is part of the Cities of the Imagination Series, which explores the cultural and literary history of some the world's great cities, including Buenos Aires, Calcutta, Madrid, Rome and San Francisco. The author is a well known poet and playwright who was born in Edinburgh, and he shares his knowledge and love of the city in creating this excellent book, which serves as a guide for the first time traveler, and a detailed exploration of the city's history, its neighborhoods, most prominent buildings and major figures, and a guide to further reading about the Scottish capital. With the use of a map this book allowed me to get a good feel for Edinburgh in advance of my visit there in a few days, and I'll bring it with me and refer to it while I'm there. ( )