Alistair Moffat was born in Kelso, Scotland. He is an award-winning writer and historian, and was Director of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and is former Rector of the University of St Andrews. He is founder of Borders Book Festival and Co-Chairman of The Great Tapestry of Scotland. His many books include The Highland Clans (also published by Thames & Hudson), To the Island of Tides: A Journey to Lindisfarne and The Hidden Ways: A History of Scotland’s Forgotten Roads.

A charming, lively and often amusing tour of 36 forgotten episodes and overlooked people and places of Scottish history.

Scotland’s history is full of famous kings, queens, saints and warriors. But what about its lesser-known places, people and events? In this collection of half-forgotten tales, Alistair Moffat brings their stories out of the shadows, from the clashes of proud Picts and ‘pirate kings’ in the early medieval period to the invention of tartan, whisky, Aberdeen Angus and Peter Pan. Each surprising or scandalous twist sheds a new light on the history of Scotland.