A Sketchbook of Edinburgh

Iain Fraser and Anne Fraser Sim Iain and Anne Fraser take the reader on a personal journey through the centre of one of the world’s most unforgettable cities. Working with four talented local artists, they capture the character and cultural history of Edinburgh with more than 150 original illustrations.

Their narrative describes the split personality of Scotland’s capital city, from the subdued sophistication of a ‘dreich’ February day to the bright creativity and fun of the summer festival season. The dramatic character of Edinburgh and its history are world renowned, from the grandeur of the buildings that have earned it UNESCO World Heritage status to its dark closes and private gardens. A series of quirky stories gleaned from Edinburgh’s vast literary archive accompany the illustrations.

The Sketchbook includes major sites of the Old and New Towns, Stockbridge, the Water of Leith, and the city beyond the Dean Bridge, St Leonard’s and Dalkeith Road.

This is a beautiful keepsake book and an ideal Christmas present for anyone who knows Edinburgh.

After 20 years working in the shipping industry in Asia and America, Iain Fraser returned home to his native Edinburgh in 1994 to establish The Elephant House, a café-restaurant in the Old Town famed for its connection with a certain fictional boy wizard.

Anne Fraser Sim is awards manager at The Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland’s National Academy of Science and the Arts.