James Gracie, a Scot born and bred, is a distinguished travel writer who has written many guidebooks about his native country. He is a regular contributor of travel- and heritage-related features to several national newspapers and magazines, including The Glasgow Herald, Daily Record, Scots Magazine, The Highlander, and Scottish Field.

“Within these pages, you’ll find bucolic Highland panoramas dotted with sheep and portraits of castles—some of which, [author, Gracie] concedes, are “so much the better” for existing in a state of “romantic ruin.” But there’s a sense of balance at work: Edinburgh may be showcased on one page as a city paved with antiquated cobblestones while on the next it’s revealed as a contemporary capital—animated by its vibrant citizens.” ~Metrosource