Umbrellas of Edinburgh - Claire Askew

Come on a journey. We begin at Blackness Castle, Edinburgh Airport, the Bridges in the far west, then on to Dean Village and the National Gallery of Modern Art in the West End, via Murrayfield, Tynecastle, and the Diggers pub. Next to the Cafe Royal, South Bridge, Nicolson Square in the center, taking in the Scott Monument and Princes Street on the way. The Royal Mile and Cowgate make way for Morningside and the Royal Observatory on Blackford Hill. These are just some of the unforgettable locations that inspire the poetry and occasional prose in Umbrellas of Edinburgh. Scotland’s capital has always excited the literary mind; the narrow cobbled streets and ornate turrets a contradiction crying out to be explored and fashioned into metaphor. This is a landmark anthology containing the work of 70 writers, including Ryan Van Winkle, JL Williams, Aonghas Macneacail, Gerda Stevenson, Pippa Goldschmidt, Hamish Whyte, Jane Goldman, Theresa Munoz, Rob A Mackenzie, Colin Will, Richie McCaffrey, Sophie Cooke, Forward Prize-shortlisted Harry Giles, and Edinburgh Makar Christine De Luca; a selection that perfectly demonstrates the vitality of the Scottish literary scene.