In praise of Robert Louis Stevenson

“Stevenson’s writing strikes the twenty-first century ear as still being fresh and intensely readable ... we are in the company of an agreeable and relaxed guide giving us an anecdotal run-down on Edinburgh over a cup of coffee.”

Alexander McCall Smith
Introduction to Edinburgh: Picturesque Notes
Manderley Press, 2021

This morning I am taking a moment to appreciate Robert Louis Stevenson - pictured here on the front cover of our edition of his book Edinburgh: Picturesque Notes.

For those of you who are new to Manderley Press, or new to this book, this is our runaway bestselling title, inspired by, written from and eventually re-launched in, Edinburgh itself.

This fabulous portrait of Robert Louis Stevenson (by Edinburgh-based artist Iain McIntosh) perfectly captures RLS's walks around the city, during which he drew inspiration from the places and people, history and stories he passed.

You can read more here about how Iain approached the cover design for this book in our artist spotlight interview with him.

“I live a few streets away from where Robert Louis Stevenson was brought up. Edinburgh is an extremely photogenic city, I know all the locations and thankfully had no illustrator’s block.”

We loved Iain’s illustrations so much that we created a matching A3 giclée print and greetings card from the design - both available alongside the book on our website.

The art prints are exclusive to Manderley Press, each one signed by the artist and produced in Edinburgh to the highest fine art quality.

The book has been called a ‘sort of Bible’ to all nineteenth-century Scots. It is a gloriously vivid and entertaining portrait of Edinburgh that continues to beguile the modern reader 150 years after it was first written.

In this book, Stevenson draws on his skills as a master storyteller, his memories of growing up in Edinburgh and his interest in social history, legend and myth. A trusty, witty and irreverent tour guide, he leads the reader on an unforgettable journey through the city, visiting memorable houses and picturesque areas, and bringing to life its most engaging characters and landmarks.

Many of the buildings, places and people Stevenson introduces in Edinburgh later feature in his timeless adventure novels: Kidnapped, Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

So grab a coffee and a copy and enjoy Edinburgh from your armchair or pop it in your bag and retrace Stevenson's steps around the city - it still makes for a fabulous travel guide even, perhaps especially, today. Enjoy!

Rebeka x