Scottish Literature Quotes

There's a real emphasis on being witty in Scotland, even in crime novels.

It's different in Scotland. People who come to readings are more interested in literature as such, but the readership in general is really quite diverse. It's a cliche, but it's said that people who read my books don't read any other books, and you do get that element.

Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beastie, O, what a panic's in thy breastie!

Scotland consistently produces world-class writers.

I don't think I have one particular favourite writer. I have many whose works I will always buy or reread - Muriel Spark, Anthony Powell, Robert Louis Stevenson, Ruth Rendell, James Ellroy, William McIlvanney, Kate Atkinson, John Burnside, Louise Welsh, Iain Banks.

The appellation of a Scottish Bard is by far my highest pride; to continue to deserve it is my most exalted ambition.

Jenni Fagan is the real thing, and The Panopticon is a real treat: maturely alive to the pains of maturing, and cleverly amused as well as appalled by what it finds in the world.

Right from the very beginning, I knew I wanted to write palpably Scottish fiction.

I put it to you that there are no British poets, there are no British novelists. I have heard myself described as one, but I think really I'm an English novelist; there are Scottish poets and Scottish novelists.

Scottish writers are particularly successful in the crime genre.

I'm not particularly ethnically Scottish; I have one grandfather who is Scottish, although he's called Macdonald, and you don't get a lot more Scottish than that. The Scottish part of my family are from Skye, and I've always been very aware of that - always been very attracted to Scottish subject matter, I guess.

I love writing Scottish dialogue.

I think Scotland has some great stories.

I've never seen an 'English' books section in, well, an English bookshop, but in Scotland, most bookshops have a set of shelves dedicated to Scottish authors.

I read tons of comic books. My favourite is Grant Morrison, a Scottish comic writer.