The late poet laureate, Sir John Betjeman, said that Edinburgh was the most beautiful city in Europe. Like some other great cities it is set on seven hills. But only one of these, Rome, rivals Edinburgh in matching the beauty of its setting with the stateliness of its buildings. A romantic landscape of sea and hills, broad vistas and hidden corners is embellished by a style of architecture combining stern classicism with antiquarian whimsy. Michael Fry is a historian and writer who lives and has worked in Edinburgh since 1970. Since 1988 he has published seven books of Scottish history, each of which has overthrown some cherished myth. As a result Waterstone's main bookshop in Edinburgh has a whole section devoted to the works of "Michael Fry, Scotland's most controversial historian".
