In this acclaimed book, Alistair Moffat tells the story of a part of Scotland that has played a huge role in the nation's history and moved poets, painters and writers as well as ordinary visitors for hundreds of years.

The hunter-gatherers, who first penetrated the virgin interior, the Celtic warlords, the Romans, the Northumbrians and the Reivers, who dominated the Anglo-Scottish borderlands for over 300 years, have all had their part to play in the constantly evolving life of the area. It is the people of a place that make its history, and Alistair Moffat's book is a testament to those who have made the Borders their home and who have created the traditions, myths and romance that define it so strongly.

'Quirky, learned and utterly absorbing' Alex Massie

'Beautifully written, a fine book' Sunday Herald