About this item

The story of the Town Below the Ground is one of the most disturbing in the annals of Scottish history. For almost 250 years, Edinburgh was surrounded by a giant defensive wall and, unable to expand its boundaries, it became the most densely populated city in Europe. When buildings could go no higher, people were forced to construct new edifices over the existing structures. An underground slum developed, where subterranean dwellers lived in darkness and abject poverty, ignored by chroniclers of the time. Edinburgh's population eventually came to believe that the city - out of sight and out of mind since its abandonment in the mid-19th century - had never been there at all. This is the first book to fully chronicle Edinburgh's Town Below the Ground - its history and structure, its inhabitants and the lives they led, the story of its rediscovery, the parts that still remain, and the tales that made it legendary.



About the Author

Jan-Andrew Henderson

Jan-Andrew Henderson (J.A. Henderson) is the author of 31 fiction and non-fiction books. He has been published in the UK, USA, Germany and the Czech Republic by Oxford University Press, Collins, Hardcourt Press, Amberley Books, Oetinger Publishing, Mainstream Books, Black and White Publishers, Black Hart, Mlada Fontana and Floris Books. He has been shortlisted for thirteen literary awards and is the winner of the Doncaster Book Prize and Royal Mail Award.He owns the 'Green Light' (Brisbane) offering advice and workshops to budding writers and 'City of the Dead Tours' (Edinburgh) which requires him to look moody and wear black. http://www.janandrewhenderson.com'One of the UK's most promising writers' - Edinburgh Evening News'One of the UK's best new talents' - Lovereading.co.uk'Jan Henderson writes the kind of thrillers that make you miss your stop on the bus'- Times Educational Supplement'Jan Henderson has written some incredible books... One of my favourite authors'- Sharon Rooney (star of 'My Mad Fat Diary') 'If there were more books like yours out there maybe boys would be reading more' - Charlie Higson ('Young James Bond' and 'The Enemy' series)



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