A new Burns book is always an event worthy of attention and this one has exceeded our expectations. The book is crammed cover-to-cover with biographical detail and anecdotal material about the poet's life, the people he knew and his many adventures in central Scotland. Painstakingly researched, it runs to a whopping 480 pages and the text is complemented and enhanced by over 200 first-class images. Appended also are autobiographical letters written by Burns, and biographical accounts from contemporaries, including his brother Gilbert, together with relevant excerpts from the Statistical Accounts of Scotland. This huge book may look like a coffee table offering and indeed it is an attractive object, but it is much more than that and reflects many years of research. It deftly combines biography, interpretation and background information into a guide to the Ayrshire in which Burns lived and roamed. It is a massive tome that is way too big and heavy for the average pocket or bag, but is ideal for planning a trip to the many places and sites in Ayrshire associated with Burns. Author : David Williams ISBN : 9780907526957 Cover : hardback Price : £48.00