AUTHOR Alexander McCall Smith is to receive a prestigious award from Edinburgh in recognition of the "outstanding contribution" he has made to the city.
The creator of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency has been chosen as the winner of this year's Edinburgh Award in recognition of his writing success, legal career and work in academia.
McCall Smith is also known for The Sunday Philosophy Club and 44 Scotland Street series, both set in Edinburgh, and his books are published in 47 languages.
The author, who is Emeritus Professor of medical law at the University of Edinburgh, will become the 14th person to receive the award.
The Edinburgh-based author follows in the footsteps of last year's recipient Ann Budge (2019) and fellow writers Ian Rankin (2007) and JK Rowling (2008), as well as academics Professor Peter Higgs (2011) and Sir Timothy O'Shea (2017).
He said: "I am immensely honoured by this award.
"The people who really deserve it, though, are those who have helped me in my work: the publishers, editors and bookshop staff who help get the printed word out about this wonderful city."
READ MORE: Billy Connolly says Scotland is now ‘getting close’ to leaving Union
In recognition of his achievements, McCall Smith will be presented with an engraved Loving Cup from the Lord Provost Frank Ross and will have his handprints set in stone at the City Chambers as soon as it can be arranged within the ongoing pandemic restrictions.
Lord Provost Ross said: "Through his wonderfully charming and engaging writing, Alexander McCall Smith has done much to promote Edinburgh across the world. It therefore gives me great pleasure to announce him as the recipient of the 2020 Edinburgh Award.
"The Edinburgh Award enables citizens to pay a lasting tribute to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to our great city and Mr McCall Smith has done exactly that through his truly impressive bibliography.
"He has written and contributed to more than 100 books including specialist academic titles, short story collections and a number of immensely popular children's books, becoming one of the best-loved authors in the world.
"He is a true advocate for Edinburgh through his writing and legal career, and is a highly-deserving recipient of one of Edinburgh's most prestigious awards."
Nominations for the Edinburgh Award - which was launched in 2007 - are invited annually from Edinburgh citizens and the awarding decision is taken by a judging panel chaired by the Lord Provost.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here