Scots Who Made America

What would America have been without the Scots? Andrew Carnegie, the humble weaver's son who went there to become the world's richest man, thought it might have been 'a poor show'. This book is an unapologetic celebration of what he was proudly talking about – little Scotland's huge human contribution to the cultural identity of the Big Country.Rick Wilson profiles an intriguing selection of Scottish innovators who have projected their genius, energy and inspiration across the Atlantic. They range from the 14th-century nobleman Henry St Clair, believed to have discovered America before Columbus, through the first private eye Allan Pinkerton, to the photographer Harry Benson, who has captured no fewer than ten US presidents for posterity.Scots Who Made America also features non-residents who have contributed from afar, but whose influence has been no less potent for that – people like Sean Connery, Tony Blair, J.M. Barrie and Robert Burns.