This is a list of books published as the "Famous Scots Series" by the Edinburgh publishers, Oliphant, Anderson and Ferrier, from 1896 to 1905. Forty-two of these books were published though least one volume in the series was planned but never published.[1] These books are distinctive for their bright red covers and uniform presentation. They are generally of a quite high scholarly quality.[2] The authors often had access to biographical material which is no longer available. Two versions of each volume were published. An upmarket version has gilded lettering and motifs on the front cover and has gilt tape as book marker. It is about a quarter of inch longer than the ordinary version which is gilded only on the edge.
Thirty-three of the authors were men and five were women. It appears that all the women were educated at home, presumably by tutors or governesses. Three of the women wrote biographies of Robert Louis Stevenson, namely, Margaret Moyes Black, Rosaline Masson and Eve Blantyre Simpson.
Front cover of Thomas Carlyle, no. 1 in the series. The plain version of the book
Front cover of James Watt, no. 42 in the series. This shows the gilt upmarket version of the book
The year 1905 is mentioned on page 28 of the book where Carnegie states: "Even in 1905 we have still a far road to travel."
No more books in this series were published, as is evidenced by the following report in the New York Times in 1904:
"LONDON, Sept. 16. -- Andrew Carnegie has written a little book on James Watt, the great engineer. It will be the concluding volume of the Famous Scots Series, published by Messrs. Oliphant, Anderson Ferrier." [5]
^In some of the early books, e.g. The ‘Blackwood’ Group and Norman Macleod, a list of forthcoming volumes is given at the back. These include a work entitled Jeffrey and the Edinburgh Reviewers by Sir Hugh Gilzean-Reid but this was apparently never published for whatever reason.
^This list was compiled from a number of sources including library catalogues and websites such as Amazon.
^Hector Macpherson: The Man and his Work, A Memoir by his Son, Hector Macpherson. Edinburgh: W.F. Henderson, 1925, p.31
^Geddie, John (1896). The Balladists. Edinburgh: Oliphant Anderson & Ferrier.
^THE NEW YORK TIMES.
Saturday, 17 September 1904, Section: REVIEW OF BOOKS, Page BR625.
