Alexander McCall-Smith
(1948-present)
Aged 76
Wikidata WikipediaAlexander "Sandy" McCall Smith, CBE, FRSE (born 24 August 1948), is a British writer. He was raised in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and formerly Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh. He became an expert on medical law and bioethics and served on related British and international committees. He has since become known as a fiction writer, with sales in English exceeding 40 million by 2010 and translations into 46 languages. He is known as the creator of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. The "McCall" derives from his great-great-grandmother Bethea McCall, who married James Smith at Glencairn, Dumfries-shire, in 1833.
DbPedia
Commemorated on 1 plaque
Made famous as the place of inspiration to writers such as J. K. Rowling, who sat writing much of her early novels in the back room overlooking Edinburgh Castle. Ian Rankin, author of the Rebus novels, and Alexander McCall-Smith have both also frequented The Elephant House, as well as many other writers.
The Elephant House, 21 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, United Kingdom where they frequented