The county of Fife lies on the east coast of Scotland; it is a peninsula bounded by the Firth of Tay to the north, the North Sea to the east. the Firth of Forth to the south, and the counties of Clackmannan, Perth, and Kinross to the west. This book identifies residents and former residents of Fife during the early 19th century. It is based largely on Primary sources, especially local newspapers, gravestone inscriptions, and documents held in the National Archives of Scotland. By the 19th century Fife had become a center of heavy industry based on the significant coal seams of south west Fife, where ports to handle exports were established, and the county's emergence as a major producer of textiles, especially linen. The agricultural revolution of the late 18th century resulted in a rise in the output of grain, mostly for domestic use but also for distilling and export. Fishing, based in East Neuk villages such as Pittenweem and Anstruther, was a major employer in the early 19th century but later declined.

This lively and erudite cultural history examines how Scottish identity was experienced and represented in novel ways.