Tom Shields was born in Glasgow and has never left, apart from frequent sojourns in Barcelona. He studied at Strathclyde University on and off (more off than on) and after 32 years finally graduated with a hybrid BA degree in engineering, mathematics, Spanish, Latin American studies, Catalan, and wine-tasting. He received an honorary doctorate from Strathclyde, officially for services to Glasgow humour but more likely for his efforts to keep the university's bars and restaurants busy. He fell into journalism at an early age and spent more than 40 years at the Glasgow Herald and Sunday Herald, much of the time writing Diary columns. His five Diary collection books are still popular, mainly in charity shops. Gillian Tait was born in Edinburgh and grew up in other parts of Scotland. She studied art history and painting conservation at the universities of Edinburgh and London respectively, and worked in the museum sector for many years before reinventing herself as a researcher, editor, writer and photographer. She is the author and photographer of 111 Places in Edinburgh That You Shouldn't Miss and 111 Places in Fife That You Shouldn't Miss, and also contributed to 111 Places in Glasgow That You Shouldn't Miss as photographer and editor. She lives in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town.