Experienced IB English Tutor Based in the UK

Ellie Reading
Jan 12
1 min read

Updated: Jan 28

From Edinburgh, Scotland

These days, I call Edinburgh home—UNESCO’s City of Literature. As Alexander McCall Smith, one of the city’s most beloved authors, once wrote, 'This is a city of shifting light, of changing skies, of sudden vistas. A city so beautiful it breaks the heart again and again.' McCall Smith, known for his No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, captures Edinburgh’s fleeting beauty, the kind that sneaks up on you when you least expect it.

IB English Tuition draws inspiration from Edinburgh’s rich literary heritage, where storytelling thrives at every corner. Muriel Spark’s The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie mirrors the city’s boldness, while Arthur Conan Doyle’s footsteps echo through these streets, shaping Sherlock Holmes. Contemporary authors like Maggie O'Farrell with Hamnet and Ian Rankin’s Inspector Rebus continue this tradition, offering timeless texts that resonate with IB students. Here in Edinburgh, we don’t just teach literature—we live it, connecting students to the creative energy of a city steeped in literary greatness. — **These days, I call Edinburgh home—UNESCO’s City of Literature.**

But he’s not alone. Edinburgh has long been a cradle of literary greatness. Muriel Spark gave us The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, a novel as bold and unyielding as the city itself. Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, walked these very streets, perhaps imagining his famed detective at every turn. And in our time, Maggie O'Farrell, with her hauntingly beautiful Hamnet, and Ian Rankin, master of the gritty Inspector Rebus series, continue to carry the city’s literary torch.

With the annual Fringe Festival, Book Festival, and countless literary events, Edinburgh is a city that knows how to celebrate words. Independent cafés and bookstores create the perfect setting for a lover of words and culture to explore and grow.

My IB English tuition thrives in such a vibrant literary environment.