More than a dozen writers have contributed to this journey into the past, present and future of the city of Dundee, seeking to capture the pioneering spirit of its inhabitants. In every sphere, including science, medicine, industry, art, commerce, sport, music, politics and social reform, Dundee has played a role. Among the figures uncovered in the work are Preston Watson, the Scottish aviation pioneer; Thomas Maclagan, the Dundee doctor who discovered aspirin; James Chalmers, the inventor of the adhesive postage stamp; and James Bowman Lindsay, the pioneer of electric light. But between the stories of cutting-edge medicine and avant-garde art, the authors have not forgotten enlightening and humorous stories about the city's maverick characters and irreverent aspects of Dundee life, both past and present. "The Herald"'s Tom Shields goes in search of his Dundee roots; journalist Tom Peterkin provides an account of Dundee's love-hate relationship with the demon; and writer Norman Watson captures the spirit of that legendary breed, the women of Dundee.