David Ross has written numerous books on aspects of Scottish history and culture, some serious and some less so. His most recent is 'The Killing Time', a study of Scotland between the Covenant of 1638 and the Union of 1707. Scottish humour is a particular interest, and he is compiler and editor of the best-selling 'Awa' an' Bile Yer Heid', an anthology of choice Scottish insults. He is currently working on an anthology of Scottish humour from its earliest appearances to the present day. His favourite quote in the new edition of this book is Don Paterson's crisp five-worder: 'Fate's book, but my italics'.