Sir Sean comes home to reveal what it means to be a Scot

On screen, Sir Sean Connery has battled the Third Reich and Chicago gangsters. In his new book, Being A Scot, his mission is rather less fantastical, but equally passionate - reports the Sunday Herald.

New Labour, Historic Scotland and certain Edinburgh architects are taken to task, while Macbeth and other lesser known Scots are rescued from historical ignominy, according to the book's co-author, Murray Grigor.

Grigor says Being A Scot's contents are what Connery "would have liked to have read when he was 13 and just leaving school, when he never knew much about Scotland, but has instead picked up since".

The first chapter is the only overtly biographical section, charting Connery growing up in Edinburgh's Fountainbridge, attending Darroch secondary school, being spotted playing football by Sir Matt Busby, and his range of jobs from the milk rounds and being a lifeguard in Portobello, to two years in the navy.

"It goes in on his personal history, but then segues and refracts all the topics through his life," said Grigor of the book, which he and Connery will bring to this year's Edinburgh International Book Festival. "It keeps coming back to him. A whole other book could be done on his life. But this is a book about topics in Scotland that we share: the state of architecture, politics, literature."

The actor's politics are saved until the closing chapter. He rails against the "inequality of attitude" between the south of England and Scotland, said Grigor. The book charts his first engagement with Scottish Nationalism after Winnie Ewing's 1967 by-election victory in Hamilton. According to Grigor, while Connery rates Scottish politics as one of his great loves, he has little affection for New Labour. He felt Tony Blair considered Scottish devolution an "irritation".

Much ire in Being A Scot is spared for Historic Scotland, the government agency charged with protecting Scotland's historic environment.

"Who are Historic Scotland answerable to?" said Grigor. "Aside from the Scottish government they are out on their own. They will stop someone like Richard Murphy building a beautiful addition to the Royal Society of Edinburgh but maintain a wall, a pile of rubble, which is of no consequence. But they allow Allan Murray, who has no talent whatsoever as far as I can see, to smash down two major buildings on the Royal Mile. What is that about?"

As Connery's friend and co-author, the architectural historian and film-maker Grigor says the book is as much his creation.

"It was all written after discussions between us," he said. "It's a collaboration. We both feel strongly about the destruction of Edinburgh, for instance. We've shared things and modified each other. He was very keen on the Royal High School to be the parliament, and very against the Enric Miralles plan, but I took him down there to Holyrood and he really enjoyed it."

The pair met in the 1970s - thanks to Fringe veteran Richard Demarco, who receives warm praise in the book - which led to Grigor directing the actor in the 1983 documentary Sean Connery's Edinburgh.

"We know nothing of our past," said Grigor. "There is a lack of information about our history in Scotland. I hope this book addresses this."

The ancient Celtic bard Ossian is one unlikely figure that the pair are hoping to pluck from the fringes and place centre stage. Germany and France have staged major Ossian exhibitions, but Scotland has ignored him, according to Grigor.

Connery is being lured out of retirement to appear at the book festival - for £150. Festival director Catherine Lockerbie revealed that he will be paid the same flat fee as any unknown author in a stand against the "celebrity agenda".

Lockerbie said: "No-one is being attracted by big bucks and we don't want to say: this is an A-list person or a B-list person."

Grigor and Connery will appear at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on August 25. Being A Scot is published on August 21.

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