Sir Sean Connery Will Headline Edinburgh International Book Festival

The launch will mark the end of the two-week festival, coinciding with the veteran actor's 78th birthday. Festival bosses said the James Bond star's "eagerly-anticipated" first book, entitled Being A Scot, will shed light on his views about many aspects of Scottish life and culture. Connery is expected to attend the book launch, which comes at the height of the city's world-famous festival season. Book festival director Catherine Lockerbie said a number of other James Bond themed-events - including the launch of Charlie Higson's fifth and final Young Bond novel - would be held to mark 007 creator Ian Fleming's centenary.

Unveiling the programme today, she said: "In this special year it was obviously essential to bring Sir Sean back to the city of his birth, on the day of his birthday, for a world exclusive launch of his first book, Being A Scot." "What we will unveil is a rather remarkable document, written in conjunction with his friend, the brilliant Scottish film-maker Murray Grigor."