Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 - 21 September 1832) was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time. Deriving most of his material from his native Scotland, its history and its legends, Scott invented and mastered what we know today as the historical novel. Scott was the first English-language author to have a truly international career in his lifetime, with many contemporary readers in Europe, Australia, and North America. His novels and poetry are still read, and many of his works remain classics of both English-language literature and of Scottish literature. Famous titles include "Ivanhoe", "Rob Roy", "The Lady of The Lake", "Waverley", "The Heart of Midlothian" and "The Bride of Lammermoor". (Source: Wikipedia)