Thomas Carlyle (4 Dec 1795 – 5 Feb 1881) was a Scottish essayist, historian and satirical writer, known for works like Sartor Resartus and The French Revolution. Considered one of the most important social commentators of his time. One of those conferences resulted in his famous work On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and The Heroic in History where he explains that the key role in history lies in the actions of the "Great Man", claiming that "History is nothing but the biography of the Great Man".

The Life of Robert Burns is a biographical work on life of famous Scottish poet, Robbie Burns, by Thomas Carlyle. This volume is not just a compilation of known fact about Burns, but also a vivid, detailed and sincere portrait of a great author, made by a fellow writer. The life of Robert Burns is proof that reality can be much more sophisticated than any fiction.