Alan Bold (1935 – 1998) was a Scottish poet, novelist, and literary journalist. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, he pursued higher education at the University of Glasgow, where he studied English literature. Bold spent the majority of his professional career in literary editing and criticism, holding the position of literary editor at The Scotsman newspaper and later co‑founding the literary periodical The Scottish Review.
Bold’s poetic output includes several collections, among which The Snake (1963) and The Anti‑Worlds (1977) are frequently cited. He also authored prose works, most notably a biography of the modernist poet Hugh MacDiarmid, titled Hugh MacDiarmid: A Biography (1975). In addition to his own writing, Bold contributed essays, reviews, and commentary to a range of Scottish and British literary journals, helping to shape mid‑20th‑century Scottish literary discourse.
His contributions to Scottish literature were recognised through various literary awards and fellowships, and he remained an active participant in the Scottish Poetry Society and related cultural organizations until his death in 1998. Bold’s work continues to be referenced in studies of post‑war Scottish poetry and literary criticism.