Galloway: A Land Apart
Andrew McCulloch
Hardcover 512 pages (October 2000), Publisher: Birlinn Ltd

Traditionally, Galloway extends from "the Brigend of Dumfries" to "the Braes of Glenapp". But Galloway is much more than simply a region of Scotland with a distinct history. This is a comprehensive history of the region.
I am currently reading this book and I can thoroughly recommend it, the book is really VERY readable. If you live in the US, you will find that, even with the postage, buying it via the UK could save you quite a bit, as the US price is currently just under $50.

By the way, for the widest selection of used and rare books anywhere, you might like to take a look at www.abebooks.co.uk - UK site of the world's largest network for used, rare and out-of-print books. Here you will also find a number of bookshops based in Dumfries and Galloway itself. Recently while out for a walk one evening in Bladnoch I saw an old book through the window of a bookshop, and when I got home I looked for the book on this site, and even found the copy from that particular shop along with the price!