BOOKS REVIEWS continued
LOVE MYSTERY Jennifer Johnston
The Gingerbread Woman (Review £14.99) at at a a
The grand dame of modern Irish literature, Jennifer Johnston has been writing superior fictions, that both embody the w0tinds of Irish life and scrutinise themes beyond its orbit, for over a Quarter of a century. The Gingerbread Woman continues her common theme of the search for personal freedom
With more than a nod to The French Lieutenant’s Woman, the novel opens With a mysterious yOung woman staring out to sea and being accosted by an equally estranged man Instead of signifying the beginning of a love affair, this meeting marks the start of an awkward friendship that \Vlll allow both parties to lay their ghosts to rest.
Exceptionally gifted in structuring her narrative so that the reader is compelled to discover the secrets that scar her protagonists, Johnston is also blessed With an understated Wisdom and a heightened understanding of love and loss. (Catherine Bromley)
FILM BIOGRAPHY Anthony Hayward Julie Christie (Hale £15.99) v‘: t
From handbag-swmging beatnik Li7 in Billy Liar to the beautiful and damned Lara in Dr Zhivago, Julie Christie Will forever be an icon of the 60s. The author is Wise to dedicate half his book to that era. Working under directors like John Schlesinger and DaVid Lean, Christie shone on screen ‘Nllh a magical presence, combining sexy and smart With all the qualities of an ingenue.
And beyond the decade that defined pop culture, Hayward offers a competent overView of her career With admirable attention to the detail of mowes such as Shampoo and Don’t Look Now. Unfortunately, his prose is parched and many of the quotes derive from secondary sources such as The Sun or the Radio Times It was improbable that the reticent Christie would prowde her own insights, but one woold think any decent biographer could have worked a little bit harder to bring his SUbJOU into focus. Disappointing. (Rodger Evans)
100 THE “ST 21 Sep~S Oct 2000
THURSDAY 21
Glasgow
Dorothy Rowe w'aierstone‘s. I53 .157 Sattcliiehall Street. 332 9105. 7pm. £1. One for the Self Help shelyes. if achieying happiness frotn enjoying good friendships is your thing. Dorothy Rowe will be discussing these and other ideas found in her new book I'il'lt’ll(1.\'.’lllfl[TIH’Hllt’S ()ur .Vet'tl lit Lure xintl Httft’ (llarper('ollins £19.99).
Andrew Greig Borders Books. 283 Buchanan Street. 222 7700. 7pm. Free. (ireig reads from and discusses his new- novel l‘liut Stun/tier l liaber £9.99 I. See reyiew‘.
Borders
Borderlines Festival Various yenues. 0870 6070250. The Borderlines liestiyal continues with the region's most talented writers. storytellers and wordsmiths reading and talking about their work. For further information contact 01750 23100. t'ntil Wed 4 ()ct.
Wigtown
Carol Ann Duffy. Jackie Kay & Sheena Wellington Blatliiocli Distillery. Blatlnocli Bridge. (H983 402666. 7.30pm. £4. Trio of female performers read poetry. prose ((‘arol .-\nn Duffy. Jackie Kay I with song (Sheena Wellington). Part of the Scottish Book Town l‘estiyal.
SATURDAY 23
Wigtown
Alastair Reid & Bernard Mac Laverty Church Hall. 01988 402036. 3.30pm. £2.50. Two international authors acclaimed for their prose and poetry read from and discuss their work. Part of the Scottish Book Town li‘sliutl.
James Kelman & Sean O'Reilly Blatlnoch Distillery. Bladnoch Bridge. 01988 402666. 7.30pm. £4. Booker Prize winner James Kelman appears with up-and-coining li'ish writer. Sean ()'Reilly in a rare Scottish appearance. Part of the Scottish Book Town l'cstis'al.
Glasgow
Sunday Rhymes Brel. 39 »43 Ashton Lane. 342 4966. 3~5pm. liree. Return of Sunday Rhymes with a holiday weekend special hosted by Lesley Ben/ie.
Edinburgh
Shore Poets (’anon's (iait. 232 (’anongate. 5564481. 8pm. £1 (l‘ree). Readings from Frank Kuppner. Allan (’rosbie and lilspeth Murray with music from Mae Shaw and Tony Mitchell.
Glasgow
Anita Roddick Tron Theatre. 63 'l‘rongate. 552 4267. 8pm. £3.50, l‘rom one small shop in (‘oyent (iarden to a global chain. Body Shop founder Anita Roddick discusses the complexities of running an ethical business. She reads from her book Business .‘ls l'nttsitu/ (llarper('o1|ins £17.99) and offers her thoughts on how btisinesses should eyolye in the new millennium. Waterstone's/GFT Film Quiz (ilasgow' 1"ilin Theatre. 12 Rose Street. 332 8128. 8.45pm. £1. .\'ow something of an institution. regulars know the score: qtii/ masters Stef(iardiner. Paddy Kelly and Neil Meliirlane think up the trickiest questions they can muster and punters in teams of no more than four make them look like mince. Book early to ayoid disappointment.
TUESDAY 26
Glasgow
Jeanette Winterson Borders Books. 283 Buchanan Street. 222 7700. 7pm. l-‘ree. in com ei'sation with Alan lay lor. Winterson discusses her latest nos el. 'I‘lit'.Hover/Junk (Jonathan ('ape £ 14.99). An intense and erotic book which blends fairytale. myth
and popular culture. Winterson's work expands the boundaries of contemporary fiction.
Gitta Sereny Waterstone's. 153—157 Sauchiehall Street. 332 9105. 7pm. Free. (ierman writer and psychologist (iitta Sereny reads from The (ierniun 'I’mtmiu (Penguin £20). Gathering together the best of her writing on (iermany from the last 60 years. her book addresses the question of war guilt among the children of .\'a/is.
Edinburgh
Children's Book Group 30th Birthday James Thin. (ieorge Street. 225 4495. 7.30pm. Free but ticketed. The lidinburgh ('hildren's Book (iroup 30th birthday bash includes authors and illustrators from the world of children‘s books as members young and old get together to celebrate.
Glasgow
Gordon Urquhart w'aterstone‘s. I53~I57 Sauchiehall Street. 332 9105. 7pm. Free. Author of Along The (iren! lles’lern Rout] giyes an illustrated lecture with background on the eyolution of this area once described as ‘a wart on the nose of (ilasgow '. Sauchiehall Street Reading Group Waterstone‘s. 153 -157 Sauchiehall Street. 332 9105. 7pm. Free. The group w ill discuss John Harding‘s film! We Did ()n “(if lluliilny.
Louis: Red Letter Day 13th .\'ote (’lub. 260 (‘lyde Street. 243 2177. 7pm. l-‘ree. Launch of latest comic book from Metaphrog. Louis: Red Letter Day. See lirontlines.
Barbara Windsor Royal (‘oncert Hall. 2 Sauchiehall Street. 287 551 1. 7pm. [inst/{rulers star in conyersation with Andy Dougan of the Iz'i‘ening limes. .-\ signed copy of her autobiography. .-ll/ (Jill/e (Headline £14.99) is included in the ticket price. Tickets ayailable from Borders Books.
Edinburgh
Gordon Ramsay w’aierstone‘s. I28 Princes Street. 226 2666. 6pm. l’ree. Scottish chef and TV star (iordon Ramsay. discusses his book x1 ('lie/‘l'in' All Seasons (Quadrille
£25 I. Tonight he will be in conyersation with 7711’ List's Barry Shelby.
THURSDAY 28
Glasgow
Gordon Ramsay Borders Books. 283 Buchanan Street. 222 770i). 7pm. l’ree. See Wed 27.
Edinburgh
Barbara Windsor James Thin. The (iy le Shopping Centre. 35 (iyle Ayenue. South (iy'le Broadway. 539 7757. 12.30pm. l‘ree. Signing copies of her autobiography .4]! ()7. Me (Headline £14.99).
Lynda La Plante w‘atersione‘s. I28 Princes Street. 226 2666. 6pm. liree. 'Tis the season of female. blockbtistcr noyelist appearances. Lynda I.a Plante reads from and signs copies of her latest. Sleeping ('rite/ry (Macmillan £9.99 I.
SATURDAY 30
Glasgow
Cabaret In The Cafe Borders Books. 283 Buchanan Street. 222 7700. 8pm. l‘ree. Robert Knox hosts a unique mix of iiiusic. performance poetry. spoken word and stand up comedy.
Edinburgh
Louis: Red Letter Day l)eatI Head ('omics. 27 (‘andlemaker Row. 7pm. Free. See Wed 27.
Glasgow
Roy Hattersley Royal ('oncert Hall. 2 Satichiehall Street. 287 5511. 1pm. £3.50. Reading from his latest biography Bloml :lnd I‘ire: ll'i/Iirnn :lntl ('nllrerine [foul/i ck 'Iilieir Salvation :1 rnty (Little. Brown £20). Hattersley is a witty and incisiye speaker.
Edinburgh
Roy Hattersley w‘atersione‘s. I28 Princes Street. 226 2666. 6pm. liree. ln conyei'sation with .-\Ian 'l‘ayloi‘.
Gumbernauld
Robert Crampsey ('umbernauld Theatre. Kildrum. 01236 732887. 8pm. Free. l-‘ormer Brain of Britain. slits-termini! contestant. writer and broacaster Robert (‘rampsey talks about his writing.
mm— Glasgow
Monty Roberts Waiei-stoiie‘s. I53 I57 Sauchiehall Street. 332 9105. .\'oon. J‘ree. Signing session by Monty Roberts who had a hit with The .lItIII ll'ltn I.is‘fen\ '1}; Horses a few years back. .\'ow he‘s published a second book about his relationship with wild horses. Slty Boy (Harpeifollins £6.99). which describes his first encounter with mustangs at the age of thirteen. Charles Kennedy watersione‘s. I53~~ I 57 Sauchiehall Street. . 32 9105. 7pm. liree but ticketed. Broadcaster and politician ('harles Kennedy discusses his new book The Future (Ill/’ulilies’ (liarpetfollins £17.99) in which he outlines his political yisions and inspirations.
Edinburgh
Geoff Thomson Waterstonc's. l3“ l4 Princes Street. 556 3034. 6.30pm. Free. (ieoff Thomson reads from lliirelt .lly Bite/c (Summersdale £16.99) - an account of his experiences as a bouncer in some of Britain's roughest nightclubs.
WEDNESDAY 4 Edinburgh Ian Kershaw w‘atei-stone‘s. I28 Princes Street. 226 2666. 6pm. l-‘ree. lan Kershaw reads from the second yolume of his biography Hitler I93") [945: nemesis (Penguin £25). The New Penguin Book Of Scottish Verse Assembly Rooms. 54 (ieot'ge Street. 2262428. 7pm. £3 (£2). Iidwin Morgan and .-\lan Taylor are among the poets reading from The .Vc’lt‘ Penguin Book ()7 Scottish terse (Penguin £20) which contains poems from the 6th century to the present day.
St Andrews
Stanza 2000 ('raw I'oi'd Ans (’entre. 93 North Street. 01334 474610. Scotland's poetry festiyal with fiye days of poetry- inspired cy-cnts. l'ntil Sun 8 ()ct.
THURSDAY 5
Glasgow
National Poetry Day at Ottakar's ()ttakar's Bookstore. [hit 6. Buchanan (ialleries. Buchanan Street. 353 1500. .-\ wide range of eyents and competitions for adults and children to mark National Poetry Day.
Susan Greenfield Straihelytle t'nisei-sity. Mc(‘ance Building. 7.30pm. l‘ree. Lecture by Prof Susan (ireenfield. the author of Bruin/Miter(lilcmcnt Books Ltd £18.99).
Edinburgh
National Poetry Day at the Writers’ Museum \‘s'riters' Museum. lady Starr's House. l.ady' Stair's ('lose. 529 4901, 10am 5pm. Free. Readings from Iii/inlniiie/i: rill Infiniiile (fly. a new anthology of contemporary poetry. National Poetry Day at the Fruitmarket l"t‘iiitiii;ii'kc‘t (iallery. 45 Market Street. 225 2333. 31301. liree. .-\n afternoon of (men) readings featuring Ken (‘ockburtr l)a\ id ('ameron. lilspeth Murray and (iael 'l‘urnbull.
Margaret Atwood (‘entral Hall. West ’l‘ollcross. 221 1927. 7pm. £3 (£2). :\t the lidinburgh launch of her last nosel Margaret Atwood ltJUls time to tell her audience that she hated doing book tours. How es er. here she is again reading frotn her tenth nosel 'I'lte li’lintl.-1mrs\in (Bloomsbury £16.99). See res iew.
Out Loud Athletic Arms. Angle Park Terrace. 337 3822. 7.30pm. £1 donation. Monthly open mic night of poetry. prose and song l'llli by the Phoenis \Vrtters' (iroup. Performers and readers welcome. for more information contact mailt“julieclarkcotik.