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THE BEST EVENTS, TALKS AND SPORT
* Say Yes! Yes Mon Masterclass Mike Bonanno and Andy Bilchlbaum. stars of The Yes Men (pictured), tell some scurrilous tales and reveal even better secrets. See News and Film. Glasgow Media Access Centre, Tue 22 Feb.
ll: European Movement: Is the EU really working? Cutting through misinformation campaigns from both sides, Murray Ritchie, former Europe correspondent for The Herald in Brussels, and John Edward, head of the European Parliament office in Scotland. talk about the reality of Europe now and in the future. Theatre, Glasgow, Mon 21 Feb.
* Edam Locum: Holt and Innovation Stuart Cosgrove, head of nations and regions. Channel 4. asks the questions — how innovative isScotland. ianatareasdoesit excel, and in what way is it behind the game? Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh, Tue 22 Feb. % Scotland v Italy A home game for the team what woz robbed over in France. lMll justice be done this time? Mun'ayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Sat 26 Feb.
* W Locum Spiritual W to Middle East Paco Three times Nobel Peace Prize nominee Abma Elias Chacour gives this one hour talk followed by a question and answer session. McEwan Hal, Edinburgh, Thu 3 Mar
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Word of words
WORLD BOOK DAY is the ideal occasion on which to celebrate books, exemplified by The List’s Top 100 Scottish Books supplement, writes Allan Radcliffe.
ow in its eighth year. World Book Day hits the
ground running this March. with some
remarkable ideas on how to influence adults and children to read more. (‘entral to this campaign is the distribution of 13m £l book tokens to all children in full-time education and to registered pre-schools. Tokens can be exchanged for World Book Day L'l Books or put towards the cost of any hook or audio book.
Meanwhile. some 8m specially designed postcards will be distributed to bookshops. libraries. cafes. magazines and newspapers which people can use to send their book-reading recommendations to friends and loved ones. As Marc Lambert. director of the Scottish Books Trust. points out. the [’K's biggest celebration of the written word is the ideal occasion on which to share and enjoy our favourite books. ‘World Book Day is a great opportunity to flag tip just how central books are to our cultural. imaginative and spiritual lives.. he says. “It’s also an occasion to encourage children's reading. and this is a tremendously important thing. if children become habitual readers. they are engaging with an unparalleled resource. which can stistain and inform them for the rest of their lives.’
A particular highlight is the launch of The List magazine‘s very own guide to the 'lbp l()() .S'mrrislz Books. As the project‘s editor. Professor Willy Maley of Glasgow University. explains. entries to the guide will ultimately be ranked by the great reading public. ‘What we did was compile two lists: |()() books listed
alphabetically that we thought would resonate with a range of readerships. and another ll)() books that showed just how many different authors might be represented in a “in class" context.’ The book will be available as a supplement with the maga/ine. in most libraries throughout Scotland as well as all major bookshops.
BBC Radio Scotland is lendng its support with a series of related programmes featuring authors and celebrity pundits. As Maley says. the lists contain some deliberately controversial and provocatiye titles. ‘We decided the definition ought to be opened up to as many of the voices and visions that were at work in book-length Scottish prose over the past four or live centuries.’ he says. ‘We wanted this list to be as broad as can be. embracing as many genres and styles as possible. So we decided that one book per author would allow l()(l thistles to bloom. We also wanted the definition of "Scottish" to be one that didn‘t involve passport control or rigorotis identity checks.‘ Lambert adds: ‘lt's a way to remind Scots of the depth and breadth of their literary heritage past and present. Given that there are around l25.lll)ll new titles published each year. there is a huge amount of choice. and the consumer needs guidance. This campaign offers that. and an opportunity to re-engage with those books that have been slightly forgotten about amid the plethora of choice.‘
World Book Day and the Top 100 Scottish Books, Thu 3 Mar
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