Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least ten days before publication to jules.graham@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Jules Graham.
Glasgow
Harry Reid Borders Books. ()8 Buchanan Street. 323 7700. 6pm. l-‘ree. Reid talks about his new book The Final ll'ln'vI/e: The Strange Deal/r ofSeu/livlr l'im/lrull. a candid exploration of~ the beautiful game. its players. fans and future.
Mary Lee ()ttakai"s. l'nit 6. Buchanan (ialleries. Buchanan Street. 353 I500. 6.30pm. Free. The widow of" comic performer Jack .\lilroy discusses I'iHZ’l't’l' I‘Il'tlllflll’. a touching memoir about the much-lov ed shovvbi/ personality.
Edinburgh
Des Lynam ()ttakar‘s. 57 (ieorge Street. 325 4405. 5.30 6.30pm. liree. The veteran sports commentator signs copies of his autobiography.
Glasgow
lan St John Borders Books. 98 Buchanan Street. 232 7700. lpnt. l-‘rec. Another vveek. another l‘ootballer's autobiography. ('ould ('hristmas be on the horizon‘.’
Look Who’s Talking: Des Lynam Theatre Royal. 383 Hope Street. 333 9000. lpin. £5.50 (£4). Veteran spoth commentator arid (’arol \‘orderman's new best mate discusses his autobiography I Shun/(I l/(ll‘t’ Been u! llii/‘A.
Reading the Leaves 'l‘cliai ()v na. 42 ()tago Lane. 357 4524. 8pm. £3. Join guest vv riters for an evening of poetry and creative vv riting. l"or further information contact .\'alini Paul at
rcadingtlieleaves(0 liotmail.com.
Edinburgh
Morelle Smith Scottish Poetry library. 5 ('richton's (‘lose. (’anongatc. 557 2876. 6.30pm. Free. ticketed. The poet and vvriter reads from The “in Him/v ‘l'rni'el her new collection which takes us on a journey from Paris to the mountains of" Albania.
Glasgow
Frank Bruno Borders Books. 98 Buchanan Street. 322 7700. 1pm. Free. Britain‘s best—lov ed bo\ct‘ (apart from John Prescott) signs copies (it. his autobiography.
Glasgow
Conversation Pieces: Les Brown and Robert Jeffery Royal ('oncert Hall. 3 Satichiehall Street. 353 8000. lpiti. £4 in advance £5 on the day. liormer Strathclydc Police Special l'tttl Detective l.es Brovvn and author Robert Jeffery peek into the cases and criminals vv ho have written themselves into the city's history.
Glasgow
Look Who’s Talking: Alan Whicker ‘l‘heatre Royal. 382 Hope Street. 333 0000. lpm. £5.50 (£4). The jolly dapper lclL‘\ tsiott presenter talks about his new book. ll'ltli'lsr'r'v llill‘.
Wednesday 9
Glasgow
Allan Cameron: Golden Menagerie ()ttakar's. [hit 6. Buchanan (ialleries. Buchanan Street. 353 I500. 6.30pm. lace. Political satirist (‘ameron discusses and signs copies ol ncvv novel The [fer/inertia Ifnnuv.
32 THE LIST :-2 1/ 'vw. ;/‘i’,=,.-'~
Edinburgh
Alan Whicker ()ttakar’s. 57 (ieorge Street. 235 4495. 5 -6pm. Free. The besuited travel gum stops in to sign copies of his new book.
Neil Gaiman Waterstone's. I28 Princes Street. 236 3666. 6pm. £3. redeemable against purchase of the title. The cult novelist reads from and signs copies ol .'lll(lll.\l Bovv.
Alexander Hutchison and Tom Hubbard Scottish Poetry Library. 5 ('richton‘s (’lose. ('anongate. 557 3876. 7.30pm. £3 (£3). A widely published and translated poet and literary scholar. Hubbard reads alongside poet and translator. Alexander llutchison.
Glasgow
Scottish PEN Borders Books. ()8 Buchanan Street. 222 7700. 6pm. l’ree. An evening of poetry marking the l0th anniversary of Ken Saro-\\'iwa's death. (iiiests including Tessa Rttttslol'tl arid James Robertson will be reading from anthology Dunee I/Ie (inns to Silence.
Edinburgh
Ian Rankin, Tricia Malley and Ross Gillespie Stills. 23 (‘ockburn Street. 622 6200. 6 8pm. £2. redeemable against purchase of the title. Rankin introduces .\lalley' and (iillespie as they give an illustrated talk on Rehnv "Sm/land.
Edinburgh
Tim Tumbull Scottish Poetry Library. 5 ('richton's (lose. (‘anongate. 557 2876. 3pm. £3 (£3). Share in the enthusiasm of one of the SPlfs nevv est voices as he showcases his passion for poetry.
Monday 14
Glasgow
Glasgow Tales Launch Borders Books. 08 Buchanan Street. 233 7700. 6pm. Join several contributing authors at the launch of this short story anthology. the result of a competition held this year.
Tuesday 15
Edinburgh
John Berendt \Viiiersioiie‘s. l2\’ Princes Street. 336 3(i(i(i. 6pm. £3. I'ctlcctttuhlc against purchase. The best-selling creator of .llirlnrelr! in the (inn/en tritium! (Hu/ lii'i/ talks about nevv novel The (in o/ Iii/line Angels. billed as a ‘unique and unforgettable portrait of Venice’.
Book Party: The Edinburgh Book of Mentieth-Century Scottish Poetry Scottish Poetry Library. 5 ('richton's ('lose. (’anongate. 557 2876. 6.30pm. £3 (£3). l)onn_v ()‘Rourke guides its through some of this nevi anthology 's highlights. Quintin Jardine ()ttakar's. 57 (ieorge Street. 225 4405. 7pm. £ l. The crime
vv ritcr signs copies of his latest work.
Glasgow
Tracey MacKenna and Edwin Janssen ('(‘A. 350 Sauchiehall Street. 352 4000. 6.30pm. liree. Artists Macls'enna and lanssen launch .-\ nix/m Image ri/'()nr‘veli'e.v which documents their collaborative process.
Edinburgh
Jen Hadfield Scottish Poetry library. 5 (‘richton's ('lose. (‘anongate. 557 2876. 6.30pm. £3 (£2). A relatively" nevv voice on the SH. circuit. lladlield reads from and discusses her vvarinly received debut collection ."lHlllIlllt'L
Authentic Spark National Library of Scotland. (ieot'gc l\' Bridge. 33o 453l. 7pm. liree. ticketed. Writer and broadcaster (‘arl .\lacl)ougall c\plot'cs the vvork of Danie Muriel.
Gangland Crime North lidinbtirgh Arts (’entre. l5a Pennyvv ell (‘ourt. 3|5 3l5l. 7.30pm. £5 (£3.50). Notorious hard-man l)av id Bryce and critne journalist l)av id l.es|ie discuss brutal felony and its ellects.
Comics
EXPERIMENTAL MALCY DUFF
The Castrato’s Song (malcyduffiehotmail.com) 0..
Seven A4 sheets inSide a black ring binder. Mr. Duff's latest brings grotesque characters into a bizarre theatre to be entertained by a castrato modelling a hairpiece that vlyouldn't look out of place on Donald Trump.
The titular ditty. abetit a Sideshow freak grown in a flower vase. is revealed in its own mini-comic. before the action moves to the bar. where the audience discuss the show in scenes of both delicate cross-hatching and inky umbra.
The final panel depicts a series of conversations. With the last 'speech' bubble another mini-comic of blank panels like Matryoshka. the Russian nesting dolls. there is definitely more to this than meets the eye. (Dave Martini
GRAPHIC NOVEL PAUL WRIGHT Smelling a Rat (Jonathan Cape)
O.
Smelling A Raf belongs to that odd literary category - book length cartooning - that has its origins neither in the
comic book nor the graphic novel. Paul Wright's Surreal and satirical tale of a giant Superhero rodent named. obViously enough. Ratman, is an extensron of a cartoon strip that originally appeared in The Times. In appearance and tone this has more in common With, say, Raymond Briggs. than Alan Moore. And l.'l terms of execution. Smelling A Rat. like Briggs The Snowman. compares poorly to the worked of Moore and his cohorts. The art. the dialogue and most tellineg the combination of image and text in sequential form appears very amateurish indeed. It's as though Wright has no notion of. or perhaps interest at innovations made it sequential art in the last few decades. Reading his book is akin to gazing at a Roy L'Chtenstein and thinking: “That's been done so much better elsewhere." iMiles Fielder:
SCI Fl SERIES BRIAN K. VAUGHAN 8. PIA GUERRA
Y: The Last Man: Ring of Truth
(Titan Vertigo) 0.0
I I S I I I Collecting issues 24-31 of the critically acclaivned series about Yorick Brown. the last man left alive or) earth, Ring of Truth finally reveals how he alone survived the mysterious plague that caused his dystopian predicament.
Despite the ridiculous
premise. his story has matured well, With enough back-histOry now to give each character real emotional depth. while Vaiighn's one-liners remain as sharp as ever.
The cartoonish art lets this humour flow. but retains a realistic enough edge that the bursts of Violence are never flippant: like this sCience fiction tale in a contemporary setting. as a contradiction that makes for entertaining reading. (Dave Martini
CLASSIC
WILL EISNER The Contract with God Trilogy (Norton) 0000.
The graphic novel and the many abuses committed against it date back (arguablyi to Eisner's superb 1978 picture novel The Contract With God. The book served as a prototype ‘Or Life Force and Drops/e Avenue. two further tales by Eisner of niendacit) and human cruelty I." America's Great Depression These books had the effect of a juggernaut going through the coin:cs book scene and v'rere a very direct influence on everything from Spiegelr‘ian's .‘vfaus. Satrapi's Persepolis and Laphain's Stray Bullets series do name but a i*,‘v‘.’|.
F()ll0‘.‘./’li'lg his death at the age 0" 87 ll‘. January this year some bright spark. decided to repackage these seminal works to" a new audience to have a gander .despite having a major comic industry award named after him in 1088 Eisner's own work proved gulte difficult to get hold of in the last two decades .7‘ his lifei. Praise be for these fictional t2l"'t)".l(il(}f‘s are a Joy and a (was! for anyone seriously interested in the lizstory of the sequentia' cotnic forrn. (Paul Dalei