Books
Events
Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least ten days before publication to suzanne.black@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Suzanne Black.
Thursday 15
Edinburgh
=l= One Book - One Edinburgh Various venues. 7l8 5663. Until I Mar. Times vary. Prices vary. The capital's first citywide campaign to encourage us all to get reading. Thousands of free copies of three new editions of Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnap/m1 are being given away during a month of tie-in events. Organised by Edinburgh. l‘NliSCO City of Literature. Favourite Poems by Robert Louis Stevenson Scottish Poetry Library. 5 Crichton's Close. Canongate. 557 2876. l-—l .45pm. Free. Christine De Luca hosts a lunchtime celebration of Stevenson‘s poems. Part of ()ne Book - ()ne lidinburgh.
On the Road with David Balfour National Library of Scotland. 33 Salisbury Place. 623 3845. 7pm. Free (ticketed). Kevin Williamson talks to Barry Menikoff from the University of Hawaii about his extensive research for the definitive edition of Kidnapped. published by Canongate. Part of One Book A One lidinburgh.
Glasgow
* Aye Write! Mitchell Library. 201 North Street. 287 2999. Until 25 Feb. Times vary. Prices vary. Centred around the city's magnificent Mitchell Library. (ilasgow‘s book festival offers a plethora of book- related events and top literary names from Scotland and beyond. A mere sample: Iain Banks. Lynne Truss. Jon Ronson. James Robertson. AL Kennedy. Andrew Motion. William Boyd. Raj Persaud and Li/. Lochhead. See feature. page 20.
Glasgow
Adults Writing for Children Borders Books. 98 Buchanan Street. 222 7700. Noon» 6pm. £25. Alistair Paterson offers helpftrl advice on how to write for the most discerning audience of all: children. Booking essential. Phone 07960 823 7 l 2.
Monday 1 9
Glasgow
Creative Writing Class Borders Books. 98 Buchanan Street. 222 7700. 6- 8pm. £5. Alistair Patterson hosts a writing workshop every Monday entitled ‘l)iscover and develop the writer within'. Pretty-self explanatory that. For further info please call 07969 8237 l 2.
Tuesday 20
Edinburgh
Long John Silver and Robert Louis Stevenson National Library of Scotland. George W Bridge. 226 453]. l 2pm. Free (ticketed). See Around Town. page 25. Out of the Bedroom - Out of the Closet The Canorts’ (iait. 232 Canongatc. 556 448]. See (iay.
Wednesday 21 Edinburgh
Robert Louis Stevenson: A Personal Alphabet National Library of Scotland. George W Bridge. 226 453l. 7pm. Free (ticketed). Stevenson erttlrtrsiast Alan Marchbank gives an illustrated talk about the themes. places. people and books associated with the man himself. Part of One Book -- ()ne lidinburgh.
Edinburgh Getting Into Poetry Scottish Poetry Library. 5 Crichton‘s Close. Canongate.
30 THE LIST 15 Feb-l Mar 2007
557 2876. 6.30--8pm. £5 (£3 inc wine). The first in a series of three sessions introducing different styles of poetry and how to approach it. led by Lilias Fraser. reader development officer at the Scottish Poetry Library. £10 (£6) for all three workshops.
Stevenson in Snapshots Blackwells. 53—59 South Bridge. 622 8222. 6.30pm. Free (ticketed). A panel discussion about the revered Scottish writer with opportunities for audience participation. Part of ()ne Book - ()ne lidinburgh.
Glasgow
Andrea Levy: Small Island Pollokshaws Library and Learning Centre. 50/60 Shawbridge Street. 632 3544. 2.30pm. Free. The ()range and Whitbr'ead prize-winning book goes under the microscope with the author telling it like it is.
Edinburgh
The Guid Crack Club Scottish Storytelling Centre. 4345 High Street. 556 9579. 7.30pm. £3. lidinburgh’s monthly storytelling clttb with guest Allison (ialbraith. All are welcome to share 21 story or” a song.
Saturday 24
Glasgow
Going Beyond Haiku: Exploring Other Japanese Verse Forms Borders Books. 98 Buchanan Street. 222 7700. Noon —-6pm. £25. Alistair Paterson. the poet and creative writing tutor. leads a workshop in this fascinating and lesser known branch of poetry. Phone 07960 823 7 l 2.
Edinburgh
Harvey Holton Mai Thai. The 'l'un. Jackson's lintry. l l l llolyrood Road. 3 l 3 2797. 7.45pm. £2 (£1 ). A llarvey llolton special from the Shore Poets. with Dorothy Lawrenson. Diana llendry and music from Celter Schmelter.
Monday 26
Glasgow Creative Writing Class Borders Books. 98 Buchanan Street. 222 7700. 6 8pm. £5. See Mon 19.
Wednesday 28
Edinburgh The Bridge Readings: What a Silly Thing is Popularity Leith Library. 28 30 Ferry Road. 529 55l7. 7pm. Free (ticketed). Rosemary (ioring. The Hem/(1's literary editor. leads a panel discussion on Stevenson's hankering for celebrity. Call ()l 3l 623 3845 to book. Part of One Book One lidinburgh. * A Celebration of Edwin Morgan North lidinburgh Arts Centre. l5a Pennywell Court. 3l5 2l5l. 7.30pm. £5 (£2.50 £3.50). Join Ron Butlin and Hamish White for this evening celebrating the work of (ilasgow's great Poet Laureate. Robert Crawford Scottish Poetry Library. 5 Crichton‘s Close. Canongate. 557 2876. 7.30pm. £3 (£2). A Poetry Association of Scotland reading with Robert Crawford.
Edinburgh
Getting Into Poetry Scottish Poetry Library. 5 Crichton's Close. Canongate. 557 2876. 6.30: 8pm. £5 (£3 inc wine). See Thu 22.
Beatnix Poetry Nite The Jan. Bar. l Chambers Street. 220 4290. l lprn. Free. A mix of open mic. performance poetry and singer/songwr'iter's. hosted by Attila (iovan (call 07962 912590 for details).
Michael Faulkner Blackwells. 53 59 South Bridge. 622 8222. 6.30pm. The lesser known Faulkner drops in to spread some wisdom about his escape front civilisation in his new book. The Blur’ Cabin: Living by the 'Iirlcs on Island More.
Comics
SCI-Fl
PAT MILLS KEVIN O’NEIL, JESUS nsoouoo & BRYAN TALBOT
The Complete Nemesis the Warlock Book 1 (Rebellion) oooo
Rebellion continues its gorgeous repackaging of classic 2000AD stories. And Nemesis the Warlock is perhaps one of the greatest stories to ever grace the pages of the erstwhile sci-fi compendium. being a biting satire of racial intolerance and religious fanaticism. Nemesis himself is an alien freedom fighter in a war against oppression brought into effect by Torquemada. a tyrannical despot with his slogan of ‘Be pure! Be vigilant! Behave!‘ The concepts at its core are something
that has been tackled many times in sci-fi from The P/anet of the Apes to X-A/len but there’s a shot of adrenaline that Pat Mills brings to these stories that elevate them to another level.
The majority in this digest are illustrated in the frenzied. angular style of Kevin O'Neil, and together they create a fascinating dystopia. O'Neil's jagged pens at first seem coarse but are constantly fascinating with hidden depths of detail. Nemesis‘ world may be brutal and ugly but it's packed with bizarre ideas and a truly enigmatic central character.
(Henry Northmore)
BIOGRAPHY/LIFE STORY HARVEY PEKAR Ego and Hubris (Ballantine Books) 0...
Meet Michael Malice ~— childhood immigrant. dreamer. short—ass and egotist. In some ways he's just another mildly schizophrenic man.
raised in Bensonhurst. Brooklyn. but to Pekar (the graphic novel's greatest navel gazer) he is some kind of hero. Pekar's modern day comic book equivalent of Nikolai Gogol's Diary of a Madman is an odd reflective work full of mundanity. profundity and depressing truth. In Malice. a real person by all accounts. Pekar has found the perfect foil for his own well- documented obsessions. As in Gogol‘s short stOry. Ego and Hubris is rife with subtle allegory of time in a life of war. depression and. yes. hubris. Revisiting themes from his previous. exemplary work The Quilter. this is a serious investigation into the very essence of the everyman, the anti-hero hooked on failure and dispossession. (Paul Dale)
CRIME
BRIAN AZZARELLO & EDUARDO RISSO 100 Bullets: Decayed (Vertigo/Titan) oooo
Now possibly three— quarters of the way into this cracking crime drama (this tenth volume collects issues 68 through 75 of what's perhaps going to be a d0uble dead-eye 100). it's clear just what an enormously impressive feat of writing 700 Bullets is. With a civil war looming between the houses of the Trust (a powerful cabal of families descended from the founding fathers that
secretly rules America) and the organisation's former warlord Agent Graves reactivating his Minutemen enforcers for a reason yet to be revealed. the sheer scope of writer Brian Azzarello‘s labyrinthine plotting has become apparent.
Just as impressive is the crystal clear characterisation and razor sharp dialogue. and. in regard to the latter. the wordplay is as smart as anything dreamed up by the hardboiled crime writers Azzarello is certainly inspired by.
(Miles Fielder)
NEWS/REPORTAGE WINSOR MCCAY Editorial Works (Checker BPG) oooo
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Better known for his groundbreaking 19308 animated film Gertie the Dinosaur (a film so exquisitely animated that it upped the game for Disney at the time). and comic strips Little Nerno in Slumber/and and Dreams of a Rarebit Fiend. McCay was also a prolific pioneer of satirical and political cartoons.
This impressive compilation of ‘funnies' that appeared in US newspapers between 1910 and 1917 follows a loose trajectory from the American/Mexican wars to the US entry into WWII after the sinking of the Lusitania. For anyone with an interest in early 20th century US histOry this is giddy. fascinating and darkly familiar stuff. The grim reaper, Uncle Sam and corrupt officials vie for space amongst the dark crosshatching and symbolic anachronisms.
McCay's fantasy artwork was justifiably unrivalled (except perhaps by the German/American caricaturist Lyonel Feininger) and was a great influence on Chris Ware and Moebirrs. But his satirical work is less well chronicled. so it is a treat to see it showcased in such a sensitive and finely ordered collection. (Paul Dale)