Books
Events , Glasgow
* Janet Paisley Waterstonc's. l53——157 Sauchiehall Street. 332 9105. 6.30pm. Free. The versatile writer of short stories. poetry and plays. in linglish and Scots. launches her latest novel. the historical Scottish romance. lli’liiie Rose Rebel. a story of love and loyalty during the Jacobite rebellion.
Quintin Jardine liastwood Park j Theatre. liastwood Park. Rouken Glen Road. Giffnock. 577 4970. 7pm. £5 (£3).
A chance to hear the bestselling Scottish crime writer read from his new book.
Death 's Door. the latest in his series featuring senior Edinburgh policeman Bob Skinner.
Edinburgh New Scottish Poetry North Fdinburgh Arts Centre. 15a Pennywell Court. 315 2151. Until 31 Aug. Mon-Sat: 10am-4pm. Free. Chock-full of Scottish l humour. this exhibition of new work by 12 Scottish writers. including perfonnance poets and stand-up comedians. sees published and unpublished work. freestyle poetry. monologues and haiku sit side by side. BeatniX Poetry Nite The Jazz Bar. 1 Chambers Street. 220 4290. 8—10pm. £4 (£3). ()pen mic poetry and music hosted by Anita Govan. featuring American ja/J. poetry from Young Dawkins the 111. The Chemical Poets. singer/songwriter William Douglas and. of course. open mic . s )ots. (‘all 07962 912590 for more info. Rebus 20 Writers‘ Museum. Lady Stair‘s Close. Lawnmarket. 529 4901. lintil 29 Sep. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm. Free. A special exhibition marking the 20th anniversary of the publication of Knots . and Crosses. lan Rankin's first Inspector Rebus mystery. The exhibition panel includes quotes and ‘case notes' from Rankin that provide insights into the rather popular detective series. The Big Wild Read Various libraries. until 2 Sep. Prices vary. Children are challenged to read six books with the incentive of winning a certificate. medal and other goodies. Fxlinburgh libraries will be holding a series of accompanying events and activities. Please see www.cdinburgh.gov.uk/libraries for more details.
Glas ow
>i< Annistead Maupin Waterstone's. 153— 157 Sauchiehall Street. 332 9105. 6.30pm. £3 redeemable against book. The novelist and screenwriter best known for 'Iiiles oft/1e ( ‘i'lv launches his new book. Michael 7})Ilit‘er Lives. Picking up the story of the titular character. one of the most popular from the 'liiles series.
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Maupin provides a mature coda to his ?
stories of San Franciscan bohemia.
Edinburgh
3% Armistead Maupin Waterstone's‘. 128 Princes Street. 226 2666. Noon. Free. See Fri 6.
Wednesday 1 1
Edinburgh
Journeys Through the John Murray 3
Archive National Library of Scotland. George [V Bridge. 226 4531. 2—3.30pm. Free. Anne lirrington tells stories inspired by the archive. from tales of travel and adventure in exotic lands to her own very personal experiences of the archive. Ages 8+.
Storytelling Cafe: James Spence Scottish Storytelling Centre. 43 45 High Street. 556 9579. 7--9pm. £3. Storytelling. music and song in a relaxed cafe atmosphere hosted by James Spence. Come along and join in orjust sit and have a listen.
28 THE LIST 5— 19 Jul ’2007
Edinburgh
Journeys Through the John Murray Archive National Library of Scotland. George [V Bridge. 226 4531. 2—-3.30pm. Free. See Wed 1 1.
Nicola Barry Waterstone's. 128 Princes Street. 226 2666. 6pm. Free (ticketed). The lidinburgh author signs her new title. Mother 's Ruin. a survivor memoir about her mother's battle with alcoholism and the destnictive effect it had on her whole family.
Monday 16
Edinburgh
Jasper Fforde Waterstone’s. 128 Princes Street. 226 2666. 6pm. £3 redeemable against book. Jasper Fforde pops in store to sign First Among Sequels. his fifth novel starring literary detective Thursday Next. containing wordplay. literary allusions and blenderised genres.
Glasgow
Jasper Fforde Borders Books. 98 Buchanan Street. 222 7700.
1230— 1.30pm. Free. See Mon 16.
Wednesday 18
Edinburgh
Travels in Book Art National Library of Scotland. George 1V Bridge. 226 4531. 10am—4pm. Free. lixplore some examples of personal journeys from the John Murray Archive and experiment with the art of book-making to record your own journeys with artist Rachel llazell. Garden of Delights Royal Botanic Garden. 20a lnverleith Row. 552 7171.
l lam~~4pm. Free. Storytellers located throughout the Botanics tell tales among the beautiful flora and fauna. Collect your map from the main gates and seek them out. Suitable for all ages.
Storytelling Cafe: Ruth Kirkpatrick Scottish Storytelling Centre. 43745 High Street. 556 9579. 7 9pm. £3. Storytelling. music and song in a relaxed cafe atmosphere hosted by Ruth Kirkpatrick. Come along to listen or join in.
Olive Geddes National Library of Scotland. George [V Bridge. 226 4531. 7pm. Free. Geddes launches the revised edition of her golf history book. A Suing Through 'Iime. with an illustrated talk on the history of the game. focussing on the city of lidinburgh in particular.
Thursday 1 9
Edinburgh
>l< The Bridge Readings: Iain Banks The Augustine Church. 41 «43 George [V Bridge. 623 3845. 7pm. Free. Next tip in this series of readings by Scottish and international writers is Iain Banks. The Stirling graduate and bestselling author talks about his latest title. The Sleep Approach to (iorhudo/e.
Comics
SUPERHERO NEIL GAIMAN :RJOHN ROMITA
Eternals (Marvel) 000
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Neil Gaiman. the world's most populist cult writer. flexes his comic muscles to update the story of Marvel's Eternals. Originally outed in 1976 by Jack Kirby. the race of superhumans are immonal-ish. god-like creatures with human characteristics who have taken on the task of protecting Earth. Not at all like The Endless then.
With a little jigging and poking of their powers and identities from their various runs over the years. Gaiman gets his characters up to speed with current events in the Marvel universe and ready to play along with future storylines. With plenty of backstory and retconning. there's a wealth of ground to cover — heavenly and hellish hordes. dodgy alter egos (lkaris : lke Harris) and how exactly the Eternals differ from every other extant superhero — but Gaiman is practised. The depth and humanity he lends. plus the jewel-like colourings contributed by John Rornita Jr, whet the appetite for what will be done with these characters next. (Suzanne Black)
GENRE
ERIC DROOKER Flood!
(Dark Horse) ooo
Like Paul Auster’s celebrated New York Trilogy. Eric Drooker's triumvirate of tales set in the Big Apple depicts life in the city as lonely and alienating. As with Auster. there's more than a touch of Kafka about these stories. which concern a
construction worker made homeless who literally vanishes into the cityscape and an artist who envisions the floodtide he's eventually swept away by. The overarching theme of Drooker's book. citizens being submerged in their city. reflects the period in which it was conceived. in this 19803 during the Regan administration when NYC was witness to a tidal wave of homelessness.
The narrative might be fixed to a specific time and place. but Drooker's visual rendering of the story. using woodcuts that resemble cave drawings. give it a mythic quality that transcends its setting. In any event. Drooker‘s grim visions of urban America remain just as relevant under the Bush administration.
(Miles Fielder)
WESTERN
JIMMY PALMIOTTI & JUSTIN GREY Jonah Hex: Guns of Vengeance (DC/Titan) .0.
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91‘ \‘T-‘Y T: TENS u I. ~. § E
huge subgenre in comics. and with Loveless and Jonah Hex back on the shelves there‘s a bit of a resurgence in sequential stories of coway folk. Making his first appearance in 1971, Hex is basically a disfigured take on Clint Eastwood's Man With No Name. a bitter. stone cold bounty hunter
delivering his own brand Of frontier justice. The book offers up grizzled tales of vengeance as Hex dispenses his violent retribution on carnie folk. swamp dwelling rednecks and various other colourful nerdowells across these six self-contained stories.
The tone is nicely set in Dead Wood territory but never reaches the heights of the Spaghetti Westerns that so obviously inspired this current run. Palmiotti and Grey provide the writing and a different artist each issue keeps things interesting but the quality varies wildly. (Henry NOrthmore)
SUPERHERO GREG PAK 8- JOHN ROMITA
World War Hulk No.1 (Marvel) ooo
Any follower of Marvel's output over the last year might have found themselves growing tired of the almost relentless. ashen-faced politicking of Mark Millar's ubiquitous Ciw/ War crossover. In which case. this return to the company's regular continuity for the Hulk should get old—school fans very excited.
Back from exile on a distant planet and intent on smashing — as he's so fond of doing — a bunch of fellow 'heroes'. including Iron Man and The Fantastic Four's Mister Fantastic. this first in a five-part Crossover saga is essentially an excuse for a muscle-bound revenge caper with added extra-terrestrials. Precisely none of which will matter to any comic reader who doesn't aspire to the upper levels of geekdom. although Romita Jr's typic'illy kinetic and exciting artwork means that the plentiful action sequences are played out to fantastic Visual effect. (David Pollock)