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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 27
Glasgow FREE Stolen Stories Waterstone’s, 153–157 Sauchiehall Street, 332 9105. 6.30pm. The untrustworthiness of writers as a breed is further compounded with the publication of Stolen Stories, a collection of tales, anecdotes and conversation pillaged to literary ends. New Talent Showcase Lost in Fiction, 114 Byres Road, 337 3075. 7–9pm. £6 (£5). New and upcoming local writing talent, reading from their work. Vital Synz Sloan’s, 62 Argyle Arcade, 108 Argyle Street, 221 8917. 7.30pm. £8 (£5). Glasgow’s poetry association presents Ron Butlin. Tickets available on the door. Edinburgh FREE Scotland: A Very Short Introduction Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. Ticketed. A wee peek into a wee country as part of the ‘A Very Short Introduction’ series. This one’s by Rab Houston. Close Encounters: Kathleen Jamie National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3845. 7.30pm. £5 (£3). Local poet Jamie discusses two poems in depth. Booking required.
Friday 28
Glasgow Conversation Pieces: Dr Phil Hammond Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 1pm. £5 (£4 in advance). The irreverent doc who entertained us at the Fringe with his show 59 Minutes to Save the NHS brings his new book, Medicine Balls, to town. Edinburgh The Guid Crack Club: St Andrew Waverley Bar, 1 St Mary’s Street, 556 9579. 7.30pm. £3 donation. Locals and visitors alike are all welcome to go along to hear and share stories celebrating our Patron Saint.
Saturday 29 Edinburgh FREE Steve Gosling Beyond Words Bookshop, 42–44 Cockburn Street, 226 6636. 2pm. Gosling talks about pinhole photography and his new book, Lensless Landscapes.
Sunday 30 Edinburgh FREE Book Group Waterstone’s, Cameron Toll Shopping Centre, 6 Lady Road, 666 1866. 5–6pm. This month’s required reading is Antonia Fraser’s King Charles II. Shore Poets Canons’ Gait, 232 Canongate, 0794 192 9239. 7.45pm. £3 (£2). This month the special guests are Frances Leviston, Susan Tichy and Ian McDonoug with the musos The Kitchen Stools.
Monday 1
Edinburgh Reading Group: New Books Central Library, George IV Bridge, 242 8000. 6.30–8.30pm. £5 (£3). Julie Johnstone selects new poetry for discussion with this month’s choice Not in These Shoes by Samantha Wynne-Rhydderch. For booking and more details please phone or email reception@spl.org.uk
Tuesday 2 Edinburgh FREE Book Group: ‘Exploring Scotland through the printed word’
National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 4675. 6pm. A monthly discussion group for Scottish fiction fans. Contact Beverley Casebow on 0131 623 3841 or Carol Stobie on 0131 623 3842 for information. FREE Stolen Stories Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. Ticketed. See Thu 27.
Wednesday 3 Edinburgh FREE PJ Brooke Waterstone’s, 128 Princes Street, 226 2666. 6–7.30pm. Ticketed. The launch of Blood Wedding, Brooke’s Granada-based thriller.
Thursday 4
Edinburgh ✽ FREE Alexander McCall Smith Waterstone’s, 83 George Street, 225
3436. 5.30–6.30pm. The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency author reads from and signs copies of his latest novel La’s Orchestra Saves the World. Translating Mein Schatten in Dachau Central Library, George IV Bridge, 242 8000. 6.30–8pm. £10 (£6). A two-part workshop led by Ken Cockburn to translate an anthology of poems written by survivors of concentration camps from German to English. You do not need to be able to speak German to take part. FREE Jeremy Butterfield Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. Ticketed. Butterfield exercises his silver tongue to discuss his collection of linguistic facts, Damp Squid: the English Language Laid Bare.
Tuesday 9
Edinburgh ✽ FREE Close Encounters: Benjamin Markovits National
Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 4675. 7pm. Benjamin Markovits, author of novels set in the drama-ridden world of Romantic literature, excavates Byron through material in the John Murray Archive.
Wednesday 10 Edinburgh FREE Poetry Pamphlet Party and Fair National Library of Scotland, 33 Salisbury Place, 623 4675. 6.30pm. Wine, mince pies, readings and lots of poetry paraphernalia to purchase. Email events@nls.uk to book. Oz Clarke Waterstone’s, 83 George Street, 225 3436. 7–8pm. £8. Clarke separates your bouquet from your Burgundy to tie in with his 250 Best Wines: Wine Buying Guide. Storytelling Café: Christmas Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 7pm. £4. Christmas storytelling, music and song in a relaxed café atmosphere, led by storyteller and clarsach player Heather Yule.
Thursday 11 Edinburgh FREE Sheila McConachie and Graham Harvey Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. Noon–2pm. Ticketed. McConachie and Harvey explain the art of getting tipsy in the kitchen with cooking demonstrations and tastings from The Whisky Kitchen. FREE Charles Stross Waterstone’s, 128 Princes Street, 226 2666. 6–7.30pm. Ticketed. Edinburgh sci-fi scribe Stross reads from and signs The Clan Corporate. FREE Christian Lange Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. Ticketed. Readings in German and Persian plus live music to launch Christian Lange’s debut novel Der Geheime Name Gottes (The Secret Name of God).
Comics Books
Ennis has an exceedingly dark take on the Punisher, writing him as a grizzled and cynical protagonist with an ever thinner line between hero and mass murderer. It was an approach that suited Frank Castle perfectly, some of the comedy might verge on the juvenile but through the years Ennis’ take on the Punisher has perhaps become the definitive version of the character. Well worth going for the hardback version which includes Ennis’ infamous ‘The Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe’ one-shot. (Henry Northmore)
CRIME MATT FRACTION & ARIEL OLIVETTI Punisher War Journal: Civil War (Marvel) ●●●●●
Comics CRIME VARIOUS The Essential Punisher Volume 1 (Marvel) ●●●●● With The Punisher: War Zone being released on the big screen in early 2009 now is the perfect time to look back on one of comics darkest heroes. Frank Castle has no superpowers, just sheer grit, a high pain threshold, a formidable arsenal and Marine training. He’s a one-man army on the trail of organised crime after his family were gunned down by the mob, a Vietnam vet with no remorse but a strict code of conduct, only killing the guilty. Since then he has wreaked bloody vengeance as judge, jury and executioner. Basically, he’s one hard bastard.
Dolph Lundgren). In Eternal War we get more tales from the archives as The Punisher hits his stride in terms of popularity. The main story (collecting Punisher War Journal 1-3, written by Carl Potts) is suitably vicious with a selection of shorter self-contained stories from the Punisher Summer Specials (written by Brit-comics royalty Pat Mills) as back up. It’s very 80s but has some excellent moments of black comedy and dark pathos. (Henry Northmore) CRIME GARTH ENNIS & STEVE DILLON The Punisher: Welcome Back Frank (Marvel) ●●●●●
Created by Gerry
Conway, Marvel’s excellent Essential series reprints his first ever appearances in Amazing Spider-Man in 1974 through spots in Daredevil and Captain America to the launch of his own mini-series in 1986. Even in the early days he was a dark character compared to the comics world’s mainstream heroes, drawing on the popularity of films like Dirty Harry and Death Wish.
With stories from the likes of Len Wein, Frank Miller, Steven Grant and Marv Wolfman this is the perfect primer to the ultimate antihero. (Henry Northmore)
CRIME PAT MILLS & VARIOUS Punisher: Eternal War (Marvel) ●●●●● During the 80s the Punisher was one of Marvel’s biggest stars, with multiple tiles and a 1989 movie (starring
The latest incarnation of the Punisher throws him back into the middle of Marvel continuity. Castle usually operates on the fringes of society but the scale of the Superhero Registration Act is too big for even the Punisher to ignore. Never one to back down from a fight, Castle launches himself into the ensuing Civil War among Marvel’s heroes with all guns blazing. While not as nasty as Ennis’ version, this is no embarrassment, as there is also large-scale action and an appropriate dose of no holds barred vengeance (that soon reviles his allies, particularly Captain America). And that’s even before you get to Olivetti’s fantastic art. (Henry Northmore)
There couldn’t be a better marriage of writer and character than Irish bad boy Garth Ennis and lone vigilante Frank Castle, teaming up with regular artistic partner Steve Dillon for an often irreverent but always brutal and bloody reboot. This 12-part mini-series soon led to a Marvel Knights ongoing series followed by the Punisher joining the MAX imprint (Marvel’s adult orientated comics line) with Ennis still at the helm.
Check out the GreatOffers on page 6 27 Nov–11 Dec 2008 THE LIST 33