Books Events
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 10
Glasgow ✽✽ FREE Mary Brennan Waterstone’s, 153–157 Sauchiehall
Street, 332 9105. 6.30pm. Dance critic Mary Brennan, who has written Scottish Ballet: Forty Years, joins in an evening celebrating the illustrious company. Carmen Reid Cardonald Library, 1113 Mosspark Drive, 882 1381. 7pm–9pm. £1 (50p). The Glasgow chicklit author settles into the library for a girlie evening.
Edinburgh FREE Donald Bloxham Blackwell, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. The professor of modern history from the University of Edinburgh takes a new look at the Holocaust in The Final Solution.
Friday 11
Edinburgh FREE Book Group Waterstone’s, 13–14 Princes Street, 556 3034. 6.30pm–7.45pm. Take a stand and express an opinion in this discussion of Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons. Saturday 12
Glasgow ✽✽ FREE Seeds of Thought: End of Summer Event CCA, 350
Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7.30pm. Live urban poetry and acoustic music with open mic spots.
Edinburgh FREE Eric Pullen Borders Books, Fort Kinnaird Retail Park, 657 4041. 2pm. Why is local children’s author Eric Pullen in store? Why, to launch three more of his Why books.
✽✽ FREE Ian Rankin Borders Books, Fort Kinnaird Retail Park, 657
4041. 3pm. Ian Rankin discusses his new book The Complaints and signs copies. Stirling Off the Page Various venues, 01786 432383. Until Sun 20 Sep, times vary. Prices vary. A week-long book festival, organised by Stirling County Libraries. See picture caption, right.
Sunday 13
Glasgow Waterstone’s Crime Time Eastwood Park Theatre, Eastwood Park, Rouken Glen Road, Giffnock, 577 4970. 6.30pm. £8. Denise Mina, Louise Welsh, Karen Campbell, Helen FitzGerald and Harry The Polis Morris are sprung from the joint in time for this crime fiction special.
Monday 14
Glasgow FREE Scoular Anderson – How a Book is Made Drymen Community Library, the Square, Drymen, 01360 660751. 2pm–3pm. Scoular Anderson on making a book in this talk aimed at children in classes P5-6. Part of Off the Page. Creative Writing Programme Borders Books, 98 Buchanan Street, 222 7700. 6pm. £6.50 (£30 for six sessions). Alistair Paterson leads a weekly class to inspire your literary outpourings.
Stirling FREE Scoular Anderson – How a Book is Made Cowane Centre, Cowane Street, 01786 473544. 10am–11am. See Mon 14. 38 THE LIST 10–24 Sep 2009
FREE The Big Book Exchange Cowane Centre, Cowane Street, 01786 473544. 2pm–4pm. Swap old books for ones that are new to you. Part of Off the Page.
✽✽ An Evening With . . . Ian Rankin Tolbooth, Jail Wynd, 01786
274000. 7.30pm. £8 (£6). This year’s festival opens with a talk from crime writer Ian Rankin. Part of Off the Page.
Tuesday 15
Glasgow FREE Anne-Lise Grobéty Goethe Institut, 3 Park Circus, 332 2555. 7pm. A reading and discussion in French by Swiss writer Anne-Lise Grobéty, with German contributions from the translator Irma Wehrli.
Edinburgh ✽✽ FREE Inspirations at NLS: Christopher Brookmyre
National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 4675. 7pm. The Scottish crime-fiction penner mentions Asterix, Aristophanes, James Bond and Billy Connolly among his influences.
Stirling Magi Gibson and Ian Macpherson St Ninians Community Library, Mayfield Centre, 01786 472069. 7.30pm–9pm. £5 (£4). The organisers of Glasgow’s monthly DiScOmBoBULate night bring their blend of poetry and comedy to Stirling, with Macpherson reading excerpts from his Radio 4 series Bottled Air. Part of Off the Page. Karen Campbell Cowie Community Library, Burns Terrace, Cowie, 01786 816269. 11am–noon. £5 (£4). Glasgow thriller writer Karen Campbell talks about her writing, which has already attracted many accolades in the course of her second career – the first was as a policewoman, a fact which lends her crime writing an extra level of reality. Part of Off the Page. Rodge Glass Tolbooth, Jail Wynd, 01786 274000. 7.30pm–9pm. £8 (£6). Two novels and a biography into his literary career, the Glasgow-based Jewish author has attracted considerable attention. Part of Off the Page.
Tartans and Silks With Bashabi Fraser Strathblane Library, Kirkburn Road, 01786 432383. 7.30pm. £5 (£4). The Bengali poet discusses her latest work, an epic poem about the Ganges and the Tay. Part of Off the Page. Wednesday 16
Callander Laura Marney Callander Community Library, South Church Street, 01877 331544. 10.30am–11.30am. £5 (£4). Glasgow-born writer Laura Marney talks, among other topics, about her latest novel My Best Friend Has Issues, which is set in Barcelona and Cumbernauld. Part of Off the Page.
Stirling Laura Marney Alpha Community Centre, Lamont Crescent, Fallin, 01786 432251. 2pm–4pm. £5 (£4). See above. Hector MacLeod, Malcolm McLeod and Jim Fraser Tolbooth, Jail Wynd, 01786 274000. 7.30pm–9pm. £8 (£6). True crime writers Hector and Malcolm are joined by forensics expert Professor Jim Fraser to discuss the case of Peter Manuel, Scotland’s first modern-day serial killer. Part of Off the Page. Stirlingshire Geoff Holder Killin Library, Killin, 01567 820475. 7.30pm–9pm. £5 (£4). From mysterious carvings to healing wells and hidden cairns, Geoff Holder has written a comprehensive guide to all the archaeological curiosities in Scotland. Part of Off the Page.
Thursday 17
Edinburgh FREE Reading Group: Nothing but the Poem Central Library, George IV Bridge, 242 8000. 6.30pm–8pm. This gentle reading group led by Julie Johnstone focuses on the reader’s response to the text. Balfron FREE Big Issue Day Balfron Library, Buchanan Street, 01360 440407. 9am–9pm. Celebrate the library at the
Off the Page Book lovers are set for a treat this month as a flurry of leading authors make the trip to Stirling. A week- long jamboree of literary lovelies, this year’s line-up includes Ian Rankin, Rodge Glass (pictured) and ex-WPC Karen Campbell. The kids should be kept suitably amused by Jeremy Strong and Karen McCombie. ■ Various venues, Stirling, Sat 12–Sun 20 Sep.
www.list.co.uk/books
heart of your local community, with coffee and chat. Part of Off the Page. Stirling Ken McNab – The Beatles in Scotland Bridge of Allan Library, Fountain Road, Bridge of Allan, 01786 833680. 7.30pm–9pm. £5 (£4). Journalist and Beatles fan Ken McNab explores the connections between the Beatles and Scotland. Part of Off the Page. Open-Mic Poetry With Magi Gibson Tolbooth, Jail Wynd, 01786 274000. 7.30pm–9pm. £8 (£6). Stirling Makar Magi Gibson hosts an open-mic poetry event in an informal cabaret setting. Part of Off the Page. FREE Stewart Conn Bannockburn Community Library, Greenacre Place, Bannockburn, 01786 812286. 7.30pm–9pm. Bannockburn Study Group presents former Edinburgh Makar Stewart Conn, whose many collections of poetry include Ghosts at Cockcrow and The Loving-Cup. Part of Off the Page.
Strathblane FREE Big Issue Day Strathblane Library, Kirkburn Road, 9am–9pm. See Thu 17.
Friday 18
Stirling FREE Catherine Rayner Cowie Community Library, Burns Terrace, Cowie, 01786 816269. 10am–11am. Fun for nursery-aged children with Catherine Rayner, illustrator and winner of the Kate Greenaway medal for children’s book illustration. Part of Off the Page. Eat Well with Nell Cambusbarron Community Library, Community Centre, Cambusbarron, 01786 473873. 7.30pm–9pm. £5 (£4). Nutritionist and TV star Nell Nelson talks about her cookbook Eat Well with Nell. Part of Off the Page. Janet Paisley Tolbooth, Jail Wynd, 01786 274000. 7.30pm–9pm. £8 (£6). The versatile short story writer, poet and playwright talks about her latest novel, Warrior Daughter. Part of Off the Page.
Saturday 19
St Ninians Maggi Gibson St Ninians Community Library, Mayfield Centre, 01786 472069. 11am–noon. £5. Children aged 9+ are invited to meet the author and leave with a surprise gift. Part of Off the Page. Stirling FREE Speed Reading Bridge of Allan Library, Fountain Road, Bridge of Allan, 01786 833680. 2pm–4pm. A fun event where, over a drink or two, you get to try and sell your favourite book to as many people as possible in just two minutes. Part of Off the Page.
Monday 21
Glasgow Creative Writing Programme Borders Books, 98 Buchanan Street, 222 7700. 6pm. £6.50 (£30 for six sessions). See Mon 14. Dunfermline FREE Bookstart Toddler Rhymetime Dalgety Bay Library, Regents Way, Dalgety Bay, 01383 602364. 10.30am–11.30am.
Tuesday 22
Glasgow Iain Anderson in Conversation Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 1pm. £6 (£5 in advance). Iain Anderson chats with Kenneth Cox, author of Scotland for Gardeners. Edinburgh Reading Group: Nothing but the Poem Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 6.30pm–8pm. £5 (£3). See Thu 17.