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 24 Glasgow FREE The Green Ray Alliance Française de Glasgow, 3 Park Circus, 339 4281. 7pm. The Green Ray is the title of Jules Verne’s ‘forgotten’ Scottish novel. Professor Ian B Thompson remarks how of all of Verne’s novels, this most closely follows his own travels in Scotland. Tonight marks the launch of the new translation by Karen Loukes, published by Luath Press, and includes a wine reception and Q&A session.
Friday 25
Edinburgh FREE Golden Hour Book – Volume II Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. The word-loving team at Forest Café launches its second collection. Guid Crack Club Waverly Bar, St Mary’s Street, 556 9579. 7.30pm. £3 suggested donation. Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling club welcomes all to listen or contribute to the spinning of yarns. A delightful evening of words and song.
✽✽ Sister Spit The Big Red Door, 10 Lady Lawson Street, 228 4567.
8pm–1am. £5 (weekend ticket £10). A selection of America’s radical female writers hit our shores in an event hosted by Michelle Tea: Rhiannon Argo, Cristy Road, Kirk Read, Chelsea Starr, Kat Marie Yoas. Part of Ladyfest.
Wigtown ✽✽ StenaLine Wigtown Book Festival Various Venues, Wigtown,
01988 403222. Until Sun 4 Oct, 10am–10pm. Prices vary. Scotland’s National Book Town holds a ten-day festival, with over 150 events planned, including a special Homecoming mini- festival celebrating the connections between books and whisky. Programmed speakers include Roddy Doyle, Julia Donaldson, Kenny Logan, Giles Foden, Nick Nairn, John Boyne, Christopher Brookmyre, Sue Lawrence and Robert Crawford.
Saturday 26
Glasgow FREE The Decay of Living Fressh, 51–53 Cochrane Street, Merchant City, 552 6027. 10am–7pm. The 2nd annual MCF writing conference. Part of the Merchant City Festival.
Edinburgh ✽✽ FREE By Leaves We Live Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 11am–6pm. A unique and exciting one-day fair with stalls, displays, short talks and events on poetry and art magazine publishing taking place throughout the day. All are welcome to drop in to browse or buy magazines, catch up with the latest trends and issues, and chat to editors from Scotland and beyond.
Sunday 27
Glasgow FREE Hidden City 5 Ramshorn Theatre, 98 Ingram Street, 07811 394058. 2pm, 3pm & 4pm. A poetry tour of the city. Part of the Merchant City Festival. Edinburgh FREE Book Group Waterstone’s, Cameron Toll Shopping Centre, 6 Lady Road, 666 1866. 5–6pm. A regular book group meeting on the last Sunday of every month. This month’s required reading is The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel
34 THE LIST 24 Sep–8 Oct 2009
Barbery. Contact the branch for info. Shore Poets The Lot, 4–6 Grassmarket, 225 9922. 7.45pm. £4 (£3). Ron Butlin restarts the monthly poetry and music club, with Christine De Luca and Ryan Van Winkle also performing.
Monday 28 Glasgow 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, guide and shape your literary outpourings.
Tuesday 29
Glasgow Conversation Pieces: Michael Palin Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 1pm. £6 (£5 in advance). Alistair Moffat chats to the Python-turned-adventurer about the second volume of his Halfway to Hollywood diaries.
✽✽ FREE Nick Cave Borders Books, 98 Buchanan Street, 222 7700. 1pm. The dark mind behind the Birthday Party and the Bad Seeds releases his latest novel, The Death of Bunny Munro.
Edinburgh FREE Michael Palin Waterstone’s, 98/9 Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Leith, 554 7732. 6–7pm. See Glasgow.
alcohol consumption and rampant sexism of TV series Mad Men, now find out about contemporaneous advertising legend David Ogilvy with the release of Kenneth Roman’s biography. Thursday 1
Glasgow FREE Poetry Discussion Group Mitchell Library, 201 North Street, 287 2999. 6pm. Lively and informal discussions of poetry on the first Thursday of every month.
Friday 2
Glasgow FREE John Connolly Borders Books, 98 Buchanan Street, 222 7700. 6pm. Connolly signs his latest novel, the spooky The Gates.
✽✽ FREE Reading the Leaves Tchai Ovna, 42 Otago Lane, 357
4524. 8pm. Join guest writers for an evening of poetry and creative writing. Part of Glasgow Poetry Week. Saturday 3
Glasgow ✽✽ FREE Seeds For Thought CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7.30pm. Live urban poetry and acoustic music with open mic spots. Part of Glasgow Poetry Week.
Wednesday 30 Sunday 4
Glasgow FREE Inspired Burns Talks Mitchell Library, 201 North Street, 287 2999. 6.30pm. Talks on the Bard by Ken Simpson (30 Sep), Rhona Brown (7 Oct), Ronnie Young (14 Oct) and Alan Riach (21 Oct). Edinburgh FREE Cherie Blair Blackwell, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 12.30pm. The high-flying barrister and judge who will always be overshadowed by her hubby sign copies of her autobiography, Speaking for Myself. FREE The King of Madison Avenue National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3918. We’ve all enjoyed boggling at the 50s pencil skirts, office
Glasgow ✽✽ FREE The Glasgow Slam Rio Café, 27 Hyndland Street, 334 9909.
8pm. Slam poetry competition. Part of Glasgow Poetry Week.
Monday 5
Glasgow Creative Writing Programme Borders Books, 98 Buchanan Street, 222 7700. 6pm. £6.50 (£30 for six sessions). See Mon 28.
✽✽ FREE WS Graham Night The Poetry Club (Glasgow School of
Art), 167 Renfrew Street, 7pm. St Mungos Mirrorball hosts a night of poetry celebrating WS Graham. Part of Glasgow Poetry Week.
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Edinburgh Reading Group: New Books Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 6.30–8pm. £5 (£3). Librarian Julie Johnstone will select the pick of the library’s new poetry for discussion at this monthly group. For booking and more details please phone or email reception@spl.org.uk
Tuesday 6
Glasgow ✽✽ FREE Poetry at the Ivory The Poetry Club (Glasgow School of
Art), 167 Renfrew Street, 7pm. Launch of a new regular night. Email f.carswell@btinternet.com for more info. Part of Glasgow Poetry Week.
Edinburgh FREE Discovering Family History at NLS National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3845. 10.30am–noon. Look for family secrets or royal blood in this workshop. Email events@nls.uk or 0131 623 4675.
Wednesday 7 Glasgow Iain Anderson in Conversation Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 6.30pm. £6 (£5 in advance). Andy Williams reveals his life story to Anderson and in his new autobiography, Moon River. FREE Inspired Burns Talks Mitchell Library, 201 North Street, 287 2999. 6.30pm. See Wed 30.
Thursday 8
Glasgow ✽✽ Open Mic Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Exchange Square, 287 3050. 1–7pm. £1. Poetry performances. Part of Glasgow Poetry Week.
✽✽ FREE National Poetry Day Celebration Mitchell Library, 201 North Street, 287 2999. 6–7pm. Hamish Whyte discusses some Scottish gems. Part of Glasgow Poetry Week. FREE Fiction Writers at The Heart of Town Alliance Française de Glasgow, 3 Park Circus, 339 4281. 7pm. Alliance Française and the Goethe Institute Glasgow have put together a panel of authors from twinned cities to discuss the identity of their own town and the influence it’s had on their literature. FREE Writers and Cities Goethe Institute, 3 Park Circus, 332 2555. 7pm. Reading and discussion with Christiane Neudecker (Nürnberg), François Thomazeau (Marseilles) and Ewan Morrison (Glasgow).
✽✽ DiScOmBoBuLaTe The Arches, 253 Argyle Street, 565 1000.
7.30pm. £4 (£2). Ian MacPherson hosts another verbose outing of the literary/comedy evening. Part of Glasgow Poetry Week.
✽✽ FREE St Mungos Mirrorball The Poetry Club (Glasgow School
of Art), 167 Renfrew Street, 7.30pm. Launch of two new collections plus readings. Part of Glasgow Poetry Week. Edinburgh FREE Getting Started at NLS National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3845. 10–11.30am. Find out how to register, seek out specific books and peek inside the Reading Rooms, then enjoy a lifetime of reading books for free! Email events@nls.uk or phone 0131 623 4675 to book.
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Wigtown Book Festival Edinburgh might have the biggest book festival in the world but Wigtown
stands up as a true individual. It boasts over 150 events over ten days, mixing up big names like Roddy Doyle (pictured), Julia Donaldson and Nick Nairn with local specials including a one-off Homecoming celebration of those two inextricably linked wonders: books and whisky. Visit www.wigtownbookfestival.com for full line-up. ■ Various venues, Wigtown, Fri 25 Sep-Sun 4 Oct.