Books Events
Events Monday 12
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 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. FREE Writers and Cities Goethe Institut, 3 Park Circus, 332 2555. 7pm. Reading and discussion with Christiane Neudecker (Nürnberg), François Thomazeau (Marseilles) and Ewan Morrison (Glasgow). 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 Heroic Poetic Extravaganza Scottish Poetry
Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 12.30pm. So many poetry events in one day! Choose from recitals, workshops, study sessions, arts and crafts and a pub quiz at Waverley Bar at 7pm. FREE John Watson Blackwell, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy. If you’ve still got your head in the clouds when it comes to naming the stars, get educated in The Sky Handbook.
Friday 9
Glasgow FREE Cutting the Dash Book Launch Scotland in Europe, 966–968 Govan Road, 445 5044. 2–4pm. Launch of a book about stigma in the workplace. Part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival 09. FREE Darren Shan Borders Books, 98 Buchanan Street, 222 7700. 4pm. Bestselling young adult horror author Darren Shan concludes the gruesome, entrancing and very messy Demonata series. Edinburgh FREE An Evening of Poetry Word Power Bookshop, 43 West Nicolson Street, 662 9112. 7pm. With Richard Price, Peter McCarey, David Kinloch and Alexander Hutchison.
Saturday 10
Glasgow FREE Heroes with Draw and Meet Tramway, 25 Albert Drive, 0845 330 3501. 10am–10pm. Twelve-hour multidisciplinary event with performances, open mic opportunities and the launch of Bashabi Fraser’s From the Ganges to the Tay. Part of Glasgow Poetry Week. FREE Frank McAvennie Waterstone’s, 153–157 Sauchiehall Street, 332 9105. 11am. The footie star signs copies of Happy Birthday Dear Celtic: The Inside Story of the Hoops’ Momentous Centenary Season. FREE Craig Brown Waterstone’s, 153–157 Sauchiehall Street, 332 9105. 3pm. More football fun as ex-Scotland manager Craig Brown signs copies of Scotland’s Greatest Games.
Edinburgh FREE Caroline Dunford Borders Books, Fort Kinnaird Retail Park, 657 4041. 1pm. Launch of A Death in the Family. 38 THE LIST 8–22 Oct 2009
Glasgow An Evening With Kevin Smith Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £35–£40. Silent Bob speaks about his film career with his trademark candour.
✽✽ And Another Thing . . . Hitchhiker Celebration Glasgow
Film Theatre, 12 Rose Street, 332 8128. 6.30pm. £5. Launch of Eoin Colfer’s new book picking up where Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy left off.
Edinburgh FREE Justin Quinnell Stills, 23 Cockburn Street, 622 6200. 6.30–8pm. Launch of How to Make a Paper Camera, Quinnell’s book on pinhole photography. Email info@beyondword.co.uk to book. Audrey Niffenegger Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. 7–8pm. £5. Non-chronological love story The Time Traveler’s Wife has moved to the big screen, but Niffenegger is here to talk about her new novel, A Fearful Symmetry.
Tuesday 13
Edinburgh Scotland for Gardeners Signet Library, Parliament Square, 655 1515. 6.30pm. £8. Kenneth Cox gives an illustrated talk with photography by his brother, Ray. Booking required.
✽✽ Nick Cave The HMV Picture House, 31 Lothian Road, 0844 847 1740. 7pm. £25. The musician celebrates the release his latest novel, The Death of Bunny Munro, with a night of readings, talk and music at this gig/book launch.
Wednesday 14 Glasgow FREE Rhyme and Reason Poetry Reading Scotland in Europe, 966–968 Govan Road, 440 2233. 2–4pm. The first public meeting of this regular poetry group to showcase their own creative efforts. Part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival 09. Elaine C Smith Mitchell Theatre, 6 Granville Street, 287 2999. 6.30pm. £7 (£6). The Lanarkshire comedy queen and playwright discusses her autobiography.
FREE Inspired Burns Talks Mitchell Library, 201 North Street, 287 2999. 6.30pm. Talks on the Bard by Ronnie Young (14 Oct) and Alan Riach (21 Oct). Women Writers Unite: Experience Counts Glasgow Women’s Library, 2nd Floor, 81 Parnie Street, 552 8345. 7–9pm. Donations. Readings by female writers Margaret Elphinstone (The Gathering Night) and Vicki Feaver (The Book of Blood). Booking essential. Edinburgh FREE Alexander Bell Blackwell, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. Launch of Peak Water, the new book discussing the impact that our use of water is having on civilisation, by former BBC journalist and Talk 107 presenter Alexander Bell. Please RSVP to events@luath.co.uk FREE Poetry Walk with GPS – The Global Poetry System Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 3pm. Ryan Van Winkle leads a poetry walk around Stockbridge on a quest for found poetry. Bring a digital camera. Storytelling Café Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 7pm. £4. Storytelling, music and song in a relaxed café atmosphere.
Thursday 15
Glasgow FREE Laugh in the Library Maryhill Library & Learning Centre, 1508 Maryhill Road, 276 0715. 6–8pm. Comic writing workshop and performance from Ian Macpherson. Part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival 09.
Edinburgh ✽✽ Vic Reeves Teviot Underground, Bristo Square, 622 8222. 7pm. £4.
Jim Moir gets back to the funny with the release of Vic Reeves’ Vast Book of World Knowledge.
Friday 16 Glasgow FREE Writing Experience Mitchell Library, 201 North Street, 287 2999. 10am. Stalls, exhibitions and opportunities to interact with emergent writers. Part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival 09.
An Evening with Kevin Smith Silent Bob only ever speaks when he has something to say,
so you can be sure that this evening in the company of his alter ego Kevin Smith will be full of meaningfully-chosen words. One of the only celebrity voices of sense in the recent Polanski controversy, and by all accounts an absolutely lovely fella, Smith is in town to discuss his filmmaking career from the lo-fi insanity of Clerks to the JLo-driven saccherine of Jersey Girl. He’ll talk about pretty much anything, but just don’t get him started on Prince . . . ■ Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Mon 12 Oct.
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FREE Freedom and Belonging Mitchell Library, 201 North Street, 287 2999. 11am–12.30pm. Seminar and readings about writing that explores journeys. Booking required. Part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival 09. Tom Leonard Mitchell Library, 201 North Street, 287 2999. 2–3.30pm. £3 (£2). A talk on language use chaired by Larry Butler. Part of the Mental Health Arts and Film Festival. FREE Writing from Memory Mitchell Library, 201 North Street, 287 2999. 4–5.30pm. Workshop led by Helen Lamb. Booking required. Part of the Mental Health Arts and Film Festival.
✽✽ Liz Lochhead and Jackie Kay: Voice Mitchell Theatre, 6 Granville
Street, 287 2999. 7–8.30pm. £3 (£2). Performances, readings and questions from two masters. Part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival 09.
Saturday 17
Glasgow Mish Gorecki Goes Missing Mitchell Theatre, 6 Granville Street, 287 2999. 11am. £3 (£2; children free). Performance by Australian playwright Skye Loneragan. Part of the Mental Health Arts and Film Festival. FREE Writing, Experience and Performance Mitchell Library, 201 North Street, 287 2999. 1pm. Workshop with Skye Loneragan. Booking required. Part of the Mental Health Arts and Film Festival.
✽✽ Denise Mina and Alan Bissett Mitchell Theatre, 6 Granville Street,
287 2999. 2.30–4pm. £3 (£2). Willy Maley chairs this meeting of two Scottish literary minds. Part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival 09. Zoë Strachan and Louise Welsh: Diverse City Mitchell Theatre, 6 Granville Street, 287 2999. 5–7pm. £3 (£2). Strachan and Welsh headline this night of performances from established acts and open night slots. Part of the Mental Health Arts and Film Festival.
Edinburgh FREE RH Stewart Borders Books, Fort Kinnaird Retail Park, 657 4041. 2pm. Signing copies of The Devil’s Creature in the City of the Dead, his newest teen title. Poetry is Good for the Soul Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 5–6.30pm. £3. Readings from three Scottish poets: Helen Lamb, Liz Niven and Anita Govan. Part of the Mental Health Arts and Film Festival.
Monday 19
Glasgow Creative Writing Programme Borders Books, 98 Buchanan Street, 222 7700. 6pm. £6.50 (£30 for six sessions). See Mon 12. David Wilson Mitchell Theatre, 6 Granville Street, 287 2999. 7pm. £3. David Wilson tells the stories of Jack the Ripper and serial killers Ian Brady, Robert Black, Denis Nilsen and Bible John in A History of British Serial Killing. Edinburgh David Bellingham: Key Concrete Works Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 7.30pm. £5 (£3). Artist David Bellingham talks about his favourite concrete poems. FREE Writer of the Year Awards Brunton Theatre, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, 665 2240. 7.30pm. Ticketed. A celebration of local writers with Tyne & Esk Writers and East Lothian and Midlothian Council Library Services.
Wednesday 21 Glasgow FREE Inspired Burns Talks Mitchell Library, 201 North Street, 287 2999. 6.30pm. See Wed 14.