Glasgow Women Writers Unite: The Journey Mitchell Library, 201 North Street, 552 8345. 4–5pm. tbc. Authors Louise Welsh, Leela Soma, Joyce Ito and Sarah Ward share their work. Booking is essential. FREE Talking About Jane Austen in Baghdad Mitchell Library, 201 North Street, 287 2999. 6–7.30pm. Bee Rowlatt and May Witwit discuss the book they wrote together about their unlikely friendship, formed between Baghdad and North London. West End Festival.
Edinburgh FREE Victorian Recollections: 500 Years of The Pentland Family Leith Library, 28–30 Ferry Road, 529 5517. 2.30–3.30pm. Joyce Wallace discusses her latest book. Leith Festival.
✽✽ Trainspotting Tour The Port O’Leith Bar, 58 Constitution Street,
555 5879. 7pm. £4 (£3). See Fri 11. A Sense of Place Pilrig St Paul’s Church, Pilrig Street, Leith Walk, 7pm. £4 (£3). Readings of poetry from Edinburgh and Leith. Leith Festival. FREE Thirsty Books The Lot, 4–6 Grassmarket, 225 9922. 7pm. Poetry and performance. Doors open at 6.30pm.
Melrose ✽✽ Borders Book Festival Harmony Garden, St Mary’s Road, 0844 357
1060. Times vary. Prices vary. This year’s big guests include Victoria Wood, Rory Bremner and Hilary Mantel. See Hitlist, page 40, and www.bordersbookfestival.org
Friday 18
Glasgow FREE Café Littéraire Alliance Française de Glasgow, 3 Park Circus, 339 4281. 2.30–4pm. This session of the French literature book group focuses on L’imprécateur by René-Victor Pilhes. FREE Journeys Home Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. 8pm. Ticketed. Stories, verse and music themed around homecoming journeys. Refugee Week.
Edinburgh ✽✽ Trainspotting Tour The Port O’Leith Bar, 58 Constitution Street,
555 5879. 7pm. £4 (£3). See Fri 11.
Tuesday 15
Glasgow FREE Girls’ Night in – an Antidote to the World Cup Hillhead Library, 348 Byres Road, 276 1617. 6pm. With writers Carmen Reid, Jo Carnegie and Jo Rees. West End Festival. Edinburgh FREE Leith Poetry of the Great War Leith Library, 28–30 Ferry Road, 476 9576. 7–8pm. Hear a selection of poems published by the Leith Observer during World War I. Strangers in a Strange Land: An Evening with Peter Kerr Tapa Barra y Restaurante, 19 The Shore, Leith, 7–10pm. £30. Join Scotland’s best-selling travel writer for a Spanish-style dinner and readings from his books. Tickets include Sangria, dinner, coffee and chocolates. Limited to 30 places. Leith Festival.
Wednesday 16
Edinburgh ✽✽ FREE John Aberdein: Strip The Willow Blackwell, 53–59
South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. Ticketed. See Hitlist, page 40. The Old Town Poetry Trail Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 7.30pm. £5 (£3). With poet Ken Cockburn. Meet outside the Scottish Storytelling Centre. Email events@cityofliterature.com to book. Old Town Festival. Thursday 17
A Sense of Place Pilrig St Paul’s Church, Pilrig Street, Leith Walk, 7pm. £4 (£3). See Thu 17.
Melrose ✽✽ Borders Book Festival Harmony Garden, St Mary’s Road, 0844 357
1060. Times vary. Prices vary. See Thu 17.
Saturday 19
Edinburgh The Old Town Poetry Trail Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 2.30pm. £5 (£3). See Wed 16.
✽✽ Trainspotting Tour The Port O’Leith Bar, 58 Constitution Street,
555 5879. 7pm. £4 (£3). See Fri 11. A Sense of Place Pilrig St Paul’s Church, Pilrig Street, Leith Walk, 7pm. £4 (£3). See Thu 17.
Melrose ✽✽ Borders Book Festival Harmony Garden, St Mary’s Road, 0844 357
1060. Times vary. Prices vary. See Thu 17.
Sunday 20
Glasgow Forge of the Wordsmiths Launch Party The Flying Duck, 142 Renfield Street, 564 1450. 8pm. £4. Launch of a lively new song, prose and poetry night.
Melrose ✽✽ Borders Book Festival Harmony Garden, St Mary’s Road, 0844 357
1060. Times vary. Prices vary. See Thu 17.
Monday 21
Glasgow Grace Notes 1959 City Halls: Recital Rooms, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 7pm. £6. Jim Carruth launches his book and exhibition, Grace Notes 1959, a poetry sequence commissioned by the Glasgow Jazz Festival. With pianist Pete Johnstone. Edinburgh FREE Blackwell Book Group Blackwell, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6pm. This session explores Allan Massie’s 2009 novel Surviving.
Tuesday 22
Glasgow FREE Rachel Caine Waterstone’s, 174 Argyle Street, 248 4814. 6pm. Rachel Caine signs copies of her vampire romance novel, Kiss of Death. FREE In the Beginning was the Word Glasgow University Memorial Chapel, The Square, off University Avenue, 330 6920. 7pm. Reading of the Gospel according to St John. West End Festival. Wednesday 23
Glasgow FREE Journeys in Poetry Hillhead Library, 348 Byres Road, 276 1617. 2pm. With author David Betteridge and designer Tom Malone. West End Festival.
✽✽ FREE Jackie Kay: Red Dust Road Launch Night Glasgow
from Facebook to rubbish men’s fashion. Doors at 7.30pm. Thursday 17Glasgow
Monday 14 Glasgow FREE Old Anniesland Hillhead Library, 348 Byres Road, 276 1617. 6.30pm. Local history with Sandra Malcolm. West End Festival.
Thursday 10 Glasgow FREE Jeannette Hunziker and Donal McLaughlin CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7–8.30pm. Jeannette Hunziker will read from her own fiction and help translator Donal McLaughlin to present other Swiss writers.
Edinburgh Strangers in a Strange Land: Outsiders of the Landlocked Island Rocksalt, 46 Constitution Street, 6.30–9pm. £12 (£10). Edinburgh-based Swiss author Regi Claire reads from Fighting It followed by a discussion. Includes wine, fondue and Swiss chocolate. Leith Festival.
Books Events
Events Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least ten days before publication to tasmin.campbell@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Tasmin Campbell.
Edinburgh Nothing but the Poem Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 6–7.30pm. £5 (£3). An informal poetry group with Ryan Van Winkle.
✽✽ FREE Book Launch: Quintin Jardine Waterstone’s West End, 128 Princes Street, 226 2666. 7pm. See Hitlist, page 40.
✽✽ Interview and Signing: Yann Martel Traverse Theatre, Cambridge
Street, 226 2666. 7pm. £5. Tickets are available from Waterstone’s West End or the Traverse box office. See feature, page 40.
Friday 11
Glasgow FREE Reading Allowed Tchai Ovna, 42 Otago Lane, 357 4524. 8pm. Monthly storytelling and poetry event.
Edinburgh FREE Book Launch: Hazel McHaffie Christadelphian Church Hall, Gayfield Place, 225 4326. 6.30pm. The launch of Hazel McHaffie’s book on Alzheimer’s, Remember Remember.
✽✽ Trainspotting Tour The Port O’Leith Bar, 58 Constitution Street,
555 5879. 7–9pm. £4 (£3). See Hitlist, page 40, and photo, right. Leith Festival.
Wilkieston Poetry by the Pool Jupiter Artland, Bonnington House Steadings, 257 4170. 7–10pm. £20. Barbeque and poetry on the Jencks landform with Ash Dickinson and Jenny Lindsay.
Saturday 12 Edinburgh Storytelling for Writers Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 10am–1pm. £17.50 (members £15). Lari Don helps you overcome plot problems and writers’ block. The Land of the Seal People Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 6.30pm. £7 (£5). Linda Williamson and David Campbell bring Duncan Williamson’s tales to life.
Sunday 13
Edinburgh Strangers in a Strange Land: 14 Hour Literary Mash-up Bond 09 Cocktail Lounge Bar, 84 Commercial Street, 11–1am. Suggested £3 on the door. Non-stop literary event. Visit www.leithfestival.com for specific details. All unticketed. Leith Festival. The Edinburgh Poetry Club Craigmillar Park Church, Craigmillar Park, 3pm. £10 annual subscription. Friendly discussion of a poet. Tea served at 2.45pm. Poetry at the GRV The GRV, 37 Guthrie Street, 220 2987. 7.45–9.45pm. £4 (£3). Readings by five excellent poets: Phillis Levin, David Kinloch, Marion McCready, Jon Stone and Kirsten Irving. Ash Dickinson Roxy Art House, 2 Roxburgh Place, 629 0039. 8pm. £5 (£4). Offbeat, razor-sharp riffing on everything 42 THE LIST 10–24 Jun 2010
Women’s Library, 2nd Floor, 81 Parnie Street, 552 8345. 7pm. See Hitlist, page 40. Edinburgh FREE Rachel Caine Waterstone’s West End, 128 Princes Street, 226 2666. 5pm. See Tue 22.
Dundee Dundee Literary Festival Various venues, 01382 384413. Times vary. Prices vary. Talks by internationally acclaimed writers, local authors, and poets.
Thursday 24 Dundee Dundee Literary Festival Various venues, 01382 384413. Times vary. £tbc. See Wed 23.
Trainspotting Tour There are few books that have changed the landscape of contemporary Scottish
literature quite like Irvine Welsh’s debut novel of 1993. Over the course of two hours, you’ll spot Irvo’s flat, Sick Boy’s pub and Leith police station on your way to getting the true story behind the places that made the book so powerful. ■ The Port O’Leith Bar, Edinburgh, Fri 11 & Thu 17–Sat 19 Jun.