Wigtown Book Festival
Books EVENTS
EVENTS Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least ten days before publication to books@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Tasmin Campbell.
Thursday 23
Glasgow ✽✽ An evening with Chris Ryan Waterstone’s, 153–157 Sauchiehall
Street, 332 9105. 6.30–8pm. £3. SAS soldier turned bestselling author Chris Ryan chats about his latest thriller, The Kill Zone. FREE Ian Stephen CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7pm. Ian Stephen tells stories and reads extracts.
✽✽ FREE What the Hell are you Doing?: The Essential David Shrigley Mono, 12 King’s Court, King Street, 553 2400. 8pm. Ticketed (max 4 per person). David Shrigley launches a new anthology of twistedly funny, doodle- like artwork. See Hitlist, page 44.
Edinburgh FREE Peter F Hamilton Waterstone’s West End, 128 Princes Street, 226 2666. 6–7pm. Meet the sci-fi author who will read from and sign copies of his new book The Evolutionary Void. FREE The Dead of Winter Book Launch The Lot, 4–6 Grassmarket, 225 9922. 7pm. Readings from Dominic Cooper’s new Isle of Mull-set novel. Anstruther Christopher Rush in Anstruther Easter Town Hall, 35 Cunzie Street, 01334 659462. 7.30–9pm. £2.50 (£2 Fifestyle). The local author and Shakespeare fan speaks about his work.
Friday 24
Edinburgh The Guid Crack Club Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 7.30pm. Suggested donation £3. Michael Kerins is the guest storyteller in the first session of the new season.
Wigtown ✽✽ Wigtown Book Festival Various Venues (Wigtown). Times vary. Prices vary. Scotland’s second biggest book festival kicks off with a visit from former cabinet minister Peter Hain and an evening fireworks display. See www. wigtownbookfestival.com for event details.
Saturday 25
Edinburgh FREE By Leaves we Live 2010: A celebration of artists’ books and small presses Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 11am–6pm. The Scottish Poetry Library’s annual one-day fair. Browse stalls, listen to talks, attend workshops and meet writers, publishers and editors. Caithness Horizons Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 7pm. £9 (£7). The launch of Egil, Son of the Night Wolf and Atomic City, by Caithness playwright and poet George Gunn.
Wigtown ✽✽ Wigtown Book Festival Various Venues (Wigtown). Times vary.
Prices vary. Day two has events by authors such as Val McDermid and James Robertson, and a showcase of the talent or lack thereof of festival goers in ‘Wigtown Book Festival’s (Still) Got Talent’. Sunday
Saturday 26
Edinburgh FREE Cloudberry Castle Ballet Book Launch Dance Base, 14–16 Grassmarket, 337 2372. 2.30–4.30pm. Ticketed. Author Janey Louise Jones 46 THE LIST 23 Sep–7 Oct 2010
No sooner has the Edinburgh bash oozed from our minds than another spectacular gathering of authors and commentators is presented before us. So why not get yourself down to Scotland’s National Book Town to sample any one (or more) of this lot: Debi Gliori (pictured), Peter Hain, Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Kevin MacNeil, Jenny Colgan, Kei Miller, Alasdair Gray, Martin Creed, Jackie Kay, John Byrne, and the Moomins. ■ Various venues, Wigtown, Fri 24 Sep–Sun 3 Oct.
(author of Princess Poppy) visits Dance Base for a ballet-themed launch of her new book. Please book in advance. FREE Book Group Waterstone’s, Cameron Toll Shopping Centre, 6 Lady Road, 666 1866. 5pm. A regular book group meeting on the last Sunday of every month. This month’s book is Richard C Morais’ The Hundred-Foot Journey. Shore Poets The Lot, 4–6 Grassmarket, 225 9922. 7.45–11pm. £4 (£3). Monthly poetry reading session providing a platform for new, emerging and established names on the Scottish poetry scene. This month’s guests are John Glenday, Alan Gillis and Ross Wilson.
Wigtown ✽✽ Wigtown Book Festival Various Venues (Wigtown). Times vary. Prices vary. Novelists Martin Creed, Alasdair Gray and Lesley Glaister are just three of today’s guests.
Monday 27
Wigtown ✽✽ Wigtown Book Festival Various Venues (Wigtown). Times vary.
Prices vary. Arctic explorer Sara Wheeler and Cosmopolitan magazine’s agony aunt Irma Kurtz are on hand, with talks by author Allan Massie and others, and a screening of Tony Grace’s documentary on the mining industry in south-west Scotland, Finding the Seam.
Tuesday 28
Edinburgh Getting Into Poetry Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 6–7.30pm. £25 (£20). A two- evening introductory course on how to get more out of poetry through reading and discussion. With pizza and prosecco. Elie Julia Ogilvy Elie Library, Siward Lane, 7–8.30pm. £2.50 (£2 Fifestyle cardholders). The author of Turning Points, a book of inspirational true stories, gives a talk.
Wigtown ✽✽ Wigtown Book Festival Various Venues (Wigtown). Times vary. Prices vary. A ‘Bookbug Session’ will
keep the wee ones entertained, while adults can enjoy a performance of Dario Fo’s farcical play Low Pay? Don’t Pay!. Wednesday 29
Glasgow FREE Word Play Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. 8pm. Open mic night with acoustic music, poetry and prose. Hosts The Word Factory are also performing together.
Wigtown ✽✽ Wigtown Book Festival Various Venues (Wigtown). Times vary.
Prices vary. Novelist and journalist John Lanchester sees the funny side of the recession, writers including Sara Sheridan and Davis S Ross discuss their works, and in the evening the Bladnoch Distillery plays host to an evening of sessions by folk, jazz and blues musicians.
Thursday 30
Edinburgh Green Thoughts: Poetry Reading National Gallery Complex, The Mound, 624 6200. 12.45–1.15pm. Free with exhibition ticket. Robyn Marsack reads a selection of poems in response to the works on show in the gallery’s Impressionist Gardens exhibition. FREE One O’Clock Gun Anthology Launch Central Library, George IV Bridge, 242 8000. 6–6.50pm. A panel discussion and book signing celebrating the launch of the One O’Clock Gun Anthology. FREE Cycling Around Scotland Book Launch The Lot, 4–6 Grassmarket, 225 9922. 7pm. Launch of Nick Fairweather’s chronicle of his travels.
St Andrews ✽✽ Robin Ince’s Bad Book Club Byre Theatre, Abbey Street, 01334
475000. 8pm. £14 (£10–£12). The award- winning comedian has trawled the depths to find the worst, most unintentionally hilarious literary efforts ever published.
Stirling ✽✽ FREE Stirling Centre for Poetry: Dilys Rose Pathfoot
Building (University of Stirling), 01786 473 171. 7.30pm. Meet the award- winning Scottish poet and novelist.
Wigtown ✽✽ Wigtown Book Festival Various Venues (Wigtown). Times vary.
Prices vary. Meet authors Barbara Trapido, Jackie Kay and Robert Twigger over lunch, plus there is a screening of heartmeltingly lovely 2002 French documentary film, Être et Avoir.
Friday 1
Edinburgh FREE One O’Clock Gun Anthology events Speakeasy, 28 Blair Street, 7pm. An informal evening celebrating the launch of the One O’Clock Gun Anthology.
Wigtown ✽✽ Wigtown Book Festival Various Venues (Wigtown). Times vary.
Prices vary. A reading from poet Jackie Kay kicks off day eight, followed by a debate by celebrity guests on the week’s big issues for BBC Radio Scotland, talks by writers and academics, kids’ events, theatre, and comedy with Des Dillon.
Saturday 2
Wigtown ✽✽ Wigtown Book Festival Various Venues (Wigtown). Times vary.
Prices vary. Events with Iain M Banks, Barbara Dickson, former bomb disposal expert Kevin Ivison and BBC Scotland’s Sally Magnusson among others.
Sunday 3
Wigtown ✽✽ Wigtown Book Festival Various Venues (Wigtown). Times vary.
Prices vary. The festival’s last day starts with a ‘Magical Meditations’ session for kids. War veteran Alastair Urquhart and Lesley McDowell will be in conversation.
Monday 4 Edinburgh FREE Blackwell Book Quiz Blackwell, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6pm. Test your literary credentials in teams of up to five members. Please arrive for 5.45pm.
Tuesday 5
Edinburgh Getting Into Poetry Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 6–7.30pm. £25 (£20). See Tue 28.
✽✽ Russell Brand: Booky Wook 2 Tour Venue 150 @ EICC, 150
Morrison Street, 0844 847 1639. 7.30pm. £29.50. The fop launches his second book of autobiographical ramblings.
Wednesday 6 Glasgow FREE Word Play Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. 8pm. See Wed 29.
Thursday 7
Glasgow FREE Lesley Duncan: Images Not Icons Mitchell Library, 201 North Street, 287 2999. 6–7pm. The Herald’s Poetry Editor, Lesley Duncan, celebrates 20 years in the job with the publication of Images Not Icons, a collection of entertaining and perceptive verse. Edinburgh FREE Anne Downie book launch Blackwell, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6pm. Ticketed. Scottish playwright Anne Downie launches her debut novel The Witches of Pollok, which is based on a true story set in 17th-century Glasgow. Gliterary Lunch Caledonian Hilton Hotel, Princes Street, 01423 873116. £50. Good food, good books and good company. Special guests Sadie Jones and Alice Thomson will discuss their work. Advance booking essential. Please visit www.gliterarylunches.com for full details.