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 Laura Ennor.
Thursday 21
Andrew O’Hagan
Edinburgh FREE Allan Massie: Klaus and other stories Blackwell, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8206. 6.30pm. Ticketed. Prolific writer and chief fiction reviewer for The Scotsman, Allan Massie launches his new collection of short stories.
✽✽ Felix Dennis: Did I Mention the Free Wine? The Hub,
Castlehill, Royal Mile, 473 2000. 7pm. £10. Join one of Britain’s best-loved poets for an evening of wine and poetry as part of his 21-date tour to launch his sixth book, Tales from the Woods. FREE Edinburgh Skeptics The Bongo Club, Moray House, 37 Holyrood Road, 558 7604. 8pm. Guest Andy Lewis discusses ‘The Persistence of Delusion’.
North Lanarkshire ✽✽ Words 2010: North Lanarkshire Festival of Books and Writing Various venues, times vary. Prices vary. Now in its fifth year, the festival is bigger than ever, with appearances by a host of guests including actors Tony Roper and John Cairney, crime writer Denise Mina, sci-fi author Stephen Baxter and musician Edwyn Collins, as well as music, kids’ events, a quiz and a book sale. Until Sat 30 Oct.
Stirling FREE Hugh McMillan Pathfoot Building (University of Stirling), 01786 473 171. 7.30pm. Meet Scottish poet Hugh McMillan, whose collections include Aphrodite’s Anorak, Strange Bamboo and The Lost Garden.
Friday 22
Edinburgh ✽✽ Scottish International Storytelling Festival Scottish
Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Times vary. Prices vary. Scotland’s annual storytelling celebration. Performance, workshops, talks and children’s events this year are based around the theme of ‘Eastern Routes’. Until Sun 31 Oct. Visit www.scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk for details of individual events.
Saturday 23
Glasgow Lost in Digression Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. 8.30pm. £4. An eclectic night for those who have lost their way amid the twists and turns of music, poetry and storytelling.
Edinburgh ✽✽ Alasdair Gray in Conversation with Simon Groom National
Gallery of Scotland: Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, The Mound, 624 6200. 2–3pm. £6 (£4). Writer and artist Alasdair Gray marks the launch of his book A Life in Pictures, with Director of the Gallery of Modern Art, Simon Groom.
Sunday 24
Edinburgh FREE Lawrie Reilly Waterstone’s, 98/9 Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Leith, 554 7732. 1–2pm. One of the ‘Famous Five’ Hibs attacking players of the 1950s signs copies of his autobiography.
Monday 25
Glasgow ✽✽ FREE Andrew O’Hagan Ramshorn Theatre, 98 Ingram
Street, 548 2558. 5.15pm. The acclaimed
34 THE LIST 21 Oct–4 Nov 2010
One of our most respected authors continues to bask, deservedly, on the glories of his most recent novel, The Life and Opinions of Maf the Dog and of His Friend Marilyn Monroe. Here, O’Hagan offers some canine reflections on a period and set of individuals who made an indelible mark on the 20th century’s psyche. ■ Ramshorn Theatre, Glasgow, Mon 25 Oct.
Scottish writer reads from his new piece of comic fiction, The Life and Opinions of Maf the Dog and of his friend Marilyn Monroe. See caption.
Edinburgh Half Canned Cooks Book Launch Bennet’s Bar, 8 Leven Street, 228 6241. 7–10pm. £12. Book launch and tapas- style food tasting event from Lupe Pintos delicatessen.
✽✽ Alan Spence and Mio Shapley Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s
Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 7.30pm. £7 (£5). Novelist and haiku poet Alan Spence discusses the fascination with the Japanese aesthetic in art and literature, and Japanese storyteller Mio Shapley demonstrates the tea ceremony. FREE TraVerses Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. 8pm. A forum for new poets to try out ideas in front of an audience. St Andrews Les Murray Parliament Hall, South Street, 7pm. £5 (£3). Internationally acclaimed poet and writer, Les Murray, takes a trip to Scotland to read from his new book Taller When Prone.
Tuesday 26
Glasgow FREE Mark Beaumont Book Signing Tiso Glasgow Outdoor Experience, 50 Couper Street, 559 5450. 5pm. Mark Beaumont became the first person to cycle the length of the Americas and summit both of their highest peaks within the same season. And he’s still only 27. Get your signed copy of The Man Who Cycled the World.
Wednesday 27
Glasgow FREE Word Play Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. 8pm. Open mic night with acoustic music, poetry and prose. Hosts The Word Factory also performing. Edinburgh FREE Urszula Muskus: The Long Bridge Blackwell, 53–59 South Bridge,
622 8222. 6pm. Ticketed. Launch and discussion of The Long Bridge, whose author spent 14 years as a prisoner of Stalinist Russia. Urszula’s grandson joins John Watson of Amnesty International. FREE Norman Kreitman book launch Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 7.30pm. The launch of Dancing in the Dark, a volume of new and selected poems covering a range of styles and subjects revealing curiosities and concerns about the human condition. FREE Edinburgh Independent & Radical Book Fair 2010 Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7100. Edinburgh’s other book festival, organised by Word Power Books for authors and publishers – and indeed readers – who either haven’t cracked the mainstream or prefer to remain outside it. With book stalls aplenty, workshops, film screenings, exhibitions, music and discussion. Until Sun 31 Oct. Dundee Dundee Literary Festival Various venues, 01382 384413. Times vary. Prices vary. Talks by internationally acclaimed writers, local authors and poets, as well as workshops, poetry readings and kids’ events. The line-up includes novelist Alan Warner, poet Brian Johnstone and biographer Norman Watson, author of the definitive work on notoriously awful Dundonian wordsmith William McGonagall. Until Thu 28 Oct. Visit www.literarydundee.co.uk/festival.htm for details of individual events.
Thursday 28
Glasgow FREE Orlando’s Sisters Glasgow Women’s Library, 15 Berkeley Street, 07783 975044. 5.30pm. Discover some of the real women who inspired Virginia Woolf’s remarkable gender-bending novella Orlando, including Vita Sackville- West. Booking essential. Edinburgh FREE Dorrik Stow: Vanished Ocean Blackwell, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. Ticketed. Geologist
and oceanographer Dorrik Stow launches his latest book, which tells the story of the ocean of Tethys, from its origins 250 million years ago to its disappearance a mere (geological) moment before humans appeared. The Road North: Alec Finlay & Ken Cockburn Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 7.30pm. £7 (£5). Gain an insight into Alec and Ken’s Basho-inspired adventures travelling from Edinburgh to the Western Isles, with tea, whisky and poetry on the journey. Part of Connecting Voices: Poetry and Stories Across Scotland.
Friday 29
Edinburgh ✽✽ Steve Aylett Roxy Art House, 2 Roxburgh Place, 629 0039. 7.30pm. £4 (£3). Readings and rantings from sci-fi author and satirist Steve Aylett, ably supported by Edinburgh’s own Chemical Poets.
Linlithgow FREE Linlithgow Book Festival 2010 Linlithgow, 01506 670268. Times vary. The Linlithgow Book Festival returns for another weekend of literary delights for bibliophiles featuring appearances from Lin Anderson and Alasdair Gray. Until Sun 31 Oct. See www.linlithgowbookfestival.org for individual event details.
Saturday 30
Glasgow FREE David Edgar Waterstone’s, 174 Argyle Street, 248 4814. 1–3pm. Former Rangers fan club boss David Edgar signs copies of his new book, 21st Century Blue. Edinburgh Poetry Surgeries with Kona Macphee Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 0207 420 9881. 11am–4.45pm. £40 (Poetry Society members £30). The opportunity to discuss your poetry on a one-to-one basis with published poet Kona Macphee. There are five hour-long slots available throughout the day. See www.poetrysociety.org.uk/ content/membership/surgery for details. WN Herbert: Chinese Wayfaring Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 3pm. £7 (£5). Poet and indefatigable traveller WN Herbert has walked the Wall and followed the Silk Road, and tonight is joined in conversation by Robyn Marsack for an illuminating hour of storytelling. Part of Connecting Voices: Poetry and Stories Across Scotland.
Sunday 31
Edinburgh Shore Poets The Lot, 4–6 Grassmarket, 225 9922. 7pm. £4 (£3). Monthly poetry reading session providing a platform for new, emerging and established names on the Scottish poetry scene. This month’s offerings come from Frank Kuppner, Angela McSeveney, Mary Wight and Alan Coady.
Wednesday 3 Dunfermline Alistair Moffat: The Faded Map Carnegie Hall, East Port, 01383 602302. 7.30pm. £8 (under 18s/students/RSGS members free). Alistair Moffat discusses his new book The Faded Map, which chronicles the half-forgotten Celtic kings and kingdoms of two thousand years ago.
Thursday 4 Glasgow Alistair Moffat: The Faded Map Renfield St Stephen’s Church, 260 Bath Street, 332 2826. 2.15pm. £8 (under 18s/students/RSGS members free). See Wed 3.