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 20
Glasgow FREE Behind the Scenes Mitchell Library, North Street, 287 2999. 2.30pm. Guided tour around the shelves of the largest public reference library in Europe. FREE Flora McDonald Pollokshaws Library, 50/60 Shawbridge Street, 276 1535. 6.30–7.30pm. A chance to meet the author of Coco is Crubagan: A Hebridean Childhood. FREE Meet PC Cast Waterstone’s, 153–157 Sauchiehall Street, 332 9105. 6.30–8pm. PC Cast, author of the House of Night novels, reads from the newest installment, Awakened. Scottish Launch of Ambit Literary Magazine’s 200th Issue Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA), 350 Sauchiehall Street, 332 7521. 7pm. Suggested donation £3. Founding and present editor Martin Bax introduces contributors including Douglas Thompson and Jim Burns. Edinburgh FREE Alanna Knight: The Seal King Murders Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8206. 6.30pm. Launch of Knight’s latest Inspector Faro novel. Booking essential.
Friday 21
Glasgow FREE The Better Crack Club Tchai- Ovna House of Tea, 42 Otago Lane, 357 4524. 8pm. Regular storytelling club for adults. Edinburgh FREE Cargo Crate Launch National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3918. 6pm. Launch of the first Scottish e-book/print-on-demand service from Cargo Publishing. Bring along a USB stick to purchase Alan Bissett’s The Moira Monologues or Simon Sylvester’s 140 Characters (Twitter- based ‘micro-stories with macro themes’), both with extra features. Booking essential. Neu! Reekie! Scottish Book Trust, Sandeman House, Trunk’s Close, 55 High Street, 524 0160. 7–9pm. £5 (£4). New avant-garde poetry and film night.
Saturday 22
Glasgow Pitching Your Manuscript Trongate 103, 276 8380. 1.45–4.45pm. £60. Learn how to pitch your novel to prospective publishers, with Claire Wingfield. Booking essential. See feature, page 27. Edinburgh Getting Into Poetry Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close Canongate, 557 2876. Time tbc. £60 (£50). This four- week, non-academic course is for pure poetic pleasure seekers, with coffee and croissants included in the price. Two Tales: Tam O’Shanter and The Goddess of War Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 2–3pm. £4 (£3). Author Lari Don retells two popular tales. For ages 8+. Part of Burnsfest.
Monday 24
Glasgow FREE Celebrating William Stafford Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA), 350 Sauchiehall Street, 332 7521. 7pm. A celebration of the late Oregon Poet Laureate and his oeuvre. Anyone who attends is welcome to read a favourite Stafford poem. Booking essential. 32 THE LIST 20 Jan–3 Feb 2011
Scottish Crime Panel
Saturday 29
Glasgow ✽✽ FREE Brigid’s Fire Maggie’s Centre, The Gatehouse 10
Dumbarton Road, 07853 188411. 10am–6pm. Poetry and storytelling event marking the first day of spring, dedicated to the patron of poetry and healing. Celebrate the power of poetry with Donny O’Rourke, Allison Galbraith, Valerie Gillies, Margot Henderson and Manjusvara.
✽✽ John Cooper Clarke The Arches, 253 Argyle Street, 565
1000. 7pm. £15. A performance by the legendary punk poet. See Comedy, page 53. Edinburgh Getting Into Poetry Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close Canongate, 557 2876. Time tbc. £60 (£50). See Sat 22. FREE Wine & Poetry St John’s Church Hall, Princes Street, 221 2273. 8–10pm. A revival of the Persian tradition of pairing wine with poetry, inviting special guests and members of the public alike to bring along and read a favourite Scottish or Iranian poem. Part of Edinburgh Iranian Festival.
Sunday 30 Edinburgh Shore Poets The Lot, 4–6 Grassmarket, 225 9922. 7.45–10.15pm. £4 (£3). Regular poetry evening, this month featuring Kona McPhee, Ian McDonough and Ruth Aylett, with music from Celter Schmelter.
Monday 31 Edinburgh The Film of the Book Central Library, George IV Bridge, 225 2580. 2–4pm. £36 (£16). See Mon 24.
Tuesday 1
Edinburgh ✽✽ FREE Why Do Songs Have Lyrics? The Caves, Niddry Street
South, 557 8989. 6–9pm. Musicians King Creosote and Ziggy Campbell, writer Ian Rankin, and Mercury Music Prize judge Simon Frith discuss words and music. Part of Let’s Get Lyrical.
Wednesday 2
Edinburgh FREE Antisocial Writers Club Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7100. 2pm. See Thu 20. FREE Walter Perrie Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8206. 6.30pm. Launch of a new collection, Tales & Lyrics In Twa Tongues, from Lanarkshire- born poet Perrie. Booking essential. Clydebank FREE Researching Women’s History Dalmuir Community Centre, Duntocher Road, 248 9969. 1–3pm. Free with ILA. See Wed 26.
Thursday 3 Glasgow FREE Poetry Discussion Group Mitchell Library, North Street, 287 2999. 6pm. Lively and informal poetry discussion.
Edinburgh FREE Q&A and Book Reading: Ctesias at the Court of the Great King Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6–7pm. Dr Lloyd Llewellyn Jones discusses his new book. Part of Edinburgh Iranian Festival.
✽✽ Scottish Crime Panel Waterstone’s West End, 128 Princes
Street, 226 2666. 6.30–7.30pm. £2 (redeemable against purchase). See caption, page 32.
For far too long, the bad boys of Scottish crime writing had it all their own bloody way. But steadily a crop of gory girls have joined the genre’s ranks. This discussion features three of the chief exponents: Lin Anderson, Aline Templeton and Karen Campbell (pictured). ■ Waterstone’s, Edinburgh, Thu 3 Feb.
Edinburgh The Film of the Book Central Library, George IV Bridge, 225 2580. 2–4pm. £36 (£16). A new type of book discussion group, organised by the Workers’ Educational Association Scotland, looking at books and their cinematic adaptations. Contact WEA Scotland directly to sign up. FREE The Big Book Group Bash! Central Library, George IV Bridge, 242 8100. 6.30pm. A special event for book groups throughout Edinburgh. Writers Laura Marney, Sue Peebles and Alan Bissett discuss their ideal book group, while enthusiasts can find out how to borrow multiple book editions. Email readerdevelopment@edinburgh.gov.uk to book a place. Supper with Burns The Tass, 1 High Street, 556 6338. 7–9pm. £17.50. Enjoy a traditional Burns Supper (included in the price) with storytellers Linda Bandelier, David Campbell and Donald Smith. Booking recommended. Ages 18+. Part of Burnsfest.
Tuesday 25
Edinburgh Supper with Burns The Tass, 1 High Street, 556 6338. 7–9pm. £17.50. See Mon 24. FREE Inky Fingers Open Mic: Second Degree Burns The Forest Café, 3 Bristo Place, 220 4538. 8–11pm. Special edition of this word-lovers’ night, with a Rabbie Burns theme. Contact inkyfingersedinburgh@gmail.com to perform, or just watch and admire.
Wednesday 26
Glasgow FREE Monosyllabic Mono, 12 Kings Court, King Street, 553 2400. 8pm. Mono’s spoken word performance evening with open spots for anyone who fancies it – email verseatye@yahoo.co.uk Edinburgh FREE Antisocial Writers Club Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7100. 2pm. A group for people who like writing in public spaces. Sessions consist of an hour’s writing time, followed
by optional sharing of what you’ve produced. FREE Scottish Enlightenment National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3918. 6pm. Professor Alexander Broadie asks ‘What’s So Scottish about the Scottish Enlightenment?’ Booking essential. Supper with Burns The Tass, 1 High Street, 556 6338. 7–9pm. £17.50. See Mon 24.
✽✽ FREE Vietnam: The Untold Story Word Power Bookshop, 43
West Nicolson Street, 662 9112. 7pm. Hilary Horrocks, one of the translators of a new English edition of the autobiography of exiled Vietnamese socialist Ngo Van, discusses the dark secrets of the country’s past and present.
Thursday 27
Glasgow FREE Tommy’s Peace Govanhill Library, 170 Langside Road, 276 1550. 2.30pm. A discussion with Ronnie Scott, editor of the diary of Thomas Cairns Livingstone, which documents daily life in Govanhill in the inter-war years. Edinburgh FREE Book Launch: The Poet’s Way by Manjusvara The Forest Café, 3 Bristo Place, 220 4538. 6.30pm. Launch of a new collection of spiritual poetry by Buddhist poet Manjusvara. FREE Perrti Ahonen: Death at the Berlin Wall Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. The Edinburgh Uni academic discusses his new historical tome. Booking essential. Scottish Literature Class Riddles Court, 322 Lawnmarket, k.turner@weascotland.org.uk. 7–9pm. £16 (£8). A new class from the Workers’ Education Association on the work of Edinburgh-based female writers.
Friday 28 Edinburgh Guid Crack Club Waverley Bar, 1 St Mary’s Street, 557 5224. 7.30pm. suggested donation £3. Regular story-and- song club, with guest Russell McLarty.