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The relative newcomer to the arts scene rounds off 2011 with spoken word from Richard Jobson, Miriam Gamble and Jenni Fagan, music from The Sexual Objects and Emelle, animation from Iain Gardner and the usual Raffle of the Absurd. The Guid Crack Club Waverley Bar, 1 St Mary’s Street, 557 1050. 7.30–10pm. £3 suggested donation. Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling session adopts a lunar theme. Ages 18+. Part of Previously . . . Scotland’s History Festival.
Saturday 26 Edinburgh FREE Katie Price Waterstone’s, 98/9 Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Leith, 554 7732. 3pm. In town signing copies of her latest literary effort, Santa Baby. Oh joy. Tales of Old Edinburgh Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 7–9pm. £5 (£3). Friends and colleagues of late Edinburgh storyteller John Fee tell favourite tales from his repertoire. Ages 14+. Part of Previously . . . Scotland’s History Festival.
Sunday 27
Edinburgh Noisy Words Scratch Performance Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. 5pm. £6 (£4). The composers from Noisy Nights and writers from Words, Words, Words showcase the results of a two-day collaborative workshop. Shore Poets The Store, 37 Guthrie Street, 220 2987. 7.45pm. £4 (£3). With readings by Anna Crowe, Paula Jennings and Mary Wight, plus music from Simon Kempston.
Monday 28
Glasgow ✽✽ FREE Chris Brookmyre University of Strathclyde, 26
Richmond Street, 552 4400. 5pm. One of Glasgow’s finest discusses his career in writing and gives a reading.
Tuesday 29
Edinburgh FREE Authors in the Adam Dome ScotlandsPeople Centre, New Register House, 3 West Register Street, 314 4300. 2–4pm. Writer, musician, folklorist, storyteller and poet Stuart McHardy discusses his book A New History of the Picts. Booking essential. Part of Previously . . . Scotland’s History Festival.
Wednesday 30 Glasgow FREE History of English Literature and the King James Bible Mitchell Library, North Street, 287 2999. 6–7.30pm. Professor David Jasper looks at the literary history of the King James Bible as sacred scripture and as a classic of the English Literature cannon. Ticketed event, tickets available in person from the Library.
Edinburgh FREE Authors in the Adam Dome ScotlandsPeople Centre, New Register House, 3 West Register Street, 314 4300. 10–11am. Journalist David Torrance talks about his new anthology, Great Scottish Speeches. Booking essential. Part of Previously . . . Scotland’s History Festival. FREE Authors in the Adam Dome ScotlandsPeople Centre, New Register House, 3 West Register Street, 314 4300. 2–4pm. Dorothy Crawford and Tara Womersley discuss ‘Three Centuries of Medicine in Edinburgh’. Booking essential. Part of Previously . . . Scotland’s History Festival.
✽✽ An Evening with Jeff Kinney St Mary’s Cathedral, 23 Palmerston
Place, 622 8218. 7pm. £5. The author of the mega-selling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series celebrates the launch of the latest book, Cabin Fever. Tickets from Blackwell, South Bridge.
EVENTS Books
Islands writing (in English, Gaelic and Scots), with readings and discussion from featured writers including Niall Campbell and Ian McDonough.
Edinburgh ✽✽ Ian Rankin & Denise Mina Waterstone’s West End, 128 Princes
Street, 226 2666. 6pm. £6. Two of Scotland’s crime writing giants read from their latest books and have a natter with each other. Half the entry price goes to the Royal Blind School, the other half is redeemable against purchase of either author’s promoted title. Scotsman Literary Dinner The Hilton Edinburgh Grosvenor Hotel, 5–22 Grosvenor Street, 226 6001. 6pm. £70. Prestigious dinner event with special guest Alexander McCall Smith in conversation with Scotland on Sunday literary editor Stuart Kelly, plus a four-course meal and bubbly for all. Tickets from Blackwells book shop. Booking essential.
Saturday 10 Edinburgh Edinburgh Book Fair Radisson Blu Hotel, 80 High Street, 557 9797. 10am–5pm. £1. Dealers from throughout Scotland sell antiquarian and second hand books, maps and prints. Nothing But the Poem: Emily Dickinson Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 11am–12.30pm. £5 (£3). After a recent run of Scottish poets, the discussion group turns its attentions to the popular work of American Emily Dickinson. FREE Alistair Darling Waterstone’s George Street, 83 George Street, 225 3436. 1–2pm. Book signing with the former Chancellor of the Exchequer. FREE HappenStance Book Launch Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 2pm. Launch of a new collection from poet and editor Gerry Cambridge, plus a debut pamphlet from Peter Gilmour. All are welcome but RSVP to nell@happenstancepress.com if you wish to attend.
Sunday 11 Glasgow Words Per Minute The Arches, 253 Argyle Street, 565 1000. 4–6pm. £5. Monthly spoken word, music, film and performance night run by Glasgow-based writer-performers Kirsty Logan, Helen Sedgwick and Kirstin Innes.
Monday 12 Edinburgh Blackwell Book Group Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6pm. This time discussing Kazuo Ishiguro’s modern classic, Never Let Me Go. FREE Joseph Pearce’s Book Club Joseph Pearce’s, 23 Elm Row, 556 4140. 7pm. Monthly book club in a cosy setting.
Tuesday 13
Edinburgh FREE Callum Macdonald Poetry Pamphlet Fair National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3918. 6pm. A festive fair gathering together independent Scottish publishers. Wednesday 14 Edinburgh FREE Blackwell Christmas Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6pm. Festive party with a capella folk singers the Wild Myrtles, up and coming author Allan Wilson and more guests to be confirmed. Thursday 15
Edinburgh FREE PlayGroup Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. 11.30am– 1.30pm. Script discussion group explores Jo Clifford’s adaptation of Faust, ahead of a performance of her newest effort, The Tree of Knowledge. 17 Nov–15 Dec 2011 THE LIST 53
PREVIEW POETRY EVENTS DON PATERSON The Glasgow Art Club, Thu 24 Nov; Ingleby Gallery, Edinburgh, Fri 2 Dec
In a 2009 interview, Don Paterson insisted that the overriding characteristics of his work were ‘stupidity, incompetence and meanness of spirit’. A large handful of sodium chloride can be taken with that statement, as the bard of Dundee is clearly being way too modest. HRH certainly enjoys his output given that she has garlanded him with an OBE and the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry, in 2008 and 2010 respectively. For those who want to see the kind of thing she may have curled up with at night once the corgis are settled, go to the collected likes of Rain, Landing Light or Nil Nil.
Paterson is a busy lad this month with two free events for your poetry pleasure. The Poetry Club is at the Glasgow Art Club, providing a new showcase for poets and which features Paterson alongside Peter Mackay, a writer who excels in both Gaelic and English, and Stirling- based poet and short story writer William Letford who was awarded an Edwin Morgan travel bursary to help restore a medieval village in Italy as well as penning some verse. And over in Edinburgh, Paterson delivers a reading at the Ingleby Gallery related to its current exhibition, Alison Watt’s Hiding in Full View. As if all that wasn’t enough, Paterson’s work is the subject of the Nothing But the Poem discussion at the Scottish Poetry Library (Sat 19 Nov). Wonder if he’ll try to sneak in at the back for a listen? (Brian Donaldson)
Thursday 1
Glasgow FREE The Poetry Club The Glasgow Art Club, 185 Bath Street, 248 5210. 6.30pm. Club organiser Jim Carruth reads from his new collection, Working the Hill.
Edinburgh ✽✽ FREE Lee Evans: The Life of Lee Waterstone’s West End, 128 Princes Street, 226 2666. 5pm. Likeable comedian signs copies of his autobiography.
Friday 2
Edinburgh ✽✽ FREE Don Paterson Ingleby Gallery, 15 Calton Road, 556 4441.
6–8pm. A poetry reading related to the gallery’s current exhibition, with some Christmas drinks. See panel. Diary of a Child Genius: Marjory Fleming Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 7pm. £6 (£4). A celebration of the life of the Fife- born poet and diarist who died of meningitis at the age of eight.
Monday 5 Edinburgh Blackwell Book Quiz Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8201. 6pm. Test
your literary gen in a special Christmas edition of the quiz. Please arrive for 5.45pm. FREE George Street Book Quiz Waterstone’s George Street, 83 George Street, 225 3436. 6–7.30pm. Compete to win coffee, book vouchers and more.
Tuesday 6
Edinburgh FREE Stephen White: Raising Amy Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6pm. The launch of White’s book- form edition of the comic strips about Amy and her long-suffering babysitter, Flower.
Wednesday 7
Edinburgh FREE Book Launch: The Edinburgh Review Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6pm. The venerable literary journal launches its latest issue. Issue 132, entitled ‘The Real World’, is launched with a look into what we can really believe in.
Thursday 8 Glasgow FREE Northwords Now 19 CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7–8.30pm. Launch event for the latest edition of this journal of Highlands and