Books EVENTS Festivals
Often it can be a tricky task choosing which Book Festival on the calendar to attend, especially when there’s a diary clash. Whether by accident or design, it’s possible to pop into all three of the major literary extravaganzas over the coming month. First up is a weekend of fun on the Isle of Colonsay with the Colonsay Book Festival (Fri 27–Sun 29 Apr). Among a fine selection of authors are Liz Lochhead, James Robertson and Margaret Elphinstone, while there’s also a literary pub quiz and a whisky tasting session. If a slice of memoir and biography is your thing, then the Boswell Book
Festival at the grand setting of Auchinleck House in Cumnock (Fri 11–Sun 13 May) will be a sure-fire hit. Royal biographer Sarah Bradford will be on hand to chat about the Queen in her Diamond Jubilee year, Tam Dalyell ponders on 43 years in parliament, we have a look behind the scenes of BBC genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are?, Richard Holloway reflects on his own life and the festival finale features John Byrne (pictured) and Timothy West. At the moment, full details of this year’s Booked! in West Dunbartonshire
(Mon 14–Fri 25 May) remain under wraps, but the main theme will revolve around the 40th anniversary celebrations of the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders. (Brian Donaldson)
Edinburgh Versecore The Third Door, 45–47 Lothian Street, 225 6313. 8.30pm. £5 (£4). Night of innovative poetry and percussion/hip-hop/electronica fusion with Zorras, COWTSHTF and Opul. Sunday 6
Glasgow Words Per Minute The Arches, 253 Argyle Street, 565 1000. 4pm. £5. Last edition of the monthly spoken word, music, film and performance night.
Monday 7
Edinburgh FREE Blackwell Book Quiz Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8201. 5.45pm. Test your literary credentials in teams of up to five. FREE Edinburgh Creative Writers Pulp Fiction, 43 Bread Street, 229 4444. 7pm. See Mon 30.
Tuesday 8
Edinburgh The School of Poets Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 6pm. £2. Monthly workshop- type poetry session. Beginners and more experienced writers welcome.
Wednesday 9
Glasgow Poetry@The Ivory Ivory Hotel, Langside Avenue Shawlands, 636 0223. 7.15pm. £3. Monthly poetry event with 48 THE LIST 26 Apr–24 May 2012
guest readers and open mic spots. Edinburgh FREE Andrew Nicoll: If You’re Reading This, I’m Already Dead Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. Launch of the latest book by the Dundonian journalist. Café Voices Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 7pm. £5. The monthly event is led this time by Chinese storyteller and musician Fong Liu.
Thursday 10
Glasgow FREE Scottish Writers’ Centre presents Brian Whittingham & Janet Paisley, In Process Scottish Writers’ Centre, CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7pm. Two prolific writers discuss their creative processes. Taigh Ceilidh Ghlaschu Argyll Hotel, 973 Sauchiehall Street, 337 3313. 7.30pm. £2 (£1). See Thu 26. Edinburgh FREE Foula: The Time of My Life National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3918. 6pm. Christopher Mylne discusses his book about teaching on Foula in Shetland in the 1950s.
Friday 11 Glasgow FREE Reading Allowed Tchai-Ovna House of Tea, 42 Otago Lane, 357 4524. 8pm. A monthly evening of storytelling and poetry reading.
Edinburgh FREE The Business of Writing Teviot Row Union, Bristo Square, 650 4673. 2pm–5.30pm. Publishers, agents and editors share advice with budding writers.
Cumnock ✽✽ Boswell Book Festival Various venues in Cumnock, 01563 554900. Times vary. Prices vary (£8–£12). Literary festival focusing on the art of biography and memoir. See preview, above.
Saturday 12 Glasgow FREE Book Sale Glasgow Women’s Library, Mitchell Library, 15 Berkeley Street, 248 9969. 10am–3pm. Fill up your shelves with an eclectic mix of fiction and non-fiction books, starting at 50p each.
Monday 14
Glasgow FREE Scots/English Writing Group Scottish Writers’ Centre, CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7–9pm. Series of workshops focusing on writing in Scots and English, ending in a joint showcase with a parellel Gaelic writing course on Mon 25 Jun. Edinburgh FREE Edinburgh Creative Writers Pulp Fiction, 43 Bread Street, 229 4444. 7–9.30pm. See Mon 30. FREE Joseph Pearce’s Book Club Joseph Pearce’s, 23 Elm Row, 556 4140. 7–10pm. Monthly club in a cosy bar.
West Dunbartonshire FREE Booked! Various venues in West Dunbartonshire, 01389 608978. Times vary. The full programme’s still to be announced for this secretive book fest, but they’ve succeeded at pulling in big names in the past. The festival runs until Fri 25 May. See preview.
Tuesday 15
Glasgow FREE Women Make History: East End Detectives Glasgow Women’s Library, Mitchell Library, 15 Berkeley Street, 248 9969. 6pm. See Tue 1. Edinburgh FREE Science Fiction Display Tour National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3918. 2pm. Find out about some of the sci-fi treasures of the museum with curator John Birch. Part of Adult Learners’ Week. FREE Quintin Jardine: Funeral Note Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. The crime writer launches the latest Bob Skinner mystery.
Wednesday 16 Glasgow FREE Open Day & Readers’ Surgery Glasgow Women’s Library, Mitchell Library, 15 Berkeley Street, 248 9969. 1pm–4pm. Get personalised reading suggestions, a cup of tea and information on how to get more involved with the library from GWL staff. Women Make History Workshop: Hysterical Women & Graphic Grrrlz Glasgow Women’s Library, Mitchell Library, 15 Berkeley Street, 248 9969. 6pm. £3. Heather Middleton discusses the history of women working in comics. FREE Weegie Wednesdays CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7.30pm. Monthly forum for those interested in books and publishing.
Thursday 17 Glasgow FREE Iain Hyslop: Is the Baw Burst? Waterstone’s, 153–157 Sauchiehall Street, 332 9105. 6.30pm. Hyslop (not the Have I Got News guy) discusses his unofficial review of Scottish football.
Taigh Ceilidh Ghlaschu Argyll Hotel, 973 Sauchiehall Street, 337 3313. 7.30pm. £2 (£1). See Thu 26 Apr. Edinburgh Nothing But the Poem Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 6pm. £5 (£3). The May sessions of the poetry discussion forum focus on Edinburgh-born writer Kathleen Jamie. This session repeated on Sun 20 May. FREE Mark Wallington Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. The travel writer shares stories from his 42-night road trip around the UK.
Friday 18
Glasgow ✽✽ Old MacDonald Had a Farm for Africa The Glasgow Art Club, 185 Bath Street, 248 5210. 7.30pm. £10. Liz Lochhead, Jim Carruth and guests lead an evening of animal-themed poetry and song, all in aid of Oxfam. Tickets available from Oxfam Bookshop, 5 Royal Exchange Square. FREE The Better Crack Club Tchai- Ovna House of Tea, 42 Otago Lane, 357 4524. 8pm. Regular storytelling club for adults.
Dundee ✽✽ Museums at Night: Jon McGregor Discovery Point,
Discovery Quay, 01382 309060. 6pm. £tbc. Author Jon McGregor delivers a prop-enhanced short story performance.
Saturday 19
Edinburgh ✽✽ FREE Hello Poetry Secret Location. 7pm. Hello Poetry’s
mysterious homecoming finale features a selection of poets from the rest of the tour (see Thu 3) and music from special guests. More information and tickets will be available through the Hello Poetry Facebook group.
Monday 21
Glasgow FREE Gaelic Writing Group Scottish Writers’ Centre, CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7pm. See Mon 30. Edinburgh FREE Blackwell Book Group Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6pm. This edition of the friendly book group is centred around John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces. FREE Edinburgh Creative Writers Pulp Fiction, 43 Bread Street, 229 4444. 7pm. See Mon 30.
Tuesday 22 Glasgow FREE Women Make History: East End Detectives Glasgow Women’s Library, Mitchell Library, 15 Berkeley Street, 248 9969. 6pm. See Tue 1.
Thursday 24
Glasgow FREE Scottish Writers’ Centre Debate: Other Worlds – Other Dimensions Scottish Writers’ Centre, CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7pm. Debate the place of fantasy, science fiction, magic realism and the paranormal in all kinds of writing. Taigh Ceilidh Ghlaschu Argyll Hotel, 973 Sauchiehall Street, 337 3313. 7.30pm. £2 (£1). See Thu 26. Edinburgh FREE From ‘Belles-Lettres’ to ‘Eng-Lit’: Criticism and its Publics George Square Lecture Theatre, George Square, hod.englit@ed.ac.uk. 6pm. Not just for students, Professor Stefan Collini discusses the history of literary criticism and the study of English Literature as a subject.