list.co.uk/books Events | BOOKS
Monday 4
Saturday 9 Friday 15
Edinburgh FREE Blackwell Book Quiz Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8201. 5.45pm. Test your literary credentials in teams of up to five. Tuesday 5
Edinburgh FREE BookTweetUp! Looking Glass Books, 36 Simpson Loan, Quartermile, 229 2902. 6.30–8pm. A chance for all the bookish folk in Edinburgh who may know each other online to get together and chat in 3D. Tweetalong using #edbooktweet and book a place online via Twtvite. Booking essential. FREE Edinburgh Reads: Arthur of Scotland Central Library, 7–9 George IV Bridge, 242 8100. 6.30–7.30pm. Historian and storyteller Stuart McHardy discusses the roots of Arthurian legend in Scotland’s landscape, culture and history. Booking essential. Wednesday 6
St Andrews ✽ StAnza: Scotland’s Poetry Festival Various venues, 01334
475000. Times vary, until Sun 10 Mar. Prices vary (£3–£12). This year focusing on the themes Designs on Poetry and Legacy & Place, StAnza is a literary festival all about verse. Joining the locals for readings, performances, slams and open mics, jazz, films, workshops and art exhibitions and installations are Liz Lochhead, John Hegley, Luke Wright, Gillian Clarke and Mark Doty. Full programme listed online at list.co.uk. See preview, page 42, and a review of Wright’s Mondeo Man, page 43.
Thursday 7
Glasgow Word Play Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. 8.30pm. £2. Open mic night with acoustic music, poetry and prose, hosted by The Word Factory.
Edinburgh ✽ Maggie O’Farrell: Instructions for a Heatwave Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street, 226 2666. 6pm. £3. The Costa Novel Award-winning author discusses her new book, and signs copies afterwards. See review, page 43. FREE Doug Johnstone: Gone Again Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. Launch of Doug Johnstone’s new psychological thriller.
Glasgow FREE Friends, Champions, Volunteers Glasgow Women’s Library, Mitchell Library, 15 Berkeley Street, 248 9969. 11am–1pm. Explore the Glasgow Women’s Library and find out about opportunities to volunteer at this open day.
Sunday 10 Edinburgh FREE Rogue Writers Pulp Fiction, 43 Bread Street, 229 4444. Sundays 3.30pm. Informal meet-up and sharing of work for writers, followed by a pint or two.
Tuesday 12
Glasgow ✽ Jon Ronson: Lost at Sea Mitchell Theatre, 6 Granville Street,
353 8000. 6.30–7.30pm. £8 (£7). The witty investigative journalist comes to Glasgow to talk about his writing.
✽ Maggie O’Farrell Waterstones, 174 Argyle Street, 248 4819. 7pm. £2. See
Thu 7 Mar.
Edinburgh FREE Jane Austen’s Scottish Sisters National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3918. 6pm. NLS Curator Helen Vincent introduces Scottish women writers who were Jane Austen’s contemporaries, rivals and influences.
✽ Literary Death Match The Voodoo Rooms, 19a West Register
Street, 556 7060. £5 preorder from literarydeathmatch.com; £8 on the door. 7pm, show at 8.05pm sharp. Competitive reading event with four writers, three judges, two rounds of readings and a whole bunch of book-lovers.
Wednesday 13 Edinburgh FREE Byron’s Romantic Adventures in Spain National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3918. 6pm. Author Richard Cardwell looks at Byron’s time in Spain, and how his work was received there. Café Voices Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 7–9pm. £5. A relaxed session of oral storytelling, poetry by memory, music and song. This time Marie Louise Cochrane and Angie Townsend lead you through a wild night of piratical tales. Tell stories of your own, sing a sea shanty or two, or just sit and listen.
Friday 8 Thursday 14
Glasgow ✽ FREE International Women’s Day with Glasgow Women’s
Library at GoMA Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Exchange Square, 248 9969. 12.30–3.30pm. Join the GWL at the Gallery of Modern Art to celebrate International Women’s Day with the launch of their new Illuminated Letter Programme, inspired by Niki de Saint- Phalle. Get involved in a programme of drop-in activities and workshops for illustration, graphics, doodling, poetry or prose.
Edinburgh ✽ FREE International Women’s Day: Claire McNicol Scottish
Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 10am–noon. Hear tales from around the world and try some storytelling yourself at this session led by Claire McNicol.
✽ FREE International Women’s Day: Janis Mackay Scottish
Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 2–4.30pm. Have a bash at writing your own short story at this workshop with Janis Mackay, to celebrate International Women’s Day. No experience needed.
Glasgow FREE Illuminated Letters: Unwind with a Book Special Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Exchange Square, 248 9969. 12–2pm. Bring your packed lunch along to this special edition of the Glasgow Women’s Library’s popular social reading group (temporarily relocated to GoMA), sharing your favourite extracts from books and poems in the form of letters. Read aloud if you like, or just sit back and enjoy listening to the stories. Books that Changed Our Lives Glasgow Women’s Library, Mitchell Library, 15 Berkeley Street, 248 9969. 6–7.30pm. £3 (free). Join Alison Miller, author of Demo, and Magi Gibson, Reader in Residence with Glasgow Women’s Library, as they discuss the books that have shaped them as women and as writers. Edinburgh Catherine Street: Your Indifferent Nature Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 6.30pm. £7 (£5). Visual artist Catherine Street presents films and accompanying texts that evoke a disturbing and precarious universe.
Edinburgh Rally & Broad Counting House, West Nicolson Street, 07989 508436 . 7.30pm–1am. £5. A literary-flavoured cabaret night, boasting spoken word, ‘live literature’, new music and dancing into the wee small hours. With poet Miriam Gamble, anti-folk lyricism from Lach and spoken word from Colin McGuire, Ben Official and Miko Koko. Lochs and Lakes: Stories from Finland and Scotland Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 8pm. £7 (£5). Yvonne Karsten from Finland and Janis Mackay from Scotland weave together the wild, wonderful and mythical cultures of Scotland and Finland in this one hour storytelling performance. Livingston West Lothian Write! Howden Park, Howden, 01506 773858. 7pm. £3.50 (free for performers). An evening of poetry, readings and storytelling, hosted by Magi Gibson and featuring West Lothian writers. If you would like to perform, please prepare a piece, of six minutes or under, and inform the Box Office when you book your free performer’s ticket.
Saturday 16 Edinburgh FREE Kate Atkinson: Life After Life Central Library, 7–9 George IV Bridge, 353 8000. 3–4pm. The novelist and Costa Book of the Year winner talks about her new book. Booking is essential.
Monday 18 Edinburgh FREE Blackwell Book Group Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6pm. The group discusses Woman in Black by Susan Hill.
Tuesday 19
Edinburgh SPL Poetry Workshop Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 6–8pm. £5 (£3). A writing workshop suitable for writers at any stage in their career. Each session includes discussion, reading and writing of poems.
Wednesday 20 Edinburgh FREE Hamish Brown: Three Men On The Way Way Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. Hamish Brown discusses his experience walking the West Highland Way, and his book about the journey. A Pint and a Poem Jewel Miners Club, 56 Duddingston Park South, 669 5955. 7.30–10.30pm. £3 suggested donation. Poetry open mic from the Craigmillar Writers’ Group, with other literary surprises and music every third Wednesday of the month. Sign up on the door for five and ten minute slots.
Thursday 21 Edinburgh Nothing But the Poem Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 6–7.30pm. £5 (£3). Poetry discussion forum, with Jo Shapcott as the poet under the microscope this time. FREE Edinburgh Reads: Welsh and Claire Central Library, 7–9 George IV Bridge, 242 8100. 7–8pm. Writers Louise Welsh and Regi Claire talk about their novels. Booking essential. FREE Stranger Than Fiction The Jolly Judge, 7 James Court, High Street, 225 2669. 7pm. See Thu 21.
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TOP 5 WATERY THRILLERS
In Doug Johnstone’s latest thriller Gone Again, Mark Douglas is photograph- ing whales stranded in the waters off Edinburgh’s Portobello Beach when he discovers that his wife has disappeared. Like John- stone, these authors all found their inspiration from the sea A Summer of Drown- ing – John Burnside On a remote island in the Arctic circle, two boys drown in mysterious circumstances. Liv, beguiled by stories of a wild spirit who tempts young men into danger, begins to wonder whether the spirit could be responsible for the deaths. A dreamy, creepy treat.
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea – Jules Verne Three intrepid sea-dogs venture out to rid the seas of a terrify- ing monster, only to find that the beast is really a huge submarine manned by the mysterious Cap- tain Nemo. A truly fantastic voyage that ranges from the lost city of Atlantis to the South Pole.
We, the Drowned – Carsten Jensen As soon as Albert is old enough, he sails across the globe looking for his missing father. But when he returns, bearing a myste- rious shrunken head and plagued by premonitions of bloodshed, he finds a town increasingly run by women – including a widow intent on liberating all men from the tyranny of the sea. Losing You – Nicci French Nina gave up city life for a home on a bleak, isolated island off England’s east coast. She feels safe there, but when her daughter goes missing the island becomes a place of secrets and suspicions.
The Wave – Susan Casey Giant waves, volcanoes and global shipping don’t usually feature in thrillers, but all the stories here are true. What with the underwater landslides and 100-foot waves, you’re best staying on dry land with a good book. (Kirsty Logan) ■ Gone Again is published by Faber & Faber on Thu 7 Mar.
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