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Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 6.30pm. £7 (£5). Acclaimed Australian poets read from their work. FREE Wordy Thursdays The Pleasance, 60 Pleasance, 650 4673. 8–11pm. See Thu 21.
Friday 5
Edinburgh The Poem and the Place Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 1–3pm. £7 (£5). Workshop explorin the connections between poetry and place. Saturday 6
Edinburgh Bio-Punk: Stories from the Far Side of Research National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 0844 557 2686. 8–9.30pm. £8 (£6). A group of writers and scientists present their viewpoints on bio-medicine to get a debate going. Part of Edinburgh International Science Festival
Sunday 7
Edinburgh Bletherskites!: A Scottish Performance Poetry Spectacular The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 3–5.30pm. £5 including free entry to all night jazz. A celebration of Scottish performance poetry.
Thursday 11 Glasgow Read, Relax, Recharge Glasgow Women’s Library, 23 Landressy Street, 248 9969. 12–2pm. £2 (free). See Thu 21.
Friday 12 Glasgow Aye Write! Glasgow’s Book Festival Mitchell Library, North Street, 353 8000. Times vary. Prices vary. Glasgow’s Book Festival remains committed to celebrating Scottish and international writers and writing. Today’s highlights include launch party Cookie Cabaret, featuring Denise Mina and Admiral Fallow; crime fiction workshops with Dr Ronnie Scott and Bryony Stocker; author events with Everything but the Girl singer-songwriter Tracey Thorne and broadcaster Sandi Toksvig; talks on art, food and national security with Will Gompertz, Antonio Carluccio and Ian Cobain (that’s respectively, not all at once, silly); and a discussion on the future of Scottish football. Runs until Sat 20 Apr. See list.co.uk/aye-write for full listings.
Edinburgh Historical Fiction Festival Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, 0845 874 3001. Times and prices vary. From the folks at Summerhall comes this inaugural festival to celebrate the world of historical fiction, spanning four days of lectures, workshops, book launches and author events. Until Mon 16 Apr. Caesura The Artisan, 35 London Road, 07719 481092. 7–11pm. Entry by donation. Performances from Cambridge-based poet Justin Katko, Glasgow experimentalist Calum Rodger, Edinburgh’s own Rachel Amey and Inky Fingers co-founder Harry Giles.
Saturday 13 Glasgow Aye Write! Glasgow’s Book Festival Mitchell Library, North Street, 353 8000. Times vary. Prices vary. Glasgow’s Book Festival remains committed to celebrating Scottish and international writers and writing. Highlights today include a writing workshop with David Pettigrew; kids’ lit events spanning illustration, Gaelic storytelling, Katie Morag and A Squash
and a Squeeze; and author conversations with Neil Forsyth, Tom Holland, Maggie O’Farrell and Louise Welsh (who also pays tribute to Muriel Spark in a seperate event with Janice Galloway and Alan Taylor). There are talks on topics as diverse as neuroscience, the Leveson enuiry, Egyptian sex lives and Bob Dylan, and the I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue team reflect on 40 years in action. Runs until Sat 20 Apr. See list.co.uk/ aye-write for full listings. Martin Palmer: Sacred Glasgow Walk Mitchell Library, North Street, 353 8000. 12.30–1.30pm. £8. Let the author of Sacred Land guide you around Glasgow and point out tons of odd facts you never knew. Part of Aye Write! Frances Harrison and Bidisha: War Zones Mitchell Library, North Street, 353 8000. 3–4pm. £8. The writers discuss their war-zone experiences. Part of Aye Write! FREE Amnesty International: Imprisoned Writers Mitchell Library, North Street, 353 8000. 4.30–5.30pm. Show solidarity with human rights activists by taking a close look at the work of four writers. Part of Aye Write!
Sunday 14 Glasgow Aye Write! Glasgow’s Book Festival Mitchell Library, North Street, 353 8000. Times vary. Prices vary. Glasgow’s Book Festival remains committed to celebrating Scottish and international writers and writing. Today, Ron Butlin and William Letford discuss poetry; Alasdair Gray talks about his short stories; and Denise Mina chats about her graphic novel adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Talk topics include genetics, amnesia, maps and our interactions with animals, while the kids can create their own monster or learn more about our horrible history. There’s also a strain of feminism running through today’s programme: a panel of female authors gather together to dicuss 50 Shades of Feminism, while Scottish PEN look at female representations in literature. Runs until Sat 20 Apr. See list.co.uk/aye-write for full listings. David Shrigley: How Are You Feeling? Mitchell Library, North Street, 353 8000. 1.30–2.30pm. £8. The Glasgow artist leads you through his strange mind by taking a look at the human brain. Part of Aye Write! Best Scottish Poems Launch Mitchell Library, North Street, 353 8000. 4.30–5.30pm. £8. Louise Welsh and Zoe Strachan reveal their picks for best poems of 2012. Part of Aye Write! Jeremy Vine: It’s All News to Me Mitchell Library, North Street, 353 8000. 4.30–5.30pm. £8. The broadcaster shares his new memoir about 25 years at the BBC. Part of Aye Write!
Monday 15 Glasgow Aye Write! Glasgow’s Book Festival Mitchell Library, North Street, 353 8000. Times vary. Prices vary. Glasgow’s Book Festival remains committed to celebrating Scottish and international writers and writing. Today’s highlights include the launch of the eighth edition of Scottish literary publication Gutter; masterclasses on public speaking and writing for kids; and various authors talking about their areas of expertise: Mark Millar on graphic novels, AC Grayling on Humanism, David Hewson on The Killing, Maajid Nawaz on political Islam and Howard Marks on his own outlaw adventures. Runs until Sat 20 Apr. See list.co.uk/ aye-write for full listings.
Tuesday 16 Glasgow Aye Write! Glasgow’s Book
Festival Mitchell Library, North Street, 353 8000. Times vary. Prices vary. Glasgow’s Book Festival remains committed to celebrating Scottish and international writers and writing. Today’s workshops include introductions to character creation, historical fiction research, flash fiction, Gaelic poetry; there’s discussions on Scottish independence, attitudes to success and the importance of the arts (clue: very); and authors including Patrick Ness, Matt Haig, Christopher Brookmyre, Jake Arnott and Gaelic poet/novelist Angus Peter Campell will dicuss their work. Runs until Sat 20 Apr. See list.co.uk/ aye-write for full listings. ] Karen Campbell and Kerry Hudson in Conversation Mitchell Library, North Street, 353 8000. 6–7pm. £8. The two authors launch Campbell’s new book. Part of Aye Write!
Wednesday 17
Glasgow Aye Write! Glasgow’s Book Festival Mitchell Library, North Street, 353 8000. Times vary. Prices vary. Glasgow’s Book Festival remains committed to celebrating Scottish and international writers and writing. Today there are various workshops on how to write for TV and radio or, if you’re more of a viewer than a writer, a talk about why we love cult TV so much. Elsewhere, Highland walks, photographer Harry Papadopoulos, differing representations of Jesus and the noir fiction of Raymond Chandler will also be up for discussion. Alan Bissett showcases his new lit/comedy performance, James Naughtie discusses the New Elizabethans and theatre groups ADD-ART, Ignite Theatre and the Write Attitude perform works of their own creation. Runs until Sat 20 Apr. See list. co.uk/aye-write for full listings. Edinburgh 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.
Thursday 18 Glasgow Aye Write! Glasgow’s Book Festival Mitchell Library, North Street, 353 8000. Times vary. Prices vary. Glasgow’s Book Festival remains committed to celebrating Scottish and international writers and writing. Today, gets tips on comedy writing, non-fiction research and flash fiction; investigate the composition of fictional detectives; and listen to Francis Spufford’s lively defence of Christianity. Elsewhere, Clive Stafford Smith dicusses his latest courtroom drama, Rab C Nesbitt creator Ian Pattison introduces his new book, and there’s discussion events with travel writer Michael Jacobs, first time Gaelic novelist Tim Armstrong, Pankaj Mishra and Kathleen Jamie. Runs until Sat 20 Apr. See list.co.uk/aye-write for full listings. Read, Relax, Recharge Glasgow Women’s Library, 23 Landressy Street, 248 9969. Noon–2pm. £2 (free). See Thu 21. FREE Glasgow Reads and Writes: Bringing Words to Life Mitchell Library, North Street, 353 8000. 3–7pm. See Tue 16. FREE Sceptre Awards with the University of Glasgow Mitchell Library, North Street, 353 8000. 7.30–8.30pm. Hear the work of three short-listed writers. Part of Aye Write! Sunday Herald Scottish Independence Debate Mitchell Library, North Street, 353 8000. 7.30– 8.30pm. £8. Panel debate on Scottish independence. Part of Aye Write! FREE Literally Quizzical Mitchell Library, North Street, 353 8000. 8–9pm. Free quiz for bookworms.
Events | BOOKS
TOP 5 CIRCUS BOOKS Rosie Garland’s debut The Palace of Curiosities is a luminous, gritty novel set in a Victorian circus. Try our favourite circus books to bring some glitter and greasepaint into your life.
Geek Love – Katherine Dunn Art and Lily Binewski create their own freak show with the help of amphetamine, arsenic, and radio- isotopes. Their daughter, albino hunchback Olympia, chronicles the family’s growth, fractures, and final disintegration.
Something Wicked This Way Comes – Ray Bradbury Just after midnight in a misty October, the circus rolls into a small Midwestern town. At first the townsfolk are thrilled, but soon the circus destroys every life caught up in its smoke and mirrors. Bradbury never gets it wrong, and this is a masterpiece of the dark fantastic.
Death-Defying Acts – Erin Keane
What does the Tattooed Lady fear? What does the Aerialist see from her trapeze? Who really holds the power: the lion-tamer, or the lion? This beautiful, brutal poetry collection has the answers.
The Circus – Dominique Jando
For the serious circus enthusiast, this 670-page photography book is a treat. It’s full of surreally bright photos of vintage circuses, and includes all the black-and-white photos of glammed-up elephants you could ever want. Make sure you read it at a table, as it’s huge enough to cut off the blood supply to your legs.
Nights at the Circus – An- gela Carter Fevvers the aerialist is the star of the show – but is she really part- swan, or are the exaggerations just part of her mystique? As the circus travels from London to St Petersburg to Siberia, American journalist Jack is determined to discover the truth, despite the complication of his love for Fevvers. By the end of this glorious novel, you’ll be in love with her too. (Kirsty Logan) ■ The Palace of Curiosities is published by HarperCollins on Thu 28 Mar.
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