AUTUMN HIGHLIGHTS
BOOKS Picked by Kirsty Logan,
Books editor
‘W hen the nights draw closer I like to get cosy with the sort of books that make the rest of the world go quiet. I’ll be starting with Lesley McDowell’s psychosexual Gothic treat Unfashioned Creatures (Thu 7 Nov) then Rosa Rankin- Gee’s complex and dark The Last Kings of Sark (Thu 7 Nov) and i nishing up with a bit of inspirational madness in Courtney Love’s much-anticipated autobiography (Dec tbc).
I’m not much of a sun-worshipper (pale skin + glasses + tattoos = sunburn and squinted-up eyes), so Peter May’s Hebrides (Thu 26 Sep, pictured) is my sort of travel book: abandoned boats, sweeping hills, ramshackle cottages and seriously moody skies (see page 45). If you’re thinking about taking on the National Novel Writing Month challenge in November, jumpstart your creativity with Jeff VanderMeer’s visual writing guide, Wonderbook (Tue 1 Oct): you can read an interview with VanderMeer on page 47.
Autumn is the perfect season to cosy up with a book, but the Wigtown Book Festival (Fri 27 Sep–Sun 6 Oct, see page 44) will be worth braving the chill for. As well as lots of bookish fun, there’s night-cycling, novel-plotting, campi re cooking, saltmarsh foraging and a drive-in i lm screening. But don’t give up on getting cosy: you could spend the night in a specially constructed bed among the shelves of Scotland’s largest book club.’
20 THE LIST 19 Sep–17 Oct 2013
AROUND TOWN Picked by Charlotte Runcie,
Around Town editor
FILM Picked by Gail Tolley,
Film editor
(Theatre
‘M ake sure you catch one of two Evenings with Sir Roger Moore Royal, Glasgow, Sun 10 Nov; Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Mon 11 Nov), while Glasgow Beer Week (various venues, glasgowbeer.com) happens during the i rst week of November. Edinburgh and Glasgow really put on the Ritz as the nights draw in, especially leading up to the Christmas party season. The Pet Shop Boys are this year’s impressive headline act at Edinburgh’s Concert in the Gardens for Hogmanay, while Glasgow on Ice (skating, music, i lm screenings; see glasgowloveschristmas.com for updates) is a gorgeous setting for i rst dates and family days out alike.
‘Y ou probably remember if you saw Clio Barnard’s remarkable debut The Arbor back in 2010. Unlike the identikit action l icks and romcoms that dominate the multiplex, Barnard’s hard- hitting and daring i lm seared the memories or those who saw it and marked the arrival of a major new talent. Part dramatisation, part documentary, it recreated the life of Bradford playwright Andrea Dunbar, who died tragically at the age of 29. More than anything, the i lm stood out for its radical approach, in which actors lipsynced to original interviews with Dunbar’s family, creating a powerful portrait of how drama weaved its way through the playwright’s life.
recordings of
There are plenty of Christmas markets in both cities beginning at the end of November too, and they’re worth keeping an eye on for food, vintage and unique crafty gifts.
Sights to see include the Exploring the Lion King exhibition at Edinburgh’s City Art Centre (Sat 28 Sep–Sun 12 Jan), letting you peek behind the scenes of the live show’s spectacular puppet work and learn how it was all put together. Meanwhile, The Great Tapestry of Scotland (pictured) is on display at the Scottish Parliament (until Sat 21 Sep). Look closely to see if you can spot your favourite Scottish celebs in the stitching.’
Barnard’s follow-up, The Seli sh Giant, comes to UK cinemas (from Fri 25 Oct) and looks just as promising (it has already received rave reviews at Cannes). Named after a tale by Oscar Wilde, Barnard has described it as ‘a story about the dangers of excluding children’. It’s set on an estate in the North of England and follows two marginalised teenage boys. That might sound an awful lot like numerous other gritty, British i lms but Barnard’s bold vision and sensitivity to her subject matter make this a far more intriguing prospect.’ For more i lm recommendations, see our autumn i lm highlights at list.co.uk.