BOOKS | Events
Q&A NICK BROOKS
Your new novel Indecent Acts explores the daily struggles of Grace, a semi-literate 40-something mother from Drumchapel. What inspired you to write her story?
The germ of the novel came about while I was organising literacy groups around west Glasgow. I found that the way some people wrote was a source of shame or guilt to them, but it could also be highly engaging and original. So I took that idea – of expressing an adult intelligence with a limited linguistic palette – and Grace arose out of the murk. I knew there had to be humour in it – there always is in my writing – and I knew I wanted it to be about love of a different kind from the sort that’s usually portrayed in novels. Was it a challenge to create Grace’s personality?
She took form very easily from her own language. That language had to be constructed first. I knew if I got that right, I’d be okay. So, once the initial mood of her character emerged from that language, her personality took shape. Her worries, humour, perception of how life had played out for her were like a jigsaw puzzle, with each piece slotting into the next. The real difficulty was in creating her journey. What do you hope readers will get from reading Grace’s story?
I hope they’ll look through the initial barrier of her language and see the human being on the other side of it. I want her to be as ‘real’ a person as its possible for her to be. I hope readers will get the idea of ‘linguistic legitimacy’; the idea that if Grace’s actual language improves to meet ‘our’ standards, she might actually be losing something too – an original slant on the world which might be somehow ironed out by improvement. (Paul Cockburn) ■ Indecent Acts is published by Freight on Mon 7 Apr.
Edinburgh Gliterary Lunch George Hotel, 19-21 George Street, 225 1251. Noon–3pm. £55. Literary lunch with journalist and novelist Kirsty Wark and novelist Karen Campbell. FREE Peter Mayo: Politics of Indignation Word Power Bookshop, 43 West Nicolson Street, 662 9112. 46 THE LIST 20 Mar–17 Apr 2014
6pm. Mayo discusses the ideas in his challenging but accessible book, subtitled Imperialism, Postcolonial Disruptions and Social Change.
Friday 28
Glasgow FREE University of Strathclyde: The Up-and-Coming Reading CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7.30pm. Writer-in-residence Chris Agee hosts as the finalists for the 2014 Keith Wright Literary Prize read their shortlisted poetry. Edinburgh Andrew Greig and The Fiona Hunter Band The Queen’s Hall, 87–89 Clerk Street, 668 2019. 6.30pm. £14 (£12). Novelist and poet Greig presents a series of readings followed by folk from vocalist/ cellist Hunter and her band.
Saturday 29
Glasgow BBC Radio 4’s Character Invasion Day BBC Scotland, 40 Pacific Quay, 422 7000. 10am–4.30pm. Free but ticketed. See Around Town listings. FREE The Big Glasgow Comic Weekender Walkabout, 7 Renfrew Street, 332 8209. 10am–10pm. Free (quiz entry £3). See Around Town listings. Unlacing Orlando CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 2pm. Free but ticketed. Dr Jane Goldman, author of The Feminist Aesthetics of Virginia Woolf, explores and celebrates Orlando’s modern cultural legacies. Hosted by Cryptic. Edinburgh Strong Beginnings and the War of Attention with Keith Gray The Augustine Church, 41–43 George IV Bridge, 220 1677. 2–4pm. £15 (members £12). Writing workshop, organised by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. FREE Literature Tour – Language and the Land The Scottish Parliament, Horse Wynd, sp.bookings@scottish. parliament.uk 2.30pm. A tour of the Parliament building, with an eye to its literary past. Email to book. FREE The Vault Words East Market Street Vaults, hiddendoor.org 4pm. Take a walking tour through the Vault installations whilst poets share their original works written in response to the exhibit. Hidden Door. The Hidden Door Camarade Project East Market Street Vaults, hiddendoor. org 8pm. £15. Twenty UK poets premiere original collaborative poetry in pairs. Featuring Ryan Van Winkle, Jow Lindsay and Samantha Walton.
Sunday 30
Edinburgh Shore Poets Henderson’s @ St John’s, St John’s Terrace, 3 Lothian Road, 229 0212. 7.45–10pm. £5 (£3). Readings of thought- provoking new verse and live music. This month, it’s Ingrid Murray, Ian McDonough and headliner Kei Miller.
Monday 31
Glasgow Davysson and Friends Vespbar, 14 Drury Street, 204 0060. 8.15pm. £9–£10. See Mon 24. Edinburgh Auld Reekie Readers The City Café, 19 Blair Street, 220 0125. 6–8pm. £3.50. New reading group, with guest authors, for both literary nuts and budding authors.
Tuesday 1 Edinburgh FREE Michael Northcott: The Political Theology of Climate Change Appleton Tower, University of Edinburgh, Crichton Street, jeremy. kidwell@ed.ac.uk 5.10–6.30pm. Prof Northcott launches his new book, which
refutes the efficacy of the United Nations’ efforts and instead calls for a divestment in fossil fuels. FREE Inky Fingers Open Mic The Forest Café, 141 Lauriston Place, inkyfingersedinburgh@gmail.com 8–11pm. Open mic for literature and spoken word lovers.
Wednesday 2 Edinburgh The Hugh MacDiarmid Lecture: Allan Massie The Royal Scots Club, 29–31 Abercromby Place, 556 4270. 7pm. £5 (£4). Novelist and journalist Massie dissects the Scottish narrative poem.
Thursday 3 Edinburgh Andrea Gillies: The Enlightenment of Nina Findlay Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street, 226 2666. 6pm. £2. Gillies launches her third book, about a midlife love triangle. Louise Welsh: A Lovely Way to Burn Blackwell’s, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. Free but ticketed. See Thu 20. Damian Barr: Maggie and Me Central Library, 7–9 George IV Bridge, 242 8100. 7–8pm. Free but ticketed. Journalist Barr shares from his memoir about surviving Thatcher’s Britain.
Friday 4
Glasgow ✽Aye Write! Glasgow’s Book Festival Mitchell Library, North
Street, 353 8000. Times vary. Prices vary. Until Sat 12 Apr. Aye Write! is back for its ninth outing in 2014. See feature, page 43. Caesura East Market Street Vaults, 07719 481092. 7pm. Included in festival ticket. An experimental night of poetry, performance and spoken word. Hidden Door. Vive the [R]évolution: Poems in Translation Institut Français d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent, 225 5366. 7–8pm. £5 (£3). Contemporary Scottish poets delve into French verse to explore the process of translation.
Saturday 5 Glasgow FREE Sarah Lowndes: All Art is Political – Writings on Performative Art CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7–8.30pm. The writer and curator launches her new book.
Tuesday 8
Edinburgh Kirsty Wark: The Legacy of Elizabeth Pringle Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street, 226 2666. 6pm. £3 (loyalty card holders £2). Wark launches her first novel. Ron Butlin: Ghost Moon Blackwell’s, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. Free but ticketed. The Edinburgh makar introduces his latest novel. Electric Tales The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4). See Comedy listings. Wednesday 9
Edinburgh ✽FREE Electric Bookshop: Pressed for Time Informatics
Forum, 10 Crichton St, 0844 557 2686. 7–10pm. A discussion and demonstration forum for literary and technology types. Edinburgh International Science Festival.
Glasgow Word Play Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. 8–11pm. £2 suggested donation. Open mic night (five-minute slots) with music, poetry and prose, hosted by the Word Factory.
Thursday 10 Edinburgh Café Voices Scottish Storytelling
Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 7–9pm. £5. A relaxed session of storytelling, poetry and song. Karen Campbell, Kim Insuk and Han Kang Central Library, 7–9 George IV Bridge, 242 8100. 7–8pm. Free but ticketed. Korean writers Kim Insuk and Han Kang and Scottish writer Karen Campbell share their work. Friday 11
Edinburgh ✽FREE Eleanor Catton: Talk Teviot, Bristo Square, 650 4673. 6pm.
The youngest-ever winner of the Man Booker Prize (for The Luminaries) is in conversation with Edinburgh University writer-in-residence Jenni Fagan.
✽Illicit Ink Skyground Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High
Street, 0844 557 2686. 8–10pm. £6 (£4). This month’s ‘ensemble story’ is ‘The Lady Scientists Stitch and B*tch’, illuminating what it has meant to be a woman scientist throughout the ages. Edinburgh International Science Festival.
Saturday 12 Edinburgh Something Bloody Awesome Potterrow, Bristo Square, 650 4673. 10am– 6pm. Until Sun 13 Apr. £10 per day; £17.50 for the weekend (VIP £120). Edinburgh’s first comic and sci-fi convention. Playing Scotland’s Story by Robert McLellan Netherbow Arts Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 2.30pm. Free but ticketed. A celebration of the life and work of the Scots short story writer and playwright.
Monday 14
Glasgow FREE Armistead Maupin: The Days of Anna Madrigal Waterstones, 153–157 Sauchiehall Street, 332 9105. Noon. Maupin signs copies of the latest in his Tales of the City series. Edinburgh Mark Z Danielewski: The Fifty Year Sword Blackwell’s, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30pm. Free but ticketed. The celebrated American writer (House of Leaves) introduces his latest.
Tuesday 15
Glasgow FREE Architecture and Literature CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7pm. Short stories in response to Scottish Writers’ Centre and Glasgow School of Art’s project to design a new ‘literary institute’ building for Glasgow. Edinburgh The School of Poets Blackhall Library, 56 Hillhouse Road, 557 2876. 6–7.45pm. £2. Workshop-type poetry session, with all skill levels welcome. John Connolly: The Wolf in Winter Blac kwell’s, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6.30–7.30pm. Free but ticketed. Bestselling author Connolly talks about the latest in his Charlie Parker crime series.
Wednesday 16 Edinburgh The Science in Your Science Fiction: How to Get It Right National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 0844 557 2686. 6–8pm. £10 (£8). Sci-fi writer Ken MacLeod hosts a masterclass in how to get your science facts right without sacrificing narrative. Edinburgh International Science Festival.
Thursday 17 Edinburgh My Life in Poetry with Crispin Bonham-Carter National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 557 2876. 6–7pm. £7 (£5). The actor and director shares some of his favourite poems.