list.co.uk/books BIOGRAPHY
AMY PASCALE Joss Whedon: Geek King of the Universe – A Biography (Aurum Press) ●●●●●
With his genre-changing series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Joss Whedon shaped the face of television in the 1990s. Nearly 20 years on, having written and directed 2012’s The Avengers, which became the third highest grossing film worldwide, he now plays a key role in the creative direction of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The time is ripe for biographies and publishers have not demurred. Granted generous interview
access to Whedon and his collaborators, Amy Pascale offers a compelling narrative through Whedon’s private life and creative endeavours to explain his success. Fittingly, a large number of the chapters chronicle Buffy, the feminist icon that put him on the televisual map, with the story continuing until TV spin-off Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. hit the airwaves in autumn 2013, and including critical insight and eyebrow- raising factoids along the way. It emerges that Whedon’s power resides in a lifelong love of story,
forging strong bonds with his actors, crew and fans, and a commitment to each project that was, in the beginning, described as looking for ‘the Buffy of it’. While Pascale at times oversimplifies the narrative in the service of giving shape to Whedon’s career, she sticks close to ‘the Whedon of it’, searching for his ineffable quality. Her willingness to delve into why some of his creations have been less successful than others lends the biography a refreshing candidness. As a companion to the many academic publications on his work, you
could not do better than Pascale’s consideration. This entertaining read will leave fans reaching for their Buffy DVD box sets. (Suzanne Black)
FLASH FICTION
CHARLIE LOVED THE CIRCUS by Simon Sylvester
Charlie loved the circus. He liked the clowns best of all. He liked to sneer at them, and hurl insults. Caught between terror and exhilaration, he fired spitballs at them through a straw. Giddy with power, he flicked peanuts at their stupid misshapen clown faces. He liked to watch the fury boiling beneath their greasepaint, knowing there was nothing they could do to touch him.
After the Saturday matinee, with time to kill before the next performance, Charlie left the tent. He ducked between two caravans, taking a shortcut to buy more peanuts. With all the clatter of the circus, he barely heard the scuff and squeak of outsized shoes gathering around him. And with the wet reek of elephant dung and the burnt sugar of candyfloss, he never noticed the acetone stink of the chloroform . . .
When the circus arrived into the next town, a new clown had joined the troupe. He was shorter than the rest, and even uglier. Throughout the routine, he was the target of all their jokes. The other clowns tripped him up. They poured custard down his trousers, and kicked his arse. They slammed pies into his face. Between the pratfalls, it almost looked as though he was trying to run away, but they always caught him. Whenever he was snatched back into the centre of the ring, he gave a little joke howl, his face amusingly contorted with pain, and all the children screamed with laughter.
It was so funny, even the sadface clowns seemed to be smiling.
Although, beneath the facepaint, it was very hard to tell. ■ Simon Sylvester is the author of 140 Characters (Cargo) and The Visitors (Quercus). He tweets at @simonasylvester
Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication by using our ‘Add an Event’ service at list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Jaclyn Arndt. ✽ Indicates Hitlist entry
Thursday 10
Glasgow An Evening with Rainbow Rowell Waterstones, 153–157 Sauchiehall Street, 332 9105. 6.30pm. £3 (£2). The American young adult novelist talks about and signs copies of her latest novel, Landline. Edinburgh FREE Liam Murray Bell and Nina de la Mer: Life on the Margins Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street, 226 2666. 6pm. De la Mer launches her Layla and Bell launches his The Busker – which both explore life on the margins.
Friday 11
Edinburgh ✽ Caitlin Moran: How to Build a Girl Tour Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 13–29 Nicolson Street, 529 6000. 7.30pm. £20. The columnist and author is off on tour to get lairy and talk about men, women, Bowie, feminism and massive hair. See feature, page 44. The Portobello Poetry Circus Dalriada, 77 Promenade, Portobello, 454 4500. 8pm. £3. Wordsmithery from poets and spoken word performers, plus a few open-mic slots.
Saturday 12 Edinburgh 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.
Tuesday 15
Edinburgh RAA! The Tron, 9 Hunter Square, High Street, 225 3784. 8pm. Pay what you want at the door. Spoken word, poetry and comedy all to raise funds for Agnes Torok’s Fringe show Sorry, I Don’t Speak Culture and Ross McCleary / Andrew Blair’s Knife Whimsy.
Wednesday 16
Glasgow FREE Weegie Wednesdays CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, weegiewednesday.org 7.30pm. Forum offering anyone with a literary interest the chance to get together socially to talk about books and publishing. First timers, please contact the organisers via the website. Edinburgh Ken MacLeod: Imagining Future Scotlands Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 7pm. £6 (£4; SWC members free). McLeod reads from his new book, Descent, which is set in an independent Scotland in the near future.
Thursday 17 Glasgow FREE Sir Kenneth Calman: A Doctor’s Line Mitchell Library, North Street, 287 2999. 2pm. Sir Calman discusses his book, A Doctor’s Line: Poetry and Prescriptions in Health and Healing. FREE Graeme Macrae Burnet: The Disappearance of Adele Bedeau Waterstones, 174 Argyle Street, 248 4814. 7pm. Help celebrate the launch of Burnet’s debut novel – a literary mystery. See preview, page 61.
Events | BOOKS
Edinburgh Brush with Burns: Poems of Robert Burns Blackwell’s, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8218. 6.30pm. Free but ticketed. Professor Ian Campbell, a specialist in the works of the Bard, talks about Burns’ work. Friday 18
Glasgow FREE Born Under a Union Flag: Rangers, the Union and Scottish Independence Waterstones, 174 Argyle Street, 248 4814. 7pm. Alan Bissett and Alasdair McKillop launch a new collection of writing. Edinburgh Paul Carter: Ride Like Hell and You’ll Get There Blackwell’s, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8218. 6.30pm. Free but ticketed. Carter discusses his fourth book about ‘alpha male’ life.
Saturday 19
Glasgow ✽Neu! Reekie! Presents: The Summer Sizzler Platform,
The Bridge, 1000 Westerhouse Road, Easterhouse, 276 9696. 7pm. £12.50. See Around Town listings.
Edinburgh Divergent Voices of the First World War Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 7pm. £7 (£5). The poetry, memoirs, letters, journals and prison papers of WWI set to a backdrop of images.
Sunday 20
Glasgow Masterclasses with the Makar Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. Also Sat 27 Jul. 2.45pm. £15. See Around Town listings.
Monday 21 Edinburgh The Polish-Scottish Relationship: Stories and Reflections of Love and Loss Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, 0845 874 3001. 1pm. Free but ticketed. Martin Stepek reads from his book For There Is Hope and Jenny Robertson reads from her short story collection, From the Volga to the Clyde. Part of Polish Scottish Heritage Festival.
Tuesday 22
Glasgow FREE Hens Tae Watch Oot Fur Issue 5 Launch Glasgow Women’s Library, 23 Landressy Street, 550 2267. 5.30pm. Launch of the fifth issue of the feminist queer zine.
✽In Process: Christopher Brookmyre CCA, 350
Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7pm. £6 (£3; SWC members free). Glasgow- born crime writer Brookmyre talks about his novels (all 17 of them) and the writing life.
Wednesday 23
Edinburgh Parley for Power Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 8pm. £8 (£6). Solo music and spoken word performances from Alan Bissett, Eugene Kelly (The Vaselines), Michael Pedersen (Neu! Reekie!) and Carla Easton (TeenCanteen), followed by Pedersen and Bissett’s short play Parley for Power.
Thursday 24
Glasgow An Evening of Poetry with Liz Lochhead Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. 9pm. £5. The Makar introduces work from a host of top writers and performers. Part of Culture 2014. 10 Jul–21 Aug 2014 THE LIST 63