BOOKS | Events Monday 1
Edinburgh FREE Tricolour: NLS Poetry Night National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3734. 6.30–7.30pm. Three spoken word and performance poets with three different styles. Tonight it’s Ryan Van Winkle, Kevin McLean and Jane McKie. Booking essential. Tuesday 2
Glasgow FREE Douglas Thompson and Neil Williamson: Book Launches CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7–8.30pm. Neil Williamson releases his debut novel, The Moon King, into the stratosphere, while Douglas Thompson invites you to say hello to his eighth, The Rhymer, as well as historical novel The Brahan Seer and short-story collection Volwys & Other Stories.
Wednesday 3 Edinburgh Charlaine Harris: Midnight Crossroad Blackwell’s, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8218. 6.30pm. Free but ticketed. Sookie Stackhouse (aka True Blood) author Harris introduces her latest novel.
Thursday 4 Edinburgh Carina Contini: Kitchen Garden Cook Book National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3734. 6pm. Free but ticketed. Contini talks about the Scots-Italian fusion recipes featured in her new book, alongside the fascinating story of a Victorian garden.
Friday 5
Edinburgh Archie Foley and Margaret Munro: Portobello and the Great War Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 228 1155. 10.30am. £8. The local historians speak about their book recounting Portobello’s history. 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, including links with Ian Rankin and Robert Burns. Email to book.
Saturday 6
Glasgow ✽ MCM Scotland Comic Con SECC, Finnieston Quay, 08443
954000. 9.30am–5pm. £12. A US- style comic con and celebration of superheroes, sci-fi, TV, gaming, trading cards, toys, anime and more. See preview, page 45. FREE The Glasgow Comic Mart Britannia Panopticon Music Hall, 113–117 Trongate, 553 0840. Until Sun 7 Sep. 10am–5pm. Donations welcome. Get your paws on comics, memorabilia and original artwork. FREE Seeds of Thought CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7.30pm. Diverse live performance and spoken word night, spanning comedy, dramatic sketches and visual presentations. Ages 18+.
Sunday 7
Glasgow ✽ MCM Scotland Comic Con SECC, Finnieston Quay, 08443
954000. 9.30am–5pm. £12. See Sat 6.
Edinburgh FREE Luminate Poetry Slam Workshop Counting House, West Nicolson Street, 668 8066. 2–5pm. Get
48 THE LIST 21 Aug–18 Sep 2014
Waterstones, 153–157 Sauchiehall Street, 332 9105. 6pm. £3 (£2). See Tue 9. Discussion and book signing. Poetry@The Ivory Ivory Hotel, Langside Avenue Shawlands, 636 0223. 7.15–9.30pm. £2–£3. Poetry event with guest readers, local musicians and open mic spots. Supported by the Scottish Book Trust. Thursday 11
Edinburgh FREE From Virgil to Tintin: Translating into Scots National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3734. 6pm. Writers Tom Hubbard and J Derrick McClure and editor Susan Rennie discuss their translation projects, which include Alice in Wonderland and Tintin. Booking essential. Café Voices Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 7–9pm. £5. A relaxed session of oral storytelling and song. Today it’s ‘Hiring, Harvest & Holy Folk’ with storyteller Andy Hunter.
✽ David Mitchell: The Bone Clocks Assembly Roxy, 2
Roxburgh Place, 623 3030. 7pm. £8 (£5). The author of Cloud Atlas introduces and discusses his latest novel. Tickets through Waterstones West End. Someone Was Singing Central Library, 7–9 George IV Bridge, 242 8100. 7–8pm. Free but ticketed. A commemoration of World War I in poetry and song, with poet Alexander Hutchison and singer/musician Wendy Carle Taylor.
Friday 12
Glasgow ✽ FREE Deborah Harkness: The Book of Life Waterstones, 174 Argyle Street, 248 4814. 1–2pm. Best-selling author Deborah Harkness introduces the final instalment of her All Souls Trilogy. Book signing.
Edinburgh ✽ Deborah Harkness: The Book of Life Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street, 226 2666. 6pm. £3 (£2). See Fri 12. Discussion and book signing.
Saturday 13 Stirling Off the Page Stirling Book Festival Various venues, 01786 432383. Until Sat 20 Sep. Times vary. Prices vary. Now in its eighth year, this local festival offers a wide range of authors and speakers for adults and children. Highlights include Doug Johnstone, Kate Leiper, Sue Lawrence, Stephen Jardine and Glasgow Women’s Library.
Monday 15
Edinburgh FREE Blackwell’s Book Group Blackwell’s, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8218. 6pm. Share the reading experience with a group of fellow booklovers. This month’s book is HHhH by Laurent Binet.
Tuesday 16
Glasgow FREE Monica Cantieni and Donal McLaughlin: International Event CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7–8.30pm. Swiss writer Cantieni and her translator McLaughlin read from her Swiss Book Prize shortlisted novel The Encyclopaedia of Good Reasons.
Wednesday 17 Glasgow FREE Weegie Wednesdays CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7.30pm. Forum offering anyone with a literary interest the chance to talk about books and publishing. With guest speaker Chris Lynch.
ANDREW LADD
Where he’s from, says debut novelist Andrew Ladd, is the hardest question to answer. Born to American parents living in Brighton who swiftly afterwards moved to Edinburgh, he grew up there, went to university in Montreal and Boston, and now lives in London, although he returns to Edinburgh every summer to work for Fringe venue Underbelly. Somewhat at odds with such an upbringing, many might see the Hebridean setting of his debut novel What Ends as being a look back at a place of deeply rooted tradition.
They’d be wrong, says Ladd. ‘A lot of people are tempted to read the book as a nostalgic tribute to “traditional” island life,’ he tells us, ‘but I’m not sure that’s accurate because it’s not a way of life I’ve ever been part of. On the contrary, it’s really more about my belief that there’s nothing fundamentally “old-fashioned” about island life. These are just normal people leading normal, sustainable lives, and the only reason they’re dying out is because they’re getting gobbled up by larger social forces that really have nothing to do with them. That’s what I wanted to capture with the book, because to me it’s a sad and awful truth.’
Set in the 1980s on the fictional island of Eilean For, What Ends reflects the famous tale of St Kilda, which was depopulated in the early part of the 20th century. ‘It’s about how a certain way of life on the islands is coming to an end,’ says Ladd, ‘and the consequences of that for the people and communities there still struggling to survive. It’s also about families, and the way they can simultaneously tie you down and yet free you to do things you never would have imagined. From a literary point of view what I find most interesting about the Hebrides is that they can feel both impossibly expansive and empty, and yet also confined and claustrophobic at the same time.’ (David Pollock) ■ What Ends is out now from Oneworld Publications.
your feet wet at this intro to slamming. Part of Luminate. Booking essential.
Monday 8
Edinburgh International Literacy Day with Jenni Fagan McDonald Road Library, 2 McDonald Road, 529 5636. 5–7pm. Free but ticketed. Leith-born poet and author Fagan discusses her work. Stirling Alan Taylor: Looking Back at 25 Years of Books Smith Art Gallery & Museum, Dumbarton Road, 01786 471917. 7.30–9pm. £5
(includes refreshments) (members £3). Journalist and editor Taylor talks about the literary landscape of the past 25 years. Tuesday 9
Edinburgh FREE Chris Ryan: Hunter Killer Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street, 226 2666. 12.30pm. Ryan is out promoting his new thriller. Book signing.
Wednesday 10 Glasgow Chris Ryan: Hunter Killer