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GLASGOW
THREE AGES POETRY SLAM Tron Theatre, Sun 7 Apr, tron.co.uk Three teams of poets go head-to- head in this poetry slam competition, divided up into age categories ‘Teens’n’Twenties’, ‘Thirtysomethings’ and ‘Old Enough to Know Better’. Hosted by Robin Cairns. USE THE MUSE WORDS WORK WELL FOR ALL CCA, Wed 10 Apr, cca-glasgow. com Lapidus Scotland introduces the Words Work Well For All anthology which showcases words and poetry from Glasgow-based projects.
ARIANA HARWICZ: FEEBLEMINDED Waterstones Sauchiehall Street, Fri 26 Apr, waterstones.com Launch of Ariana Harwicz new novel in translation Feebleminded, chaired by writer Daniel Hahn. The special evening will also celebrate Edinburgh publisher Charco Press, who are bringing new South American literature to an English- reading audience.
AN EVENING WITH CHRIS BROOKMYRE & MARK BILLINGHAM Waterstones Newton Mearns, Thu 9 May, waterstones.com Literature’s comedy double act, authors Mark Billingham and Christopher Brookmyre, goad each other as they talk crime fiction. EDINBURGH
WAIN WORKSHOP: RACHEL PLUMMER Lighthouse Books, Sun 10 Mar, lighthousebookshop.com A creative workshop taking inspiration from Rachel Plummer’s LGBTQ reimagining of Scottish folklore, Wain. It consists of storytelling, discussion and creative responses.
TRACY THORN LAUNCHES ANOTHER PLANET Traverse Theatre, Wed 13 Mar, lighthousebookshop.com The celebrated singer-songwriter shares the latest instalment of her memoirs, which shares her experiences of growing up in a 1970s commuter town.
EDINBURGH COMIC CON EICC, The Exchange, Sat 6–Sun 7 Apr, heroconventions.com A convention on all things geek culture, including workshops, cosplay, and panels featuring film, television and comic creators.
WAITING FOR THE LAST BUS: AN EVENING WITH RICHARD HOLLOWAY St Vincent’s Chapel, Wed 24 Apr, goldenharebooks.com A discussion with writer Richard Holloway on his works and career to coincide with the paperback release of Waiting for the Last Bus. MURDER AT SURGEONS’ HALL: E.S THOMSON BOOK LAUNCH Surgeon’s Hall, Thu 25 Apr, museum.rcsed.ac.uk E.S. Thomson launches her fourth medical historical crime novel, Surgeons’ Hall.
MATT HAIG: NOTES ON A NERVOUS PLANET Queens Hall, Sun 28 Apr, thequeenshall.net Matt Haig talks about his newest memoir Reasons To Stay Alive, with a positive discussion on the modern world.
THIS SCRIPT: JENNY LINDSAY Bongo Club, Fri 17 May, thebongoclub.co.uk To celebrate the release of Jenny Lindsay’s second collection, This Script, Sian Bevan hosts a night of word, poetry, music, performance and film. OUT OF TOWN
LIMMY – SURPRISINGLY DOWN TO EARTH, AND VERY FUNNY Dundee Rep Theatre, Sun 31 Mar–Mon 1 Apr, dundeerep.co.uk
Sun 12 May, boswellbookfestival. co.uk A quirky literary festival devoted to biography and the first modern biographer, James Boswell. The festival spans talks, performances and workshops by writers, actors and artists.
ULLAPOOL BOOK FESTIVAL Various venues, Ullapool, Fri 10–Sun 12 May, ullapoolbookfestival.co.uk Continuing the importance of literature in Highland culture, this festival brings together writers from the local area, Scotland and abroad, and knows how to take care of its guests: the events are organised thoughtfully so that festival- goers can attend everything. BOOKED! Various venues, West Dunbartonshire, Wed 15–Sat 18 May, west-dunbarton.gov. uk/libraries A free, local literature festival run by West Dunbartonshire Libraries that nevertheless manages to attract some big-name authors for its programme of talks, signings as well as some more unusual events.
POLITICS, FEMINISM AND FANTASY: URSULA K LE GUIN Smith Art Gallery & Museum, Stirling, Mon 20 May, smithartgalleryandmuseum.co.uk Forbes Browne delivers a lecture on American sci-fi writer Ursula K Le Guin. COLONSAY BOOK FESTIVAL Colonsay Village Hall, Fri 26 May, colonsaybookfestival.org.uk A book festival hosted by the beautiful inner Hebridean Isle of Colonsay. As well as readings and performances, the emphasis is on meeting and chatting with the writers, plus debate and good craic in the pub.
AN EVENING WITH PROFESSOR MARY BEARD Topping & Company Booksellers St Andrews, Wed 29 May, toppingbooks.co.uk Beard influenced the way we think about the classical world with her text SPQR. Hear from one of the most celebrated intellectuals of our times.
Limmy
Funny anecdotes and musings from the comedian who introduces his new autobiography named after his infamous tweet. The event includes a Q&A and book signing. BIG SKY: BIG HORIZONS - CLAIRE FULLER Music Hall, Aberdeen, Mon 8 Apr, aberdeenperformingarts.com Claire Fuller sits down to talk about her award-winning debut Our Endless Numbered Days and the release of her third novel, Bitter Orange. DAMIEN BARR: YOU WILL BE SAFE HERE Topping & Company Booksellers, St Andrews, Tue 9 Apr, toppingbooks. co.uk Damian Barr discusses his debut novel, set in South Africa during both the Boer War and contemporary times.
IN CONVERSATION WITH JUDY MURRAY Music Hall, Aberdeen, Sun 28 Apr, aberdeenperformingarts.com Judy Murray gives insight to journalist and broadcaster Graham Spiers on her first book, encouraging women into tennis, and what it’s like to be the mother of Jamie and Andy.
BIG SKY: BIG HORIZONS – JESS KIDD Music Hall, Aberdeen, Mon 6 May, aberdeenperformingarts.com Hear author Jess Kidd open up about her new Victorian detective story Things In Jars, looking at what it is to be human in inhumane times. BOSWELL BOOK FESTIVAL Dumfries House, Cumnock, Fri 10–
GLASGOW ZINE FEST CCA, Glasgow, Sat 20 & Sun 21 April, glasgowzinelibrary. com/glasgow-zine-fest A two-day celebration of DIY zine making with workshops, talks and a zine fair with 70-plus makers. ALI SMITH LAUNCHES SPRING
Topping & Company Booksellers, St Andrews, Fri 17 May, toppingbooks.co.uk Scotland’s ‘Nobel Laureate-in-waiting’ launches the next instalment in her formative Seasonal Quartet. OPEN THE DOOR: SCOTLAND’S WOMEN WRITERS
FESTIVAL Glasgow Women’s Library, Fri 17 & Sat 18 May, womenslibrary. org.uk Open the Door is Glasgow Women’s Library’s literary festival with a difference. Over two packed days, contemporary women writers will be celebrated as will three scribes from history: Naomi Mitchison,
Janet Paisley and Agnes Owens. COASTWORD Various venues, Dunbar, Fri 24–Sun 26 May, coastword.co.uk The literary community comes together to bring a roster of bookish delights to Dunbar for a wee, weekend-long festival. This year the theme is Scotland 2019
H H I I T T L L I I S S T T
and the programme and workshops will reflect on social and political changes in the country. Ali Smith
70 THE LIST 1 Nov 2018–31 Jan 2019 70 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2019