Books
The Skinny book guide – bringing you book reviews, features, events, reviews and author interviews. Find previews and on the ground reporting from festivals of literature and poetry in Scotland and beyond.
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Festivals
Edinburgh Book Festival reveals first events for 2024
The Edinburgh International Book Festival has corralled some hugely popular authors for its new programme The Front List, with Richard Osman, Salman Rushdie and Dolly Alderton among the best-sellers due to appear at McEwan Hall Read more »| 16 Apr 2024 -
Features
Genevieve Jagger on her vampire novel Fragile Animals
In celebration of her debut novel Fragile Animals, we sit down to talk with Scottish author Genevieve Jagger about vampires, literary influences, neurodivergence and tarot readings Read more »| 15 Apr 2024 -
Book Reviews
The Rupture Files by Nathan Alexander Moore
In this collection of four short stories by Nathan Alexander Moore, strange, subversive takes on supernatural myths explore ideas of identity and belonging Read more »| 04 Apr 2024 -
Events
Scottish Books Events: April 2024
Many, many book events this month, from the gorgeous programme at Paisley Book Festival to launches from George the Poet and Jackie Kay Read more »| 02 Apr 2024 -
Book Reviews
Young Hag by Isabel Greenberg
Graphic novelist Isabel Greenberg's latest fantastical tale retells Arthurian legend from a female perspective Read more »| 29 Mar 2024 -
Book Reviews
Before The Queen Falls Asleep by Huzama Habayeb
Expertly capturing the everyday lives of displaced Palestinians, Before the Queen Falls Asleep is a timely translation into English of Huzama Habayeb's acclaimed Arabic novel Read more »| 26 Mar 2024
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Book Reviews
Lobster by Hollie McNish
In a blend of poetry and prose, acclaimed poet Hollie McNish tackles the (im)possibility of love in a flawed world Read more »| 11 Mar 2024 -
Book Reviews
Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
Kaveh Akbar’s debut novel paints grief as an indelible, oddly-shaped stain. There forever, but funnier the longer you stare Read more »| 05 Mar 2024 -
Features
K Patrick on debut poetry collection Three Births
We chat to K Patrick, named one of Granta's Best of Young British Novelists last year, about their debut poetry collection Three Births and queer bodies in and of nature Read more »| 04 Mar 2024 -
Events
Scottish Books Events: March 2024
StAnza takes over St Andrews with a long weekend of all things poetry, while Lighthouse hold a climate activism evening and Glasgow Zine Library launch a new reading group Read more »| 01 Mar 2024 -
Book Reviews
Gathering, edited by Durre Shahwar & Nasia Sarwar-Skuse
The latest from indie publishers 404 Ink, Gathering is a remarkable and ground-breaking collection about women of colour moving through nature Read more »| 22 Feb 2024 -
Features
The Skinny on... Anahit Behrooz
She wrote the actual book on radical intimacy and love in female friendship. As The Skinny's very own Anahit Behrooz prepares to release her second book, Mapping Middle-earth, we ask her some increasingly intrusive questions Read more »| 19 Feb 2024 -
Book Reviews
The Night Alphabet by Joelle Taylor
In the distant future, a woman walks into a tattoo parlour to tell the tale of her interconnected tattoos in this mesmerising and blistering exploration of male violence and female solidarity Read more »| 13 Feb 2024 -
Book Reviews
Wrong Norma by Anne Carson
Acclaimed poet and polymath Anne Carson returns with Wrong Norma, a series of unconnected yet beautifully coherent vignettes Read more »| 08 Feb 2024 -
Features
Agustín Fernández Mallo on his eclectic catalogue of love
We chat with Spanish author Agustín Fernández Mallo about his novel The Book of All Loves and his atypical exploration of one of literature’s most familiar themes Read more »| 07 Feb 2024