Scottish Books Events: November 2026
There's two big festivals in town this month, as Edinburgh's Radical Book Fair and Push the Boat Out both return this November
The big book event in town this month is Edinburgh's Radical Book Fair, brought to you by Lighthouse Bookshop and taking place at Assembly Roxy 5 to 8 November. Themed around Building a Better Now, they've pulled it out of the bag as usual, with panels on AI data centres, craft as politics, feminist utopias and a queer cabaret. Expect great conversation, community building, and the entirety of Assembly Roxy's main hall heaving with books.
The other big book event in town this month is Push the Boat Out Festival, Edinburgh's festival dedicated to all things poetry, taking place mostly at the Pleasance (with some satellite events elsewhere) 12 to 15 November. They also have a banging lineup of speakers, performances and workshops, including the likes of Jackie Kay, Peter Mackay, Alycia Pirmohamed and Ella Risbridger exploring the continuing resonances of poetry in our lives.
With two big festivals in town, it's somewhat quiet on the other fronts. Ella Risbridger also appears in Glasgow in new anti-diet culture culinary bookshop Local Honey Books on 15 November. There's also a poetry open mic night at Glasgow Zine Library on 11 November, and drop-in zine making on 18 November.