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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Book ReviewsBeauty and The Inferno by Roberto Saviano
Gomorrah, journalist Roberto Saviano’s exposé of the Neapolitan Camorra crime organisation, quickly became an international bestsel... Read more »| 24 Jun 2011 -
FeaturesStarter for 11: Frank Quitely
All-Star Superman artist Frank Quitely tests his own comic book geek credentials in the never-ending quest for our prized haggis supper Read more »| 02 Jun 2011 -
Features
Sheridan Simove: The Value of Nothing
“Nothing will come of nothing” said King Lear, although Shakespeare shows that plenty did. Plenty came of nothing for author Sheridan Simove too when he wrote a book with nothing in it… Read more »| 01 Jun 2011 -
Book ReviewsWhere The Bodies Are Buried by Chris Brookmyre
Christopher Brookmyre’s latest novel is something of a departure from his previous work – the ‘satirical crime’ genre –... Read more »| 31 May 2011 -
Book Reviews
The Great Night by Chris Adrian
Chris Adrian has reworked A Midsummer Night's Dream into a novel that is beautifully written and acutely observed. He says this story, only his third... Read more »| 30 May 2011 -
Book ReviewsThe Boys: Highland Laddie by Garth Ennis, John McCrea and Derrick Robertson
After the events in the last collected edition of The Boys comic, our sort-of hero, Simon Pegg lookalike Hughie, retreats to his home town for a bre... Read more »| 26 May 2011
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Book Reviews
Coconut Badger
There’s a long tradition of put-upon underdogs being guided towards success and self-enlightenment by an older, more experienced mentor, but Mark MacNi... Read more »| 25 May 2011 -
Book Reviews
A Rose Loupt Oot, edited by David Betteridge
A Rose Loupt Oot is a collection of songs and poems associated with the work-in at the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders, now nearly 40 years ago. The bulk of the wor... Read more »| 24 May 2011 -
Book Reviews
On the State of Egypt by Alaa Al Aswany
Even as the revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak reached its climax, there were those who doubted the possibility of regime change in Egypt. One man... Read more »| 24 May 2011 -
Book Reviews
Anno Dracula by Kim Newman
Alternate history novels can often be clichéd works, where the alteration is that either the Nazis won World War 2, or the South won the American Civi... Read more »| 09 May 2011 -
FeaturesReleasing the Valve
Valve is a new literary journal, and an intriguing experiment. The experiment part is that it’s been created by students of a Strathclyde University class aimed at forming a journal for new writing. Got that? Read more »| 04 May 2011 -
Book Reviews
Everybody Loves You When You're Dead by Neil Strauss
Whilst not being the world’s number one pick-up artist, as detailed in his book The Game, Neil Strauss works at his day job, interviewing celeb... Read more »| 02 May 2011 -
Book Reviews
To The River by Olivia Laing
To The River charts its narrative along the banks of Sussex’s Ouse, as Laing documents her journey from the river’s confluence to its exi... Read more »| 27 Apr 2011 -
Book Reviews
The Book of Lies by Mary Horlock
“There’s something about this island makes you go a bit mental…” As ringing endorsements go, it’s not the kind of rema... Read more »| 26 Apr 2011 -
Book Reviews
Black Watch by Tom Renouf
Tom Renouf well remembers his first taste of alcohol; it was home-brewed cider provided by French farmers as he and his fellow Black Watch soldiers c... Read more »| 25 Apr 2011