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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FestivalsDan Cruickshank @ EIBF
Dan Cruickshank requires no lessons in architectural history. But he could do with some guidance on public speaking. Cruickshank’s new book is ca... Read more »| 18 Aug 2010 -
FestivalsPhilip Pullman @ EIBF
Inasmuch as we love Lyra Belacqua, so does Philip Pullman love Jesus: a poetic genius, social reformer, and protagonist of the greatest story ever to... Read more »| 18 Aug 2010 -
FestivalsMairi Hedderwick @ EIBF
Talking about how she creates her watercolours of Scotland, Mairi Hedderwick says she doesn’t paint at the scene itself – ‘somebod... Read more »| 18 Aug 2010 -
Festivals
Iain Banks @ EIBF
An audience member asked Iain Banks, at the end of his Book Festival event, how he thought he had changed over the years, to which he replied, &ldquo... Read more »| 17 Aug 2010 -
Book Reviews
Scott-land: The Man Who Invented a Nation by Stuart Kelly
If you grow up in Edinburgh, it’s hard not to do so in the shadow of Sir Walter Scott, or at least the massive ‘steam-punk version of Thunderbird... Read more »| 16 Aug 2010 -
Book ReviewsThe Sickness by Alberto Barrera Tyszka
‘The birth of medicine is irremediably bound up with the birth of negligence’ and other such musings are found within the two intertwining storyl... Read more »| 16 Aug 2010
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Festivals
Martin Creed @ EIBF
“A lot of making is trying to do things to make me feel better.” So says the artist who this year has taken over the Edinburgh festivals – ... Read more »| 16 Aug 2010 -
Festivals
Laura Barton and Raphael Selbourne @ EIBF
Barton and Selbourne were an odd pairing at the bookfest: yes they have things in common – they’ve both just published their first novels... Read more »| 16 Aug 2010 -
Book Reviews
A Game of Sorrows by Shona MacLean
The year is 1628 and Alexander Seaton of Aberdeen finds himself called to Ireland to break a curse that has been placed upon his estranged family. Th... Read more »| 23 Jul 2010 -
Book Reviews
From Those Wonderful Folks Who Gave You Pearl Harbor by Jerry Della Femina
Jerry Della Femina’s memoirs centre on his rise to fame in the lucrative advertising business in the 60s. It became an instant cult classic in ... Read more »| 22 Jul 2010 -
FestivalsThe Power of Golden Hour!
Golden Hour comes to the Spiegeltent - brace yourselves... Read more »| 01 Jul 2010 -
Festivals
Keeping It Irregular
Irregular is a literary club night, which runs, yes, irregularly, and is put on by Canongate publishing. Canongate’s Francis Bickford told us, “W... Read more »| 30 Jun 2010 -
Festivals
A Bit of Bissett
A chat with renowned author Alan Bissett about Discombobulate, his work in general, and storytelling Read more »| 30 Jun 2010 -
Festivals
Opening Doors to New Writing
The Year of Open Doors is an upcoming collection of new Scottish writing, edited by Rodge Glass (properly: Dr Rodge Glass, novelist and eminent Gravian) and published by Mark Buckland (properly: Mr M. Buckland esq, head of Cargo Publishing), which will showcase a selection of its stories at Unbound on 22 August. The Skinny met up with the pair to talk books, events and Tory names Read more »| 29 Jun 2010 -
Festivals
Unbound at the Edinburgh International Book Festival
Unbound events happen every night from 15 to 30 August in the Highland Park Spiegeltent in Charlotte Square, part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival. All events bar the closing party are free and unticketed. To get in, simply turn up on the night. We suggest arriving in advance of the start time for a better chance of securing a seat. Events start at 9pm and the bar is open until 1am Read more »| 29 Jun 2010