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 ReviewsAbout A Son by David Whitehouse
David Whitehouse's new book, building on Colin Hehir's diaries written in the wake of the murder of his son Morgan, is a unique piece of creative non-fiction Read more »| 28 Apr 2022 -
Book ReviewsThe Memory Librarian by Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monáe's debut book is an exciting prospect, but the dystopian sci-fi anthology suffers from a frustrating lack of depth Read more »| 27 Apr 2022 -
Book ReviewsHomelands by Chitra Ramaswamy
Chitra Ramaswamy blends two stories of migration, belonging and family in Homelands – and the result is a book that couldn't be more timely Read more »| 21 Apr 2022 -
Features"My art can be enough": Douglas Stuart on Young Mungo
Douglas Stuart was the second ever Scot to win the Booker Prize, with his debut novel Shuggie Bain taking the book world by storm. We catch up with him ahead of his second novel, Young Mungo, and his first book tour of the UK Read more »| 04 Apr 2022 -
Book ReviewsWelcome to Your Life by Bethany Rutter
Bethany Rutter's Welcome to Your Life is a breezy, sweet and deeply funny look at the grim merry-go-round of modern dating Read more »| 31 Mar 2022 -
FeaturesScottish Poetry News: April 2022
April's poetry and spoken word round-up includes events across Scotland, plus new releases featuring Ross Wilcock, Finn Le Marinel and Josephine Sillars Read more »| 29 Mar 2022
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Book ReviewsWoman, Eating by Claire Kohda
Woman, Eating is a long-overdue recalibration of the vampire genre, and a brilliant inquiry into the politics of desire and denial Read more »| 24 Mar 2022 -
Book ReviewsLimbic by Peter Scalpello
Peter Scalpello's Limbic is a vital debut poetry collection, fizzing with life and living Read more »| 24 Mar 2022 -
Book ReviewsThe Voids by Ryan O'Connor
The Voids is a portrait of the city, the margins of society, and of a young man, that captures the wealth to be found in perceived emptiness Read more »| 09 Mar 2022 -
Book ReviewsGalatea by Madeline Miller
Galatea is a welcome – albeit fleeting – return to the worlds Madeline Miller brings to life Read more »| 03 Mar 2022 -
Book ReviewsGood Intentions by Kasim Ali
In Good Intentions, Kasim Ali not only lays bare the sweetness and nerves of first love, but also levels an unflinching gaze on the prejudices and racism within minority communities Read more »| 03 Mar 2022 -
Book ReviewsThe Doloriad by Missouri Williams
Missouri Williams' The Doloriad is a cruel, brutal, post-apocalyptic look at the bonds of family and the inherent disaster of being born Read more »| 03 Mar 2022 -
FeaturesScottish Poetry News: March 2022
Open mics, charity anthologies and the return of StAnza poetry festival all feature in March's spoken word and poetry round-up Read more »| 02 Mar 2022 -
Book ReviewsHex by Jenni Fagan
Jenni Fagan balances magic and realism perfectly in her new book, reframing the story of Scotland's witch trials Read more »| 28 Feb 2022 -
FeaturesJulia Armfield on Our Wives Under the Sea
We meet Julia Armfield to learn about her debut novel, the queer deep-sea horror Our Wives Under the Sea Read more »| 28 Feb 2022