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 ReviewsThe Island Child by Molly Aitken
Molly Aitken's debut novel is an atmospheric tale of a mother and daughter on a remote Irish island Read more »| 31 Jan 2020 -
FeaturesEmma Jane Unsworth on Adults, foxes and (not) coming of age
Emma Jane Unsworth writes unapologetic novels about unapologetic women. Her latest, Adults, is no different. We chat messy relationships, women's appetites and how television has become the place to be for female creators Read more »| 30 Jan 2020 -
Book ReviewsThe Wolf of Baghdad by Carol Isaacs
Carol Isaacs' graphic memoir is a journey through heritage and loss, telling the story of Baghdad's Jewish population Read more »| 30 Jan 2020 -
Book ReviewsPine by Francine Toon
Francine Toon's eerie gothic novel weaves an atmospheric tale of a bereaved young girl in the Scottish Highlands Read more »| 27 Jan 2020 -
Book ReviewsMy Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
A powerhouse of a book, My Dark Vanessa explores abuse and manipulation Read more »| 21 Jan 2020 -
Book ReviewsHotel du Jack by Dan Brotzel
Innovative narratives are not enough to save this patchy collection of short stories Read more »| 21 Jan 2020
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Book ReviewsDark Satellites by Clemens Meyer
Clemens Meyer's latest collection of short stories explores those on the fringes of German society Read more »| 20 Jan 2020 -
Book ReviewsThe Great Pretender by Susannah Cahalan
Susannah Cahalan's new book is a dramatic real-life story told with passion that might have worked better as a true-crime podcast Read more »| 08 Jan 2020 -
EventsScottish Poetry News: January 2020
Kick off 2020 with a slam poetry championship, the Scottish Book Trust’s New Writers Awards Showcase and supporting your local, indie poetry publisher Read more »| 07 Jan 2020 -
FeaturesSPAM on making poetry cool again
SPAM Poetry are publishing some of Scotland and the UK’s best and brightest poets. Over Google doc, we have a chat about their origins, the internet and why Glasgow is the perfect home for poetry Read more »| 06 Jan 2020 -
Book ReviewsA Good Man by Ani Katz
Ani Katz's edgy debut unravels the image of an everyday 'good' man Read more »| 06 Jan 2020 -
FeaturesThe Skinny’s Books of 2019
From genre and gender-bending novels to heart-wrenching memoirs to Man Booker winners, these are The Skinny’s favourite books published in 2019 Read more »| 12 Dec 2019 -
NewsScottish Poetry News: December 2019
The year might be coming to an end, but there are still plenty of poetry competitions to apply to and evenings out to be had, including a Die Hard inspired event at the Scottish Poetry Library Read more »| 25 Nov 2019 -
FeaturesBuilding a better future at Edinburgh's Radical Book Fair
This year’s Radical Book Fair was about looking to the future with radical hope. We went along and learned about the criminal (in)justice system, anticolonial resistance and Britain’s “hostile environment” amongst many other things. Read more »| 22 Nov 2019 -
Book ReviewsEndland by Tim Etchells
Combining two of Tim Etchells' previous works, Endland is a savage and comical read Read more »| 22 Nov 2019