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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EventsEdinburgh Book Festival: The World Around Us
Freedom to speak personal truths, be yourself, to fight for better - as the Edinburgh International Book Festival continues, we checked out a number of events that take stock of the world around us today. Read more »| 17 Aug 2018 -
EventsRose McGowan: "Their discomfort isn't your issue"
Actress. Director. Survivor. Silence Breaker. Rose McGowan joined the Edinburgh International Book Festival to talk about her memoir Brave, life in Hollywood and the #MeToo movement. Read more »| 16 Aug 2018 -
FestivalsEdinburgh Book Festival: The First Weekend
Edinburgh International Book Festival takes over Charlotte Square Gardens from 11-27 August. We headed down on the first weekend to see some great events Read more »| 14 Aug 2018 -
EventsPhilip Pullman: "The world is so full of stories"
Philip Pullman joined the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2018 to talk about his life's work, writing, and the importance of stories for all ages. Read more »| 13 Aug 2018 -
FestivalsMichael Pedersen on Oyster Party for Scott Hutchison
Michael Pedersen pays tribute to friend and comrade Scott Hutchison at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. We talk to Pedersen to find out what's in store at his Oyster Party for his dear friend Read more »| 09 Aug 2018 -
FestivalsAkala on Race, Class and his new book Natives
London rapper Akala is best known for his expansive hip hop records and BBC Radio freestyles. But his new book Natives is a reminder that he also knows a thing or two about how racism and classism works in the UK Read more »| 09 Aug 2018
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Book ReviewsWashington Black by Esi Edugyan
Edugyan explores with deft skill the damage done to a slave’s mind and the persistent workings of white privilege on the road to abolition Read more »| 09 Aug 2018 -
FestivalsThe Inking Woman: A Chat with Nicola Streeten
Nicola Streeten looks to retell the history of British comics and cartoons with The Inking Woman Read more »| 07 Aug 2018 -
Book ReviewsHits and Misses by Simon Rich
Hits & Misses is an eighteen-piece short story collection inspired by Rich’s experiences in Hollywood, and the collection is a thought-provoking and laugh-out-loud work Read more »| 03 Aug 2018 -
Book ReviewsResin by Ane Riel
Resin expertly navigates a wealth of themes – obsession, grief, love, and innocence and childhood – and binds them together in a cleverly crafted, gripping tale. Addictive, brutal and honest, Resin is an emotional rollercoaster. Read more »| 03 Aug 2018 -
Book ReviewsEverything Under by Daisy Johnson
The eerie atmosphere of this imaginative page-turner by Daisy Johnson seeps into the reader and grips with claws as sharp as the Bonak’s. Read more »| 02 Aug 2018 -
EventsBeyond Borders: Jodi Rudoren & Talat Yaqoob
The Beyond Borders festival brings a weekend of discussion and cultural exchange to Scotland this August – ahead of their event on 100 years of votes for women, we talk to Jodi Rudoren and Talat Yaqoob Read more »| 02 Aug 2018 -
Book ReviewsHow to Love a Jamaican by Alexia Arthurs
How to Love a Jamaican explores the gravitational pull between close-knit island communities and the USA for Jamaican characters who have moved one way or the other. Alexia Arthurs is an evocative storyteller who dives deep into her characters’ motivation Read more »| 01 Aug 2018 -
FeaturesScottish Poetry News - August 2018
While Edinburgh is a hub of literary activity this month, there are also festivals, open mics and events to take in across Scotland this August Read more »| 01 Aug 2018 -
Book ReviewsAmateur by Thomas Page McBee
Reading Amateur is watching someone try to simultaneously figure out who they are, who the world wants them to be, and why. It’s deeply personal and politically vital, a calm and contemplative antidote to male toxicity. Read more »| 31 Jul 2018