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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FeaturesEd ‘Foots’ Lipman: San Quentin’s Forgotten Prison Poet
The story of how a Scottish poetry lover has come to re-publish the work of Ed ‘Foots’ Lipman, the American prison poet it seems everyone had forgotten Read more »| 16 Nov 2017 -
Book ReviewsClassic Ghost Stories
'I can assure you,' said I, 'that it will take a very tangible ghost to frighten me.' And I stood up before the fire with my glass in my hand.'It is your own... Read more »| 07 Nov 2017 -
Book Reviews
The Alarming Palsy of James Orr by Tom Lee
Tom Lee shows plenty of skill in his debut novel, but fails to elevate the book beyond other cleanly told tales of middle-class life Read more »| 03 Nov 2017 -
Book ReviewsTranslation as Transhumance by Mireille Gansel
A remarkable and illuminating memoir by French translator Mireille Gansel, faithfully rendered in English by Ros Schwartz Read more »| 02 Nov 2017 -
Features
Scottish Poetry News: November 2017
Our poetry columnist looks at the T.S. Eliot prize shortlist and an exciting announcement from StAnza Read more »| 02 Nov 2017 -
Book Reviews
Demi-Gods by Eliza Robertson
A gripping debut novel by Commonwealth Short Story Prize winner Eliza Robertson Read more »| 02 Nov 2017
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FeaturesIn Defence of Knausgaard's Seasons Quartet
Critics turned on Karl Ove Knausgård after Autumn, the first of his seemingly self-indulgent Seasons Quartet. We never like to see a poor literary superstar bullied, so Scandinavian Correspondent Dominic Hinde throws him a lifeline as Winter publishes Read more »| 01 Nov 2017 -
FeaturesJarett Kobek: Trump, Twitter & Club Kids carnage
Bret Easton Ellis takes issue over Bobby Brown, bodies are chopped up in bathtubs and Donald Trump is saviour, of Twitter at least. I Hate The Internet autho... Read more »| 30 Oct 2017 -
Features
Poisoned World: Samanta Schweblin on Fever Dream
The Argentinian author's Booker International shortlisted debut drips dead from its pages, a technical masterclass with a dark soul. Samanta Schweblin discusses Fever Dream, imagined anxieties and the real toxins poisoning us and our planet Read more »| 16 Oct 2017 -
Features
Gazed & Confused: On a Literary Female Gaze
Inspired by a conversation with author Siri Hustvedt and her current collection of essays, our writer takes a look at the gendered gaze in literature, discussing works such as Deborah Levy's Hot Milk and Naomi Alderman's The Power Read more »| 10 Oct 2017 -
Features
Scottish Poetry News: October 2017
Caroline Bird of Flint & Pitch introduces her new collection, and we look ahead at a month of poetry events across Scotland Read more »| 10 Oct 2017 -
Book Reviews
The Parcel by Anosh Irani
Indian-Canadian novelist Anosh Irani's latest book delves into the world of India's transgender community Read more »| 10 Oct 2017 -
Events
Dundee Literary Festival: A city on & off the page
With the Dundee Literary Festival now just a whisker away, The Skinny tracked down organiser Peggy Hughes to pick her brains on the programme, the city and the role of literature in today’s modern world Read more »| 09 Oct 2017 -
Events
Dundee Literary Festival 2017: Our highlights
As Dundee Literary Festival announces a typically strong programme, we pick our personal highlights that combine the city's literary history with big name authors such as Graeme Macrae Burnet and Andrew O'Hagan Read more »| 06 Oct 2017 -
Book Reviews
Abandon by Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay
At points Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay's new novel is remarkably effective, but at times its style feels overly laboured Read more »| 06 Oct 2017