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 ReviewsExit West by Mohsin Hamid
Nadia and Saeed meet at an evening class and fall in love while the city around them swells with refugees and slides towards crisis. When they can no longer ... Read more »| 28 Feb 2017 -
Book ReviewsThe Sad Part Was by Prabda Yoon
Due to their condensed nature, short stories often rely on novelty to hold attention; whether that be a quirky cast, unusual perspectives or unlikely scenari... Read more »| 28 Feb 2017 -
Features404 Ink on Nasty Women, their first anthology
Publishing on International Women's Day, fresh and fierce new publishers 404 Ink's Nasty Women is an anthology Margaret Atwood describes as 'An essential window into many of the hazard-strewn worlds younger women are living in right now.' Read more »| 28 Feb 2017 -
TheatrePaul Auster's City of Glass: Behind the Scenes
They've turned water into stone and 70,000 people into pixels: now, groundbreaking visual design company 59 Productions are bringing Paul Auster's debut nove... Read more »| 24 Feb 2017 -
FeaturesThe Book That Changed Me
Spring is book-ended by two celebrations of reading: World Book Day on 2 March, and World Book Night on 23 April. We asked The Skinny team to name the books ... Read more »| 24 Feb 2017 -
Book ReviewsThe Patriots by Sana Krasikov
A 538-page debut novel set across continents and over 74 years of personal and political turmoil certainly shows intent. Largely living up to it, Krasikov&rs... Read more »| 24 Feb 2017
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EventsAye Write! 2017: Glasgow meets the world
Glasgow's book festival Aye Write! has spread its wings from the Mitchell Library in 2017, just to fit its packed programme into the city – one that includes old favourites like Ian Rankin and Christopher Brookmyre alongside Bowie, fitba and Tim Burgess Read more »| 23 Feb 2017 -
Book ReviewsSt Peter's, Cardross: Birth, Death and Renewal
The recently awarded A list status of Leith’s iconic Banana Flats shows just how much interest there currently is in the brutalist architecture of the ... Read more »| 21 Feb 2017 -
Book ReviewsA Line Made By Walking by Sara Baume
Finding only anxiety and unhappiness in the city, Frankie moves to her late grandmother’s bungalow in the country. There she will find the healing powe... Read more »| 16 Feb 2017 -
FeaturesPoetry News – Scotland, February 2017
Our poetry columnist lips her hat to StAnza and Woman Scream, then offers some insight on the best page poetry around at the moment Read more »| 13 Feb 2017 -
NewsCharity Sex: 50 Shades for a Cause
The Skinny Books editor takes on the 50 Shades trilogy for a good cause. And doesn't enjoy it one single bit. No siree, honest, he swears. Not even the naughty parts Read more »| 13 Feb 2017 -
FeaturesStAnza 2017 preview: Strong Words, Strange Times
Our poetry columnist provides a run-down on Scotland's international poetry festival, StAnza, featuring such luminaries as Costa Prize-winner Alice Oswald, T.S Eliot prize winner Sarah Howe and our Makar Jackie Kay Read more »| 08 Feb 2017 -
FestivalsSuper Weird Substance brings Alan Moore to Liverpool
Author John Higgs and playwright Daisy Campbell will also be present for the 14 Hour Super Weird Happening Read more »| 07 Feb 2017 -
MusicKate Tempest shares blistering Europe is Lost video
The insanity of our current political climate is documented in the video for the powerful Kate Tempest piece Read more »| 03 Feb 2017 -
Book ReviewsThis is How it Always is by Laurie Frankel
Claude Walsh-Adams was born a boy… but she isn’t entirely comfortable with the arrangement. Her four brothers and two loving, liberal parents em... Read more »| 03 Feb 2017