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 ReviewsFallow by Daniel Shand
They say write what you know, and so many debut novels are rooted in the author’s everyday with the result as dreary and mundane as most lives truthful... Read more »| 19 Dec 2016 -
Book ReviewsOf All That Ends by Günter Grass
A slim but weighty final volume, Of All That Ends is a worthy addendum to the celebrated canon of Günter Grass, the sadly departed Nobel Prize winn... Read more »| 16 Dec 2016 -
FeaturesIsabel Buchanan on Trials on Death Row in Pakistan
In November, Isabel Buchanan was joint winner of the Saltire Society First Book award for her reflections on the Pakistani death row cases she worked to overturn. Here she discusses finding her feet in a new culture and legal system. Read more »| 07 Dec 2016 -
Art
The Inventors of Tradition II
A new publication and artist book incorporates documentary moments for each of the elements of The Inventors of Tradition II project. Conceived by the artist... Read more »| 06 Dec 2016 -
Book Reviews
The Brilliant & Forever by Kevin MacNeil
Everyone on this Scottish island is an aspiring writer, even a talking alpaca called Archie. He wears a Stetson, and gave his best friend, our narrator, a ju... Read more »| 05 Dec 2016 -
Features
Poetry News: Review of 2016
Our monthly poetry column reviews the events of 2016 – including Neu! Reekie! and Flint & Pitch – while offering up some lyrical gift options for Christmas Read more »| 05 Dec 2016
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Book Reviews
Trials on Death Row in Pakistan by Isabel Buchanan
Just because a book is worthy, it doesn’t necessarily make it worthwhile. There must be balance between weighty subjects and their treatment. Debut au... Read more »| 02 Dec 2016 -
Features
The Skinny Books of 2016
The Skinny books team choose their favourites of 2016, from James Kelman's tale of musical beginnings to the tragic end of musician Ali Eskandarian, working through a somehow life-affirming frozen apocalyse and bitesized, bittersweet Treats Read more »| 02 Dec 2016 -
Book Reviews
The Map and the Clock
Despite the old book versus cover mantra, when first given this weighty tome of poetry, curated by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy and Gillian Clarke, the Nati... Read more »| 01 Dec 2016 -
Book Reviews
Bella Mia by Donatella Di Pietrantonio
“Tomorrow is our birthday. The third, since.” Di Pietrantonio’s second novel is set against the backdrop of a natural disaster – ... Read more »| 25 Nov 2016 -
News
Kathleen Jamie wins Saltire Book of the Year award
Stirling University Professor Kathleen Jamie’s poetry collection sees off books by the likes of Irvine Welsh, Jenni Fagan and James Kelman to win Scotland's top literary award Read more »| 24 Nov 2016 -
Book ReviewsThis Must Be The Place by Maggie O'Farrell
This Must Be the Place, the seventh novel from veteran chronicler of human emotion and relationships Maggie O’Farrell, follows the meandering life of D... Read more »| 23 Nov 2016 -
Features
A Literary Gift Guide: Challenging the Narrative
This year, while our books gift guide offers little Christmas sparkle it's anything but dull. These are literary suggestions aligned with the issues of our age offering knowledge, which, after a damning 2016, could let in the light Read more »| 23 Nov 2016 -
News
Women rule in 2016 Costa Book Awards shortlist
Rose Tremain, Sarah Perry and Kate Tempest are among the 20 nominated writers who are contenders for the Costa Awards' £30,000 top prize Read more »| 23 Nov 2016 -
Book Reviews
Infinite Ground by Martin MacInnes
Martin MacInnes’ aggressively postmodern detective tale takes place in an unnamed South American country, as an unnamed inspector tries to solve the ca... Read more »| 22 Nov 2016