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 ReviewsTreats by Lara Williams
'They go back to hers. She has an HDMI cable and Netflix and two thirds of a bottle of wine.' It's 2016 and love is still a battlefield, but its ordnance is ... Read more »| 01 Mar 2016 -
Features
Begbie’s Back: An interview with Irvine Welsh
Begbie is back, with the April publication of The Blade Artist and Danny Boyle's sequel to Trainspotting filming in May. Ahead of his promotional tour, we ge... Read more »| 29 Feb 2016 -
EventsAye Write!: Top picks for Glasgow's Book Festival
Glasgow’s book festival Aye Write! returns from 10-20 March with its usual packed programme of the best that literature has to offer Read more »| 29 Feb 2016 -
News
Irvine Welsh & Robert Carlyle set for Edinburgh Q&A
Irvine Welsh will launch his new novel The Blade Artist in conversation with Robert Carlyle at an event in Edinburgh in April. The Blade Artist reprises the... Read more »| 25 Feb 2016 -
Features"We have religion because we’re mortal" - Yann Martel
The Skinny catches up with the Booker Prize winning Life of Pi author while touring his new novel The High Mountains of Portugal. He talks life and death, animals and religion – from that now famous maritime Tiger, to his new chimp star Read more »| 24 Feb 2016 -
Book Reviews
On Love by Charles Bukowski
Just in time to miss Valentine’s Day, as the supermarket flowers begin to droop and only the terrible chocolates remain, arrives a new collection all a... Read more »| 22 Feb 2016
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EventsNeu! Reekie!: The First and Last in Pictures
Performance collective Neu! Reekie! made their first foray into Liverpool in January with a night of poetry and music from Hollie McNish, Eugene Kelly, Pete Wylie and more. Let us transport you back, through the medium of photography Read more »| 10 Feb 2016 -
Features
Why Women Love Horror
With February being the 7th Annual Women in Horror Month, US author Lauren A. Forry looks into the attraction of the genre. One that's part of her life and c... Read more »| 05 Feb 2016 -
Features
Stirred Poetry's Literary Heroes
Who are your literary heroes? Manchester-based poetry collective Stirred Poetry actively make work inspired by theirs. Here, they tell us about some of the writers they admire Read more »| 05 Feb 2016 -
Features
Inspired Scribes: Five of our Favourite Authors
Inspired by Stirred Poetry’s reflections on the work of great female writers and artists, our books team pick out five of their favourite authors. Ira... Read more »| 05 Feb 2016 -
Features
Poetry News – Scotland, February 2016
As the year picks up pace, our poetry columnist looks at live spoken word events around Scotland in February, and provides five top tips for budding performers staking their place on the stage Read more »| 04 Feb 2016 -
Events
Northwest Book Highlights – February 2016
In the literary world, the month of love ushers in a spiritual guide about zombies and an examination of the body. What could be more romantic? Read more »| 03 Feb 2016 -
Features
Amy Liptrot interview: on writing The Outrun
Amy Liptrot’s debut, The Outrun, has already marked her as a major new voice of 2016. The Skinny catches up with her days after the book’s releas... Read more »| 03 Feb 2016 -
Book Reviews
The Outrun by Amy Liptrot
Amy Liptrot’s The Outrun is a beautifully written memoir about alcoholism, recovery and life at the extremes. Ten years after leaving Orkney’s re... Read more »| 03 Feb 2016 -
Book Reviews
The Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage
Set in 1920s Montana, The Power of the Dog begins as a tale of two competitive brothers. Phil, educated and calculating; George, reliable... Read more »| 01 Feb 2016