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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FeaturesHelle Helle: Beautiful Tales of Forgotten People
The unknown 'debut' novelist Helle Helle is a multi-award-winner and apparently Denmark's most popular author, writing since the early 90s. It's just taken the English-speaking world time to catch up. Here she explains the banal beauty of her work. Read more »| 03 Nov 2015 -
NewsChimamanda Ngozi Adichie wins Baileys 'Best of the Best'
Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel Half of a Yellow Sun has won the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction's ‘Best of the Best’ award, deemed to be the finest winner from the award’s second decade. Read more »| 03 Nov 2015 -
Book ReviewsPond by Claire-Louise Bennett
A nameless woman is lost in her solitude, her thoughts and wishes. Nature and the mundane objects around her come to life and find their voice in Pond, a col... Read more »| 03 Nov 2015 -
Festivals
Manchester Literature Festival: An Ape’s Progress
A Rake’s Progress is a series of eight paintings by 18th-century artist William Hogarth. Read more »| 02 Nov 2015 -
Book Reviews
Dancing in the Dark by Karl Ove Knausgaard
Since the first of the series was originally published in 2009, Karl Ove Knausgaard’s My Struggle has sent a literary shockwave rippling down through e... Read more »| 30 Oct 2015 -
Book ReviewsGhost: 100 Stories to Read with the Lights On
Certain writers you’d expect to see in a collection of ghost stories: Edgar Allan Poe and Bram Stoker, of course. But how about Hilary Mantel, Kazuo Is... Read more »| 28 Oct 2015
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Festivals
Colin MacIntyre wins Edinburgh Book Festival award
Colin MacIntyre has won the Edinburgh Book Festival's First Book Award for his debut novel, The Letters of Ivor Punch. Read more »| 27 Oct 2015 -
Book Reviews
List of the Lost by Morrissey
Never meet your heroes. And now, never read their books it seems. I have, and heaven knows I’m miserable now. In List of the Lost, Morrissey –&nb... Read more »| 26 Oct 2015 -
FestivalsLuke Wright: Chester Literature Festival
Luke Wright’s poetic monologue What I Learned from Johnny Bevan is a frenzied jumble of voices, characters and weird descriptions, endeavouring to jolt... Read more »| 26 Oct 2015 -
Festivals
Molly Naylor & John Osborne: Chester Literature Festival
Molly Naylor and John Osborne’s appearance at Chester Literature Festival comes just before their sitcom, After Hours, debuts on Sky1 and tow... Read more »| 26 Oct 2015 -
News
Saltire Literary Award shortlist 2015 announced
The shortlist for the 2015 Saltire Awards has been unveiled in simultaneous ceremonies in Edinburgh and London. Read more »| 22 Oct 2015 -
Features
Chigozie Obioma: A wake-up call to Nigeria
Chigozie Obioma is less interested in the Booker Prize trophy he might have won than the lifeblood the shortlist offered his novel The Fishermen – inciting interest in his literary work, but also questions on the state of a nation: Nigeria Read more »| 21 Oct 2015 -
Features
Graham Humphreys Interviewed: Art of Darkness
The dark art of illustrator Graham Humphreys is finally seeing the light with an upcoming book and exhibition. His are the bold and bloody images to accompany the seminal horror films of our times, including A Nightmare on Elm Street and The Evil Dead Read more »| 19 Oct 2015 -
Festivals
The Migrant’s Story in Literature
Manchester Literature Festival has teamed up with Amnesty International for an event looking at exile and asylum. The Skinny takes a look at the migrant story in literature Read more »| 09 Oct 2015 -
Festivals
Dave McKean Interview: The Comic Book Revolution
Comic artist Dave McKean talks art and books ahead of his appearance at Manchester Literature Festival. Read more »| 09 Oct 2015