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 ReviewsAmnesia by Peter Carey
Peter Carey is one of the few writers you could expect to pull off a sprawling tale about hackers, global capitalism and Australian politics. He’s got ... Read more »| 04 Dec 2014 -
Book ReviewsN0S 4R2 by Joe Hill
All books are page-turners by default, how else might they be read? But it’s the velocity of turning which provides some sort of measure. N0S 4R2 lives... Read more »| 03 Dec 2014 -
FeaturesStarter for 6: Indie Authors Scotland
Owned by Kim and Sinclair MacLeod, Indie Authors Scotland provides training, publishing services and community support for writers who want to self-publish their work Read more »| 03 Dec 2014 -
Features
Have Yourself a Literary Christmas
Wintertime, writing and wordsmiths: here’s our guide to the literary events on this Christmas, from Paul Muldoon to a modern take on traditional penny readings Read more »| 03 Dec 2014 -
Book Reviews
The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami
Hitting Japan in 2008, The Strange Library spins a dark modern-day fairytale about a boy who finds himself drawn into the shady labyrinth beneath his local l... Read more »| 02 Dec 2014 -
Features
Bah Humbug: A Literary Gift Guide
The Skinny Books team melt celebrity ego before the open fire, looking past inane memoirs to suggest the finest literary offerings to gift the family this Christmas Read more »| 01 Dec 2014
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EventsScotland Book Highlights – December 2014
New comics rising and first book awards mean fresh names to note as winter is ushered in by a wine washed evening with the Saltire Society Read more »| 28 Nov 2014 -
Features
Owen Jones, Russell Brand and The Establishment
Owen Jones' appearance at Edinburgh Independent Radical Book Fair allowed The Skinny to engage with one of the UK's most vocal Left Wing firebrands and question his current celebrity endorsement as he questions the corrupt state of the nation. Read more »| 28 Nov 2014 -
Features
"Women rulers always have a bad press" – Jung Chang on China's notorious Express Cixi
Literary superstar Jung Chang educates The Skinny on Cixi and Mao, controversial parents of modern China and subjects of her past and present biographies Read more »| 28 Nov 2014 -
NewsBook News: Moniack Mhor writing centre goes independent, Colin Barrett wins Guardian award
Highland writers’ retreat Moniack Mhor has unveiled its 2015 programme of events – its first as an independent entity – featuring a host of... Read more »| 27 Nov 2014 -
Book Reviews
Stone Soup by Paula Rego and Cas Willing
Uncountable variations already exist of this tale of supposed Portuguese origins, with popular retellings coming from China and Ireland and ‘Nail Soup&... Read more »| 24 Nov 2014 -
News
2014 Saltire Literary Awards handed out in Edinburgh
The Saltire Literary Awards for 2014 have been awarded at a ceremony in Edinburgh, with an academic work on 18th century urbanisation scooping the £10,... Read more »| 12 Nov 2014 -
Features
Pulp Fiction: An Interview with Lawrence Block
With Liam Neeson bringing booze beaten ex-cop Matt Scudder to the screen in A Walk Among the Tombstones, we have coffee with bestselling author Lawrence Block in the New York diner which doubles as his fictional series setting, The Flame Read more »| 07 Nov 2014 -
Book Reviews
The Land Agent by J. David Simons
The Land Agent is a story of diaspora. In 1919, a young Polish Jew named Lev flees persecution while an idealistic Scottish woman looks to begin again. Like ... Read more »| 05 Nov 2014 -
Features
The American Nightmare: An interview with James Ellroy
The L.A. Confidential author and 'demon dog of American crime fiction' discusses his new book Perfidia, alongside kilts, addictions, Beethoven, and exactly why James Franco will not be adapting his work for the big screen. Read more »| 04 Nov 2014