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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EventsDundee Literary Festival: An Offering of Strange New Things
The famous city of jute and jam looks at the printed word beyond its famous form of journalism, delivering a literary festival with a broad and ambitious programme - punks, pubs and Picoult. Read more »| 15 Oct 2014 -
FeaturesCast Aside: John Updike's posthumous reputation
As John Updike biographer Adam Begley appears at Manchester Literature Festival this month, we consider the posthumous reputation of one of America's best-known writers. It's arguably never been at a lower ebb, but should this be so? Read more »| 07 Oct 2014 -
Features
True Blood: Author’s Fans Bite Back
In what is for her a post-Sookie Stackhouse era, author Charlaine Harris looks past crazed fans and forward to her ongoing Midnight Texas series of novels and the resurrection of Aurora Teagarden for a major new TV series Read more »| 06 Oct 2014 -
Book Reviews
Rogues by George RR Martin & Gardner Dozois
Thanks to Game of Thrones, George RR Martin has leapt from fantasy ghetto to mainstream. The same can’t be said of Gardner Dozois, although the multi-a... Read more »| 03 Oct 2014 -
Book Reviews
Cold City by Cathy McSporran
Do you believe that different realities can intersect? In her debut novel, Cathy McSporran has created two worlds, which protagonist Susan flips between. It&... Read more »| 02 Oct 2014 -
Book ReviewsFuries: A Poetry Anthology of Women Warriors edited by Eve Lacey
The Furies are infernal goddesses of justice and vengeance, daughters of Gaia and punishers of wrongs. In For Books’ Sake’s first anthology &ndas... Read more »| 01 Oct 2014
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Features
Write Here, Write Now: Octavius Magazine
Do you like to write, but find yourself stuck for ways to get your words into print? Samuel Best, editor of new writing magazine Octavius, is here to help Read more »| 01 Oct 2014 -
Features
Visualising Scotland's Future
A collaborative graphic novel – involving the diverse talents of writers and artists from Irvine Welsh to Pat Mills – IDP: 2043 aims to paint a picture of Scotland's future and strike a blow against anyone viewing the form as any sort of literary lesser Read more »| 01 Oct 2014 -
Festivals
Word Power: Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival's New Literary Strand
The Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival enters its fifth year with the theme of power, adding a new literary strand to its many activities. The Skinny chatted to Festival Manager Gail Aldam to find out more Read more »| 30 Sep 2014 -
Features
Only If...: Bill Ryder-Jones at Manchester Literature Festival
Poet Michael Pedersen talks with Bill Ryder-Jones ahead of the singer-songwriter's live performance of his landmark solo debut, If..., with the Manchester Camerata as part of the Manchester Literature Festival Read more »| 30 Sep 2014 -
Features
Roaring the Gospel: Kate Tempest at Manchester Literature Festival
From the Ted Hughes award to a Mercury nod, Kate Tempest's star is in ascendance, but the young poet, rapper and playwright remembers what got her into this in the first place – the thrill of performance Read more »| 30 Sep 2014 -
Book Reviews
The Surfacing by Cormac James
We start with the colour of mud and mustard – streams running through the white-out of the icy universe in which we encounter The Impetus for the first... Read more »| 30 Sep 2014 -
Book ReviewsIDP: 2043
Commemorating the Edinburgh International Book Festival's 30th Birthday, IDP: 2043 harnesses the talents of ten acclaimed writers and artists to tell the sto... Read more »| 29 Sep 2014 -
Events
Beer, Bookselling and Birds of Prey: Wigtown Book Festival preview
As Scotland's National Book Town hosts its annual Festival here's our guide to the vibrant programme of literary events in Wigtown, a town regenerated through the power of words. Read more »| 24 Sep 2014 -
Festivals
Melissa Benn on Female Representations in the Media
Author and journalist Melissa Benn took time out from Edinburgh International Book Festival in August to educate The Skinny on feminist issues and challenging a media which views women through a distorted lens Read more »| 15 Sep 2014