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.
-
Book ReviewsLunch Poems by Frank O'Hara
Hard to believe half a century’s passed since the publication of Frank O’Hara’s Lunch Poems – so named because most of the book was w... Read more »| 02 Sep 2014 -
FeaturesAlan Warner: Imagining Scotland
As he publishes his new novel Their Lips Talk of Mischief, Alan Warner – one of Scotland's greatest living authors – talks candidly of referendum, ageing and critics. And as is only relevant, books, of course Read more »| 02 Sep 2014 -
Book Reviews
Werner Herzog – A Guide for The Perplexed by Paul Cronin
As one might expect from a 493-page conversation with the filmmaker Werner Herzog, the most explosive moments come in the form of confrontations with his cul... Read more »| 01 Sep 2014 -
Book Reviews
Flanagan's Run by Tom McNab
Got post-Commonwealth Games blues? Don’t worry, you can get your fix of Scottish sporting prowess with Tom McNab’s classic novel Flanagan’s... Read more »| 29 Aug 2014 -
Book ReviewsThe Causal Angel by Hannu Rajaniemi
With The Quantum Thief, Hannu Rajaniemi set a new standard for science fiction that dared to imagine a post-human future. With its sequel, The Fractal Prince... Read more »| 29 Aug 2014 -
Festivals
Edinburgh International Book Festival 2014: Reflections on Murakami
As an almost unbearable anticipation grew ahead of Haruki Murakami's Scottish trip, we take a look at the man behind the well-managed mystique and reflect upon his appearance at Edinburgh International Book Festival Read more »| 27 Aug 2014
-
Festivals
Edinburgh International Book Festival: Time to Fight for Feminism
Baxter and Cosslett set up their blog Vagenda Magazine in 2012 to – in their own words – ‘call bullshit' on the mainstream women&rsquo... Read more »| 22 Aug 2014 -
Festivals
Salena Godden: Narrating the Times
The indefinable black, punk, feminist poet, writer and performer; most succinctly termed by Kerrang as ‘Everything the Daily Mail is terrified of’ – Salena Godden talks tears, laughter and the poetry of toilet walls and lovers' whispers Read more »| 21 Aug 2014 -
Festivals
Letters Home: Grid Iron Theatre Company @ Edinburgh International Book Festival
Just a minute or two into the bludgeoning that is Christos Tsiolkas’ Eve and Cain, it seemed as if it might be a gruelling night traipsing around ... Read more »| 20 Aug 2014 -
EventsNeu! Reekie! does Titian @ National Gallery of Scotland
In homage to the Renaissance master, 'monthly headfuck' Neu! Reekie! took over National Gallery Scotland for a night in June bringing animation, poetry and music. The Skinny was there to experience the shame and love, myth and legend, boobs and... hip-hop Read more »| 18 Aug 2014 -
Festivals
Edinburgh International Book Festival: Good Low-Cost Food
Food is, and always has been, a political issue. As writers and activists Mike Small and Andrew Whitley address the comfortably full tent at Edinburgh Intern... Read more »| 16 Aug 2014 -
Festivals
Edinburgh International Book Festival: Stuart Kelly on Moby-Dick
It shouldn’t be possible to get the breadth and depth of a Great American Novel into 90 minutes, but with Stuart Kelly at the helm of the seminar, we j... Read more »| 16 Aug 2014 -
Festivals
Edinburgh International Book Festival: William McIlvanney
It's preposterous to imagine the works of William McIlvanney being out of print, yet just two years ago this was the case – before the good people at C... Read more »| 14 Aug 2014 -
Festivals
Edinburgh International Book Festival: Letters Live
It’s the Edinburgh International Book Festival’s opening night, and Shaun Usher and Simon Garfield are delivering either a rallying cry or ... Read more »| 12 Aug 2014 -
Festivals
Hypnagogic Hip: The Work of Haruki Murakami
As Haruki Murakami, aka Japan's greatest living author, travels west to Edinburgh International Book Festival, The Skinny takes a look at this reticent genius whose work often sits in that surreal landscape between dreams and reality Read more »| 11 Aug 2014