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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NewsBooks News: Scottish Book Trust launches Scotland's Stories of Home
A brief round-up of books news – the Scottish Book Trust launches a new writing initiative on the theme of 'Scotland's Stories of Home.' Plus – poet Kevin P. Gilday heads out on tour Read more »| 25 Mar 2014 -
NewsCompetition: Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival launch new Awards for writing
Details of a new writing competition set up by the Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival and Bipolar Scotland, looking for entries from poets, authors, journalists, bloggers, diarists and letter-writers Read more »| 19 Mar 2014 -
NewsBooks News: The Independent rejects 'gender-based' children's books, Carnegie Medal shortlist announced
A round-up of the latest books and publishing news, including The Independent's decision to no longer review 'gender-based' books for children, the shortlist for the Carnegie Medal, Doug Johnstone's new book launch, and more Read more »| 18 Mar 2014 -
Book Reviews
Trying Not to Try by Edward Slingerland
Though marketed as broad Gladwell-ish pop psychology – with some self-help thrown in – Trying Not to Try is actually a lot narrower and deeper th... Read more »| 17 Mar 2014 -
NewsBooks News: Big changes at Cargo Publishing, George Saunders wins Folio Prize, and more
A round-up of news from the world of literature and publishing, including news of Cargo Publishing's new directors, the winner of the inaugural Folio Prize, and Glasgow League of Writers new project, reviving old superheroes from the DC Thomson archives Read more »| 11 Mar 2014 -
FestivalsStAnza 2014: Q&As with Andrew Sclater and Marion McCready
As this year's StAnza Festival begins, we follow up our feature taking a look at this year's highlights with a series of exclusive Q&As with the performers, presenting our full interviews with Andrew Sclater and Marion McCready Read more »| 07 Mar 2014
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Festivals
StAnza 2014: Q&As with Ross Sutherland and Sophia Walker
As this year's StAnza Festival begins, we follow up our feature taking a look at this year's highlights with a series of exclusive Q&As with the performers, presenting our full interviews with Ross Sutherland and Sophia Walker Read more »| 07 Mar 2014 -
Festivals
StAnza 2014: Q&A with Michael Pedersen
As the 2014 festival of poetry continues, poet and Neu! Reekie! host Michael Pedersen talks exclusively to The Skinny about his StAnza debut, and weighs in on the debate over 'page versus stage' Read more »| 06 Mar 2014 -
Festivals
StAnza 2014: Q&A with Eleanor Livingstone, Festival Director
As the 2014 festival of poetry begins, StAnza director Eleanor Livingstone talks exclusively to The Skinny about the festivals themes, its future, and the debate over 'page versus stage' Read more »| 05 Mar 2014 -
Book Reviews
Bedlam by Christopher Brookmyre
Brookmyre's no slouch when it comes to fast-paced plots, pithy Scottish humour and ribald banter, and indeed the creation of compelling, put-upon, no-hoper a... Read more »| 04 Mar 2014 -
Book Reviews
New Writing: From Scottish Book Trust’s Writer Development Programme
If vibrant, diverse and eclectic new writing is what you’re after, then this latest collection from the Scottish Book Trust makes for essential reading... Read more »| 04 Mar 2014 -
Festivals
StAnza Poetry Festival: Where Page Meets Stage
As StAnza Poetry Festival welcomes Louis de Bernières, Paul Muldoon and other leading lights, we speak to Festival Director Eleanor Livingstone about where page meets stage, and ask Michael Pedersen, Ross Sutherland and others to preview their shows Read more »| 03 Mar 2014 -
Book Reviews
Mrs Hemingway by Naomi Wood
Ernest Hemingway was a great man: a writer, a lover, a fighter. But this novel is about the women who normally comprise his subplot – the wives. O... Read more »| 03 Mar 2014 -
News
Neil Gaiman joins judging panel for Dundee Literary Prize
This year's Dundee International Book Prize, which awards the winner with a £10,000 prize, and a guaranteed publishing deal with respected Scottish imprint Cargo Publishing, will be judged by a select panel of industry experts, including Neil Gaiman Read more »| 14 Feb 2014 -
Features
A Literature of Independence: Miha Mazzini
The republication of Miha Mazzini's Crumbs, a novel about individual pursuits set against the backdrop of a nation driving for independence, could prove more timely than ever. We speak to the author about navigating self-determination Read more »| 07 Feb 2014