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 ReviewsBoy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi
Boy is a beautiful, contrary young woman who runs away from her abusive rat-catcher father in New York and ends up at the end of the line in Flax Hill, an idyllic town where everyone is a specialist – whether that be in cake-making, jewellery or teaching Read more »| 02 Apr 2014 -
FeaturesA Walk on the Wild Side: We meet the Wild Writers
How do you enliven a short story recital? Liverpool literary collective the Wild Writers have a solution, and it involves Mexican wrestling Read more »| 02 Apr 2014 -
Book ReviewsIndecent Acts by Nick Brooks
Opening Nick Brooks’ third acclaimed novel, Indecent Acts, you are immediately struck by the fragmented patois on the page. These are the semi-illiterate ramblings of Grace, the lovable yet simple protagonist and narrator of this novel Read more »| 02 Apr 2014 -
NewsBooks News: Gruff Rhys to headline Dinefwr Literature Festival, plus the latest news from the world of literature
A round-up of books news and events, including Gruff Rhys headlining the Dinefwr Literature Festival, and events in Edinburgh, Manchester and beyond featuring comics writer Alan Grant, novelist Louise Welsh, and performance poet Ben Mellor Read more »| 01 Apr 2014 -
News
Books 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 -
News
Competition: 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
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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 -
News
Books 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 -
Festivals
StAnza 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 -
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