The Book Festival's Own Wee Fringe

You may not know this, but The Edinburgh International Book Festival has its own little fringe festival, The West Port Book Festival. Taking place in bookshops, cafes pubs and church halls, West Port positions itself (it says here) as the ‘roguish’ younger sibling of the main book festival. It’s only in its second year, and given the current financial situation the organisers have done a hell of a job keeping it going. With the financial situation in mind, it’s well worth noting that all events are completely free. In fact, it’s well worth repeating that in block capitals: ALL EVENTS ARE COMPLETELY FREE!

All events (which are free, by the way) take place from Thursday 13 to Sunday 16 August. The first day has something of a poetic flavour, with Professor Douglas Dunn kicking off the festival, at 3pm on the 13th. At 5pm on the same day poet J. O. Morgan will be reading from his book-length poem Natural Mechanical, and at 7.30 pm poet Mike Stocks will be appearing with novelist Gregory Norminton. Also that day there’s the tempting prospect of hearing dramatic recitations from the work of Oscar Wilde by the splendidly eccentric literary historian Owen Dudley Edwards – who’ll be taking male and female parts. And the first day wraps up with Tea Tales, an open event involving recitations, with a prize for the funniest – care to try your hand?

For anyone who wants to try a hand at something more practical, there are bookbinding workshops every day, and a book repair workshop on the 16th. Day Two begins at 2pm with Jim Haynes in conversation with Ryan Van Winkle (of Golden Hour fame) about his life as a writer, publisher and dinner-giver. Then at 3pm, a spot of Magic, as Gordon Bruce of the Scotland’s Magic History archive will be giving a talk along with Sharon Whyte, who’ll be telling an audience about animal performers who gained fame on stage. There’s more magic on at other stages of the festival – but while mentioning events on the 14th, we’d be remiss to ignore the event at 4pm, a talk on (ahem) the history of crisps. Which has to be crazy enough to be worth a look – after all, it is free. The 14th closes with a world first (probably; if you know any different, write in), a Literary 'Twestival'. Yes, Twitter has made its way to West Port where a series of games and exercises will take place in the Tea Tree Tea Cafe, all using it as a good excuse to get people writing.

Saturday the 15th starts off a little more sedately with Angus Peter Campbell talking about his Kafkaesque novel in Gaelic, Tilleadh Dhachaigh (Homecoming). Poet Jack Underwood will be teaming up with the always-popular novelist Alan Bissett for an event at 3pm. Innes Keighren will be talking about his research into travel writer Maria Graham at 5pm, and Stuart Kelly will be telling us all about lost masterpieces with a preview of his book, The Book of Lost Books at 6pm. And the day is rounded off with The Irish Catullus, at 8pm. This event, for linguists or classicists, especially, will have readings from the works of Roman Poet Catullus translated into Irish, English, Ulster-Scots and Scots Gaelic. Catullus’ works are described as political fun-poking – which can only really gain in relevance. Oh, and during the 15th there’ll be magic again (told you) as magicians will mingle with customers at various bookshops in West Port. They’ll astonish you – if you can find them.

On the Final Day, the 16th, you can see Eleanor Thom talking about her debt novel The Tin-Kiln with Elaine Di Rollo, talking about her debut novel, A Proper Education For Girls, at 2pm. Also at 2pm there’s the texualities.net Concise Ceilidh. Nobody seems to know what that’s about, but there’s a promised ‘Who Looks Most Like Samuel Beckett?’ competition. The fest finishes off in poetic style with an event at 6pm featuring poetry from Anon, the anonymous submissions poetry magazine, and the closing event will be at 8pm. It’s John Hegley and Tim Turnbull, both cult performance poets who you should already know about – but if you don’t go along and see – after all, it is free!