Audio Recordings and Transcriptions 2008
The
recordings and transcriptions featured here are just a small selection
of the huge number of events at the Edinburgh International Book Festival
every year. The recordings are unedited and last for approximately one
hour.
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25th Anniversary Opening Event: Gordon Brown & Ian Rankin Sat 9 August 2008
Bill Paterson Sat 9 August 2008
Eoin Colfer Sat 9 August 2008
Louis de Bernières Sat 9 August 2008
Tariq Ali Sun 10 August 2008
Julian Barnes Sun 10 August 2008
Gavin Esler Tues 12 August 2008
Steven Berkoff Tues 12 August 2008
David Lodge Tues 12 August 2008 New
Simon Sebag Montefiore Wed 13 August 2008
The Curriculum for Excellence with Brian Boyd Wed 13 August 2008 New
Jonathan Dimbleby Wed 13 August 2008
Tony Benn Thurs 14 August 2008
Andrew O'Hagan Fri 15 August 2008
Anne Enright Fri 15 August 2008
John Burnside, Janice Galloway, A L Kennedy & Don Paterson Sat 16 August 2008
Jackie Kay Sat 16 August 2008
Michelle Magorian Sat 16 August 2008
Andy Stanton: Mr Gum is Back! Sun 17 August 2008
Hanif Kureishi Sun 17 August 2008
Christopher Brookmyre Sun 17 August 2008
Xiaolu Guo Sun 17 August 2008 New transcript
Alex Salmond Tues 19 August 2008
Susan Greenfield Tues 19 August 2008
Sean Connery and Murray Grigor Mon 25 August 2008
Catching the Spark with Graham Marks & Sophie McKenzie Thurs 21 August 2008
Howard Jacobson Fri 22 August 2008
Polly Toynbee & David Walker Fri 22 August 2008
Janice Galloway Sat 23 August 2008
The A - Z of Poetry with Michael Rosen, Carol Ann Duffy, Tom Pow & John Sampson Sun 24 August 2008
Jonathan Stroud Sun 24 August 2008 New
Alastair Reid Mon 25 August 2008 New
David Malouf Tues 23 September 2008
All rights, including copyright, in the content of these audio recordings and transcripts are owned and controlled or licensed by EIBF, as set out in full in the Terms and Conditions of Use. You are entitled to use these audio recordings and transcripts only as a permitted user of this website and in accessing this section of the website you are bound to expressly accept and to comply with the Terms and Conditions of Use. You are advised to read the full text of the Terms and Conditions of Use via the link provided.
25th Anniversary Opening Event: Gordon Brown & Ian Rankin
Sat 9 August 2008
The Prime Minister opens the 2008 Book Festival with a unique and illuminating conversation with Ian Rankin.
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Bill Paterson
Sat 9 August 2008
Scotland's renowned and best-loved actor talks about his much-awaited memoir; a wonderful portrait of growing up in Glasgow's East End.
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Eoin Colfer
Sat 9 August 2008
This hugely popular children's writer describes his latest Artemis Fowl book as 'Die Hard with fairies'. Hear his thrilling insight into the writing of the novels and their hero.
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Louis de Bernières
Sat 9 August 2008
A welcome return to the Book Festival by the author of Captain Corelli's Mandolin and an engaging speaker to boot. In this event he talks about his compelling, sad and funny new story, A Partisan's Daughter.
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Tariq Ali
Sun 10 August 2008
One of the most impassioned and eloquent orators and thinkers of them all, his events are unmissable. Here you have a chance to hear him talk about British politics, South America and more.
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Julian Barnes
Sun 10 August 2008
One of Britain's most singular and talented novelists talks to Richard Holloway about his new book Nothing to Be Frightened Of – an extraordinary and deeply personal autobiography-of-sorts.
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Gavin Esler
Tues 12 August 2008
Co-presenter of Newsnight, one of our foremost commentators, Scottish broadcaster and now writer of fiction - he knows better than most what goes on behind the scenes in politics. Listen and learn.
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Steven Berkoff
Tues 12 August 2008
Stunning performer and actor, commander of the stage. His books have covered theatre and travel; his latest is all about the world's food.
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David Lodge
Tues 12 August 2008
One of the UK’s pre-eminent novelists and critics talks about his latest book, Death Sentence – a brilliant, elegiac portrait of one man’s attempt to come to terms with impending death.
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Simon Sebag Montefiore
Wed 13 August 2008
The multi award-winning historian and TV presenter demonstrates his vast knowledge of Russia in the form of a novel - following on from his ground-breaking work on Stalin last year.
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The Curriculum for Excellence with Brian Boyd
Wed 13 August 2008
Professor and contributor to the groundbreaking report The Curriculum for Excellence in an inspirational event which discusses how to improve the effectiveness of schools and learning for all.
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Jonathan Dimbleby
Wed 13 August 2008
One of our fastest selling events this year, outstanding journalist and presenter Jonathan Dimbleby travelled thousands of miles to get to the heart of modern Russia. He gives a fascinating insight into this vast land in an absorbing and often moving event.
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Tony Benn
Thurs 14 August 2008
Passionately dedicated to politics and to ordinary people, Tony Benn's warm, funny, feisty personality ensures his events are always a joy and this is no exception.
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Andrew O'Hagan
Fri 15 August 2008
A magnificently intelligent essayist, novelist and critic and a mesmerising speaker. Here he collects together his reportage on a declining Britain and a rising America. An event filled with personal insight.
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Anne Enright
Fri 15 August 2008
Man Booker winner and one of the finest Irish writers brings to life her intensely poetic writing in an event that won her many new fans.
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John Burnside, Janice Galloway, A L Kennedy & Don Paterson
Sat 16 August 2008
The finest contemporary Scottish writing commissioned especially by the festival. We asked four of our most highly acclaimed writers to create new work for this event – and what a fantastic showcase it was.
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Jackie Kay
Sat 16 August 2008
Pure pleasure with the multi-talented poet, playwright, novelist, storywriter, children's author and broadcaster with her latest collection of poetry Darling.
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Michelle Magorian
Sat 16 August 2008
Her debut novel Goodnight MisterTom has become a children's classic - here she gives an exclusive look at her first book in ten years, a gripping mystery-thriller for children of 10 and upwards.
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Andy Stanton: Mr Gum is Back!
Sun 17 August 2008
His mad wit is reminiscent of Roald Dahl and Monty Python and his crazy events are loved by children. In this event for 7 - 12 year olds, he gives an exclusive preview of his latest Mr Gum adventure.
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Hanif Kureishi
Sun 17 August 2008
A distinctive and fearless writer, his musings on all the messy, delicate daily business of living
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Christopher Brookmyre
Sun 17 August 2008
Acclaimed Scottish novelist and hugely entertaining speaker takes on celebrity culture and turns it on its head in his new book and you can hear all about it in this event.
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Xiaolu Guo
Sun 17 August 2008
She has won international praise for her work and is a favourite of Book Festival audiences. Here she discusses her latest novel, which draws on her experiences as a filmmaker.
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Alex Salmond
Tues 19 August 2008
Scotland's First Minister, and the first ever Scottish National Party leader, speaks of his hopes and vision for the country.
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Susan Greenfield
Tues 19 August 2008
A powerful speaker and one of the world's foremost neuroscientists discusses how we can safeguard our individuality from modern living.
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Sean Connery & Murray Grigor
Mon 25 August 2008
On his 78th birthday international film legend launches his long-awaited book, Being a Scot, with his co-author and friend Murray Grigor.
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Catching the Spark with Graham Marks & Sophie McKenzie
Thurs 21 August 2008
Two of our top writers for children and young adults reveal where they get their ideas from and illustrate how some of them get turned into books. This event featured in our programme for schools.
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Howard Jacobson
Fri 22 August 2008
The celebrated novelist and leading cultural critic renowned for his ebullient wit and passion for literature and art, talks about his new novel An Act of Love.
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Polly Toynbee & David Walker
Fri 22 August 2008
Leading journalists and co-authors present an urgent polemic about attitudes to wealth distribution, and set out an agenda which could revitalise British society.
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Janice Galloway
Sat 23 August 2008
One of the UK's finest writers talks eloquently to Richard Holloway about her outstanding memoir of childhood This is Not About Me.
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The A - Z of Poetry with Michael Rosen, Carol Ann Duffy, Tom Pow & John Sampson
Sun 24 August 2008
The electrifying and infectious Poet Laureate is joined by top poets, musicians and writers for children in a unique event which plays with words and makes them dance. For children of 5 and upwards.
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Jonathan Stroud
Sun 24 August 2008
After the knock-out success of his Batimaeus trilogy, this master-of-suspense previews his new stand-alone fantasy Heroes of the Valley. For children of 10 and upwards.
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Alastair Reid
Mon 25 August 2008
Gatecrash the final evening of the 2008 Book Festival to hear the brilliant ‘word magician’, citizen of the world, translator, poet and more, as he talks about his work and reads from a new collection of writing.
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David Malouf
Tues 23 September 2008
The multi award-winning Australian novelist visited Edinburgh for this special event at the Traverse Theatre, giving a fascinating talk about how the Australian landscape influences his writing.
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