Marina Warner (2016 Event) Marina Warner's defining, shapeshifting presence in British literature finds new form in a book of short stories, Fly Away Home. Currently Professor of English at Birkbeck College, Warner was also chair of the Man Booker International Prize jury in 2015. … Irvine Welsh (2016 Event) With The Blade Artist, Irvine Welsh returns to the vicious Trainspotting character who's emerged as the best reflection of our angry times. Robert Carlyle, who memorably played Begbie in the iconic movie, claims that 'small psychos are the best', and his … Tim Burgess with Ian Rankin (2016 Event) In his memoir Telling Stories, Tim Burgess lifted the lid on life with The Charlatans and their experiences at the heart of the 1990s 'Madchester' scene. In this event, filmed live at the 2016 Edinburgh International Book Festival, Burgess is joined by cr… Alan Cumming (2016 Event) Dividing his time between New York and Hollywood, one of our best-kent Scottish actors has found himself at the centre of an impressive collection of scenes, scrapes and scraps in the world of showbiz. Alan Cumming has now gathered some of his best anecdo… Jackie Kay with Nicola Sturgeon (2016 Event) Scotland's Makar, Jackie Kay, has a proud history of writing poetry about believable characters; ordinary people like herself. Her poems are genuine, open and often deeply personal. Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has long been an admirer of K… Cecilia Ekbäck & Graeme Macrae Burnet (2016 Event) In the mid-19th century, what unites the Sami people of Lapland and a band of crofters in north-west Scotland? In the fictional worlds of Cecilia Ekbäck and Graeme Macrae Burnet, each community has witnessed a brutal triple murder. Ekbäck’s In The Mon… Laura Bates (2016 Event) The founder of the influential online project Everyday Sexism, Laura Bates was in the 2014 Woman's Hour Power List Game Changers Top 10 and is becoming well known for her refusal to accept the female stereotypes peddled by a normative mainstream media… Chris Riddell (2016 Event) Award-winning author Siobhan Dowd died in 2007, bequeathing her royalties to a trust which aims to bring the joy of reading to those who need it most. In 2016, the Book Festival's Siobhan Dowd Trust Memorial Lecture was delivered by Children's Laureate, C… Ben Rawlence (2016 Event) Dadaab Refugee Camp in Northern Kenya has existed for 25 years. Originally created for 90,000 Somalian refugees it now contains over 350,000 people, including 10,000 third-generation inhabitants. Over a period of four years, Ben Rawlence explored this ext… Richard Coles (2015 Event) He was once part of 1980s pop duo The Communards but later resurrected his career as the Reverend Richard Coles, and is currently tending to his flock in a parish in Northamptonshire. In Fathomless Riches, he explains how he reconciled his old life i… Alaa Al Aswany (2016 Event) In 2002, The Yacoubian Building was an international bestseller, establishing Alaa Al Aswany as one of the Arab world’s most influential voices. Since then, Egypt has changed radically. However, Al Aswany’s novel The Automobile Club of Egypt represent… Philippe Sands (2016 Event) There is no lawyer quite like Philippe Sands QC. Outspoken on a range of human rights issues, from the illegality of the Iraq war to torture in the Bush administration, the Professor of Law at University College London is also a highly respected barrister… Billy Bragg (2016 Event) From ‘A New England’ to ‘Levi Stubbs’ Tears’, Billy Bragg’s songs have captured the mood of modern Britain. Since politics and pop became entwined in the anti-Thatcher Red Wedge movement of the 80s, Bragg’s voice … James Kelman (2016 Event) With the publication of Dirt Road, Scotland’s only Booker Prize winner James Kelman joins a Scottish publisher for the first time in decades. This brilliantly accessible road movie of a novel arrives with Canongate’s typical panache, alongside a film … Sam Baker & Carol Birch (2016 Event) Man Booker Prize-shortlisted novelist Carol Birch presents her new book Orphans of the Carnival, which features powerful female characters separated by centuries and continents. Meanwhile, former editor of RED magazine and co-founder of The Pool, Sam Bake… Liz Lochhead (2015 Event) A hugely accomplished playwright, as well as Scotland’s current Makar (National Poet), watch as Liz Lochhead discusses her new play, Thon Man Molière, her fascination with the great French comic dramatist and his oeuvre, Greek tragedy, Schnit… Gregor Fisher & Melanie Reid (2016 Event) Gregor Fisher may be best known as Rab C Nesbitt, the funniest string-vested street philosopher in all of Govan, but his own life story is far from amusing. His upbringing was a tale of secrets, deception, tragedy, rejection and death, and only now has he… Sophie Kinsella (2016 Event) Global bestselling author of the Shopaholic series, Sophie Kinsella, brings her first novel for teens. Audrey can't leave the house. That is until her brother's friend Linus comes along and starts to teach her that even when you think you have lost yourse… Nina Stibbe (2016 Event) Already a wildly popular author thanks to her memoir Love, Nina and bestselling debut novel, Man at the Helm, Nina Stibbe returns with Paradise Lodge. Set in a 1970s ramshackle old people's home, this lovingly created story of chaos, love and elderly peop… Hadley Freeman (2016 Event) For many, the 80s was a decade that taste didn’t just forget, but totally bypassed. Guardian and Vogue columnist Hadley Freeman does not subscribe to that one bit and is so passionate about 80s American movies that she’s written a book about them. Lif… Reverend Jesse Jackson (2015 Event) One of the best-respected and most formidable civil rights activists of the 20th century, the Reverend Jesse Jackson worked for Martin Luther King in the 1960s. During his later political career, he specialised in high-profile international diplomacy, neg… Packie Bonner (2016 Event) The idea that footballers stay with one club throughout their career is almost laughable in these cash and ego-driven times. But Patrick ‘Packie’ Bonner was one such man, keeping goal for Celtic across three decades while making a global name for hims… Jonathan Safran Foer (2016 Event) The bestselling US author of Everything is Illuminated launches his first novel in 11 years. Jonathan Safran Foer’s Here I Am is the story of a fracturing New York family, set against the backdrop of a much wider catastrophe as an earthquake engulfs the… Anthony Seldon & Peter Snowdon (2016 Event) Did David Cameron’s early years in power reveal him as an ‘essay crisis’ leader, or an ambitious reformer? Enjoying unprecedented access to Cameron and his team, Anthony Seldon and Peter Snowdon have written Cameron at 10, an eye-opening authorised … David Millar (2016 Event) Those lucky enough to witness David Millar’s spellbinding Book Festival event in 2011 will recall the athlete’s forthright admissions about calorie counting, secret doping and quirky camaraderie on the pro cycling circuit. Now he's back with The Racer… Nina Stibbe (2016 Event) Already a wildly popular author thanks to her memoir Love, Nina and bestselling debut novel, Man at the Helm, Nina Stibbe returns with Paradise Lodge. Set in a 1970s ramshackle old people's home, this lovingly created story of chaos, love and elderly peop… James Kelman (2016 Event) With the publication of Dirt Road, Scotland’s only Booker Prize winner joins a Scottish publisher for the first time in decades. This brilliantly accessible road movie of a novel arrives with Canongate’s typical panache, alongside a film adaptation of… Mary Costello & Han Kang (2015 Event) 'Heartbreaking' and 'packed with emotional intensity' say the reviewers about Mary Costello's stunning debut novel Acedemy Street, while Han Kang's The Vegetarian is lauded by critics as 'haunting', 'seductive' and … Charles Fernyhough (2016 Event) Two years ago, authors at the Book Festival took part in a major study into the multiple inner voices that make up human consciousness. Now the leader of that project, psychologist Charles Fernyhough, has completed a major book on the subject, which he di… William McIlvanney (2013 Event) Two years ago, fans flocking to see William McIlvanney at the Book Festival shared his exasperation that his seminal crime novels were out of print. Attending that event was Francis Bickmore, editorial director of Canongate, who immediately took action… Mark Haddon (2016 Event) First he found literary acclaim with The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, then he struck gold with a National Theatre play based on the bestselling book. Now, Mark Haddon turns his hand to short fiction, and in this event recorded live at th… Edna O'Brien (2016 Event) Philip Roth called it Edna O’Brien’s masterpiece; for John Banville it’s savage, tender and true; Claire Messud described it as arduous and beautiful. The Little Red Chairs is the work of a truly great Irish writer at the height of her powers. A dec… Howard Jacobson (2015 Event) A welcome return to Charlotte Square Gardens for the winner of the Man Booker Prize 2010 who was also shortlisted last year for his acclaimed Huxley-esque dystopian drama, J. Recently, Howard Jacobson has been reflecting in the media on one of his early n… Michel Faber (2016 Event) The acclaimed author of Under the Skin and The Book of Strange New Things reads from a collection of deeply moving poems entitled Undying. In tender, bittersweet verse, Michel Faber grieves for his wife Eva who died in 2014 after a six year battle with ca… George The Poet (2015 Event) George Mpanga is the 24 year old Cambridge-educated wordsmith who has attracted attention and accolades with his socio-political verse and urban beats, including a nomination for the BBC Music Sound of 2015. Born to Ugandan parents and brought up in Londo… Steve Sem-Sandberg and Sjón (2016 Event) Meet two of Europe's most talented novelists. Swedish writer Steve Sem-Sandberg’s The Chosen Ones follows his towering novel The Emperor of Lies in describing brutality and tenderness in the Nazi era – this time in a home for sick children in Vienna. … Val McDermid with Nicola Sturgeon (2015 Event) The Diamond Dagger-winning Fifer has built a vast fanbase over the years thanks to her number one bestselling novels that have sold over 11 million copies. One of Val McDermid’s better known readers is Scotland’s First Minister and here watch … Kenny MacAskill (2016 Event) In 2009, then Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill controversially granted the release on compassionate grounds of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, the only man ever convicted for the Lockerbie Bombing in 1988. Now MacAskill has written his own account of the terroris… Frederick Forsyth with Ian Rankin (2016 Event) It's hardly surprising that Frederick Forsyth has wild stories to tell, given his past as an RAF pilot and investigative journalist, but the thriller writer spins such ripping yarns in his dashing autobiography, The Outsider, that a Sunday Times critic de… Kevin Barry (2016 Event) Kevin Barry’s Beatlebone won the £10,000 Goldsmiths Prize for ‘fiction at its most novel’. The phrase seems apt: even though this is a story built from familiar elements – an imagined John Lennon, post-Beatles in 1978, trying to pay a visit to an… Paul Morley (2016 Event) Earlier this year, the jubilation upon the arrival of David Bowie’s new album, Blackstar, quickly turned to shock and grief with the announcement of his death. A true and rare musical icon, Bowie influenced generations of artists. Paul Morley, musician,… Alexander Masters (2016 Event) In 2001, almost 150 tattered notebooks were discovered in a skip in Cambridge. They were a small part of an intimate diary that began in 1952 and ended half a century later. It took Alexander Masters five years to uncover the identity and real history of … Mark Billingham with Val McDermid (2016 Event) With over three million copies of his books sold to date, Mark Billingham’s career as a novelist has been a slam-dunk success. And he’s back for more with Die of Shame, his smartest, most unusual thriller to date. When six people meet each week to dis… Malcolm Rifkind (2016 Event) As the longest serving minister of the 20th century, Defence Minister and Foreign Secretary in Thatcher’s government and more recently Chairman of the Intelligence Committee, Malcolm Rifkind has witnessed the monumental political moments of recent times… Cara Ellison & Simon Parkin (2016 Event) For years video games have been part of daily life and now two keen players have written insiders’ accounts that explore their effects. In this event, recorded live at the 2016 Edinburgh International Book Festival, Cara Ellison (a ‘cyberpunk hair-dye… Mark Beaumont (2016 Event) What next for endurance cyclist Mark Beaumont after smashing the record for riding solo round the world and then riding the length of the Americas? For his biggest challenge yet, the indefatigable Scot set out to ride from Cairo to Cape Town – the entir… Chris Packham (2016 Event) As the presenter of BBC's Springwatch, Chris Packham has become one of the nation’s favourite naturalists. But Packham was far from popular as a child: in his brave and lyrical memoir, Fingers in the Sparkle Jar, he recalls life as a solitary child, com… A.C. Grayling 'The Legacy of a Complex Man' (2016 Event) Best known for sci-fi novels such as The Time Machine and The Invisible Man, H G Wells also wrote numerous non-fiction works. His wide-ranging ideas pre-dated many modern concerns, including the internet and the black civil rights movement. Yet Wells was … Miranda Sawyer (2016 Event) Mid-life crises arrive at different times for different people. For journalist and broadcaster Miranda Sawyer, hers made its presence felt at the age of 44. Out of Time is Sawyer’s investigation of this most challenging of life moments, and in this even… Janet Ellis and Lorna Gibb (2016 Event) Two debut novels whose lead characters will entrance, unnerve and delight feature in this event recorded live at the 2016 Edinburgh International Book Festival. Evoking the blood, filth and beauty of Georgian London, Janet Ellis’ The Butcher’s… Alan Johnson (2015 Event) Amid a slew of politicians’ memoirs in recent years, Alan Johnson’s This Boy was comfortably among the finest: one critic called it ‘the best political testament I’ve ever read’. Now the former Home Secretary returns with a s… Limmy (2015 Event) His first book was called Daft Wee Stories, but Brian Limond, aka Limmy, has been making a big splash for some years now. Having emerged with his online series of dark yet oddly loveable Glasgow characters, he has taken the next step by creating the BAFTA… Erica Jong (2016 Event) Back in 1973, Erica Jong’s Fear of Flying introduced the beguiling Isadora Wing and her idea of ‘zipless’ no-strings-attached sex. The book became a bestselling icon of the sexual revolution. Now, in this event recorded live at the 2016 Edinburgh In… Tom Lanoye & James Yorkston (2016 Event) Two doppelgänger Belgian exiles are on the run in Tom Lanoye’s latest novel, Fortunate Slaves. When they finally meet they realise that each could hold the solution to the other's problems. James Yorkston is familiar as one of Scotland’s finest singe… Michael Frayn (2015 Event) With Matchbox Theatre, Michael Frayn has produced perhaps his most daringly unusual book to date. Blurring the boundary between the page and stage, the brilliant author and playwright has produced a book of thirty short entertainments that function both a… Hadley Freeman (2016 Event) For many, the 80s was a decade that taste didn’t just forget, but totally bypassed. Guardian and Vogue columnist Hadley Freeman does not subscribe to that one bit and is so passionate about 80s American movies that she’s written a book about them. Lif… Eimear McBride (2016 Event) A Girl is a Half-formed Thing was one of the most exciting breakthrough debut novels of recent years. Irish novelist Eimear McBride’s second book emphatically lives up to expectations and confirms her as a writer of international significance. The Lesse… Chris Brookmyre (2016 Event) For years he’s been regarded as one of Scotland’s best-loved and funniest crimewriters, but Chris Brookmyre’s critical reputation has also steadily grown over that same period and now he counts among the best-respected writers in his field. With Bla… John Boyne & Simon Mayo (2016 Event) We were delighted to welcome John Boyne with his latest novel The Boy at the Top of the Mountain and Simon Mayo with Blame back to Charlotte Square Gardens. In this event, filmed live at the 2016 Edinburgh International Book Festival, they examine ideas o… Sarah Howe & William Letford (2016 Event) We were thrilled to open the 2016 Festival with two of the most powerful young voices in British poetry. Sarah Howe's debut collection Loop of Jade won the 2016 T S Eliot Prize for Poetry and was described as ‘original, exquisite, erudite and adventurou… Chris Packham (2016 Event) As the presenter of BBC's Springwatch, Chris Packham has become one of the nation’s favourite naturalists. But Packham was far from popular as a child: in his brave and lyrical memoir, Fingers in the Sparkle Jar, he recalls life as a solitary child, com… Jonathan Safran Foer (2016 Event) The bestselling US author of Everything is Illuminated launches. Jonathan Safran Foer’s Here I Am is the story of a fracturing New York family, set against the backdrop of a much wider catastrophe as an earthquake engulfs the Middle East, sparking a… Highlights of the 2016 Edinburgh International Book Festival In August 2016, the Edinburgh International Book Festival welcomed over 800 writers, illustrators, poets, politicians and philosophers from 55 countries to Charlotte Square Gardens in a packed programme of passionate ideas, engaged debates and pure entert… Mervyn King (2016 Event) Nearly a decade after the Great Recession of 2007-09, banking may have become one of the world’s less popular professions, but has the financial system itself actually changed much? If not, what corrections to banking and financial practice do we ne… A C Grayling (2015 Event) A Professor of Philosophy, A C Grayling believes that his subject shouldn’t float above in an ivory tower, but take an active role in society. His most recent published works have looked at the world in a time of war and perpetual conflict. Whether … Laura Bates (2016 Event) The founder of the influential online project Everyday Sexism, Laura Bates was in the 2014 Woman's Hour Power List Game Changers Top 10 and is becoming well known for her refusal to accept the female stereotypes peddled by a normative mainstream media. In… Shirin Ebadi (2016 Event) The first Muslim woman and first Iranian to win a Nobel Peace Prize, Shirin Ebadi is a leading lawyer and activist who has campaigned fearlessly for freedom of speech and equality before the law in her country, despite being betrayed politically and perso… Interview - Innu Poetry from the Canadian Tundra (2015) Before their very special event with three Innu writers from the Canadian Tundra, Anna Crowe, Rachel McCrum and J L Williams took a few moments to share with us this deeply moving and inspiring translation project. Also hear from some audience members to … Why I Call Myself a Feminist (2015 Event) In this event entitled “a Rally, a Rant, a Story, a Song, a Protest, a Poem”, women – and men – take to the mike for five minutes each to tell us why they call themselves feminists. Authors Val McDermid, Christopher Brookmyre, Elif… Monica Cantieni and Sunjeev Sahota (2015 Event) Watch two authors who explore the immigrant experience powerfully in their unforgettable new novels. Monica Cantieni’s The Encyclopaedia of Good Reasons, translated by Donal McLaughlin, tells the deeply moving story of a young girl’s long wait… Mexican Writing, An Insider's View with Gabriel Orozco - Essays (2015 Event) Artist Gabriel Orozco brings us two of Mexico's most highly-respected and best-known authors. Sergio González Rodríguez is a novelist and essayist famous for his groundbreaking writing about the serial murders of young women in the Ciuda… Yasmin Alibhai-Brown and Bidisha (2015 Event) Yasmin Alibhai-Brown is one of Britain’s most important commentators on multiculturalism: in Exotic England she describes ‘a curious nation’ that has developed thanks to its long history of immigration. Bidisha is a writer and human righ… Amit Chaudhuri (2015 event) In Amit Chaudhuri’s entertaining latest novel, Odysseus Abroad, an aspiring poet named Ananda has arrived in London from India and is trying to make sense of what he sees. Chaudhuri crafts a sharply-observed world, inspired as much by James Joyce&rs… The Siobhan Dowd Trust Memorial Lecture: Matt Haig (2015 Event) Award-winning author Siobhan Dowd died in 2007, bequeathing her royalties to a trust which aims to bring the joy of reading to those who need it most. In 2015 the Siobhan Dowd Trust Memorial Lecture was delivered by novelist Matt Haig, whose books for chi… Interview - Amit Chaudhuri (2015) Before he took to the stage to talk about his latest novel, Odysseus Abroad, Amit Chaudhuri joined us for a quick chat in Charlotte Square Gardens. You can also hear from some audience members to see what they thought about the event. Amit's hour-long… Aleksandar Hemon & Elif Shafak (2015 Event) As a multilingual writer, does the language you choose to write in matter? Does it change who you are and who you are writing for? Does the omnipotence of global English dominate regardless? Elif Shafak is an acclaimed author who writes in both Turkish an… George the Poet (2015 Event) George Mpanga is the 24 year old Cambridge-educated wordsmith who has attracted attention and accolades with his socio-political verse and urban beats, including a nomination for the BBC Music Sound of 2015… Alan Johnson (2015 Event) Amid a slew of politicians’ memoirs in recent years, Alan Johnson’s This Boy was comfortably among the finest: one critic called it ‘the best political testament I’ve ever read’. The former Home Secretary returns to the Book … SJ Watson (2015 Event) S J Watson can count Dennis Lehane and Lionel Shriver among his fans for his crime debut Before I Go to Sleep, which was later made into a movie with Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman. The Midlands-born author opens up a shadowy world of identity, lies and se… Tom McCarthy (2015 Event) Is Tom McCarthy a J G Ballard for the 21st century? Or is he just bullshitting? McCarthy would probably claim he’s somewhere in between. The Man Booker shortlisted author’s hugely entertaining, densely imaginative novel Satin Island introduces… Interview - Sophie McKenzie and Salla Simukka (2015) We talked about the complexities of writing young adult fiction and creating female characters with best known author Sophic McKenzie and newly translated Finnish writer Salla Simukka before their event together. Also hear from one of our young audience m… Interview - Ghada Karmi (2015) Ghada Karmi joined us in Charlotte Square Gardens for a sneak preview of her event about returning to her homeland of Palestine after many years of exile, which she has documented in her new book, Return: A Palestinian Memoir. You can see Ghada's hour… Ella Frances Sanders & Dominick Tyler (2015 Event) The mysterious beauty of certain words joins Ella Frances Sanders and Dominick Tyler at the literary hip, as their separate glossaries reveal. Sanders’ Lost In Translation is a beautifully illustrated book which contains a selection of wholly untran… Shami Chakrabarti with Kate Mosse (2015 Event) A day after Shami Chakrabarti joined the campaigning organisation Liberty, New York’s Twin Towers were attacked. Ever since, she has fought a passionate campaign for human rights… Interview - Joanne Harris (2015) Hugely popular writer Joanne Harris took a moment before her event in Charlotte Square Gardens to talk to us about her new Norse inspired novel, The Gospel of Loki. We also spoke to some audience members to see what they thought about her event. You can s… Esther Gerritsen & Amy Mason (2015 Event) The complex relationship between mothers and their daughters is at the heart of writing by bestselling Dutch author Esther Gerritsen and emerging talent Amy Mason. Both Gerritsen’s razor-sharp third novel Craving, translated into English by Michele … Etgar Keret and Alain Mabanckou (2015 Event) Two internationally acclaimed novelists who have turned their hands to memoir talk to Nick Barley, director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Etgar Keret was declared ‘a genius’ by the New Yorker: The Seven Good Years, translated i… David Reynolds (2015 Event) Watch David Reynolds discuss his journey to discover whether the American Dream is keeping its sheen with Sheena McDonald. In Slow Road to Brownsville, Reynolds embarks on a fascinating road trip along 2,000 miles of Highway 83, a road that starts in Cana… Ghada Karmi (2015 Event) When she was forced to leave Palestine in 1948, for Ghada Karmi it meant that she would spend most of her life away from her native land. In Return: A Palestinian Memoir, Karmi describes visits to places she hasn’t seen since her childhood; places t… Joanne Harris (2015 Event) With The Gospel of Loki, Joanne Harris has made a highly successful move from Vianne and the Chocolat novels, to something altogether more elemental. With Loki, Harris takes on the heroes and villains of the great Norse myths in her characteristically e… Ryan Gattis and Marlon James (2015 Event) Images of the 1992 LA riots were beamed across the world as six days of violence left a city bruised and broken. In All Involved, Ryan Gattis concocts a novel from separate voices of those whose story wasn’t told. The 1976 attempted murder of Bob Ma… Interview - Etgar Keret and Alain Mabanckou (2015) Warm, funny and incredibly moving, we spoke to international writers Etgar Keret and Alain Mabanckou in Charlotte Square Gardens before their event about the enduring meaning of home. We also spoke to some audience members to see what they thought about t… What Is the 21st Century Doing to our Teenagers (2015 Event) Nicola Morgan, author of Blame My Brain and The Teenage Guide to Stress, reveals the science and psychology of teenage brains and the many challenges adolescents face, such as exams, friendships and anxiety disorders. Morgan believes that books can help u… John Burnside and Jon Kalman Stefansson (2015 Event) Award-winning poet and novelist John Burnside and acclaimed Icelandic novelist Jón Kalman Stefánsson got together with interviewer Daniel Hahn to talk about their new books and explore why contemporary writers turn to the stuff of legend for… Interview - Jussi Adler-Olsen (2015) Bestselling Danish crime writer and creator of the Department Q novels Jussi Adler-Olsen joined us for a quick chat in Charlotte Square Gardens before his event. We also asked some of his fans what they thought about what he had to say. You can see Jussi&… Leila Aboulela & Alessandro Gallenzi (2015 Event) Born in Sudan and for many years a resident of Aberdeen, Leila Aboulela injects a healthy dose of Scotland into her latest novel, The Kindness of Enemies. It opens in Scotland in 2010, and then journeys back to a time of war in 19th century Russia. Mean… Jenny Erpenbeck with Michel Faber (2015 Event) If you only read one novel this year, make it The End of Days. A book that takes a series of surprising turns, it confirms German author Jenny Erpenbeck as ‘one of the finest, most exciting authors alive’. That reviewer was fellow novelist Mic… Henrietta Bowden-Jones, Erin Saltman & Åsne Seierstad with Lennie Goodings (2015 Event) What draws women to the extremes of war? Åsne Seierstad, acclaimed author of The Bookseller of Kabul and a seasoned war reporter, talks about being on the frontline; Erin Saltman, Senior Counter Extremism Researcher from the Institute for Strategic … Has Psychiatry Silenced God? (2014 Event) Throughout history, divine intervention has influenced great artists, thinkers and leaders, and the voice of God is a distinct and separate presence in the minds of many people today. Author and former Bishop of Edinburgh Richard Holloway leads this discu… The Principle of Capitalism (2014 Event) As part of a series of events examining the key ideas that have shaped the human race, sociologist Saskia Sassen, research director in international economics at Chatham House Paola Subacchi and professor of political economy Robert Skidelsky joined James… Kirstin Innes (2015 Event) Winner of the Guardian’s Not the Booker prize, Kirstin Innes’ bittersweet debut, Fishnet takes us deep into the world of sex workers, tracing one woman’s obsessive quest for answers following her sister’s mysterious disappearance. … Interview - Malachy Tallack & Kathleen Winter (2015) Journeys through northern landscapes are fascinating to writers on both sides of the Atlantic, and we spoke to Malachy Tallack, originally from Shetland, and Canadian writer Kathleen Winter to compare notes. Also hear from some audience members to see wha… Val McDermid with Nicola Sturgeon (2015 Event) The Diamond Dagger-winning Fifer has built a vast fan-base over the years thanks to her number one bestselling novels that have sold over 11 million copies… Malachy Tallack & Kathleen Winter (2015 Event) How do northern landscapes affect the people who live in them? Malachy Tallack’s Sixty Degrees North includes interviews and observations in places which share the same latitude, from Shetland to Scandinavia and as far as Alaska. Canadian writer Kat… Interview - Esther Gerritsen & Amy Mason (2015) Dutch writer Esther Gerritsen and Britain's Amy Mason joined us for a chat about writing the universal theme of mothers and daughters before their joint event in Charlotte Square Gardens. You can also hear from a real life mother and daughter from the… Kate Tempest with Don Paterson (2015 Event) Still in her twenties, the ferociously-talented Kate Tempest has been shortlisted for the Mercury Prize, won the Ted Hughes Prize for innovation in poetry and secured a novel contract with Bloomsbury… Interview - Julia Donaldson and Peter May We caught up with brilliant and best known writers Julia Donaldson and Peter May to talk writing and translation, which was the subject of their joint event in Charlotte Square Gardens. We also asked some audience members what they thought about the event… Monica Cantieni & Sunjeev Sahota (2015 Event) Watch two authors who explore the immigrant experience powerfully in their unforgettable new novels. Monica Cantieni’s The Encyclopaedia of Good Reasons, translated by Donal McLaughlin, tells the deeply moving story of a young girl’s long wait… Johann Hari (2015 Event) It’s a century since drugs were first banned in the United States, thus unleashing a war against narcotics that has raged ever since. Journalist Johann Hari conducted a three-year investigation into the reality of drugs and now presents Chasing the … Paul Merton (2015 Event) Not Always Clowning Around. One of the most intelligent and likeable comics in the land, Paul Merton has had his fair share of darkness and tragedy… Museums and Libraries (2015 Event) Museums and galleries dominate as destinations, attracting record numbers of visitors to blockbuster shows. Meanwhile libraries are facing a funding crisis and are increasingly asked to justify their existence. What can libraries learn from museums, and w… The Siobhan Dowd Trust Memorial Lecture: Matt Haig (2015 Event) Award-winning author Siobhan Dowd died in 2007, bequeathing her royalties to a trust which aims to bring the joy of reading to those who need it most. This year the Siobhan Dowd Trust Memorial Lecture was delivered by novelist Matt Haig, whose books for c… The Literacy Revolution (2015 Event) According to UNESCO, every region of the world during the last 20 years has seen gains in literacy rates, but the situation remains highly uneven. To what extent can this improvement be attributed to the urbanisation of populations across the world and th… Terry Waite (2015 Event) As special envoy to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Terry Waite spent plenty of time not only in the company of Robert Runcie, but also his son James. Then, he was kidnapped in Beirut. Upon his release, Waite continued his charity work, befriended his forme… Libraries in the Digital Age (2015 Event) With the world’s knowledge accessible from anywhere via a computer screen, why should we continue to value physical spaces for literacy? In this discussion, recorded live… Interview - Elif Shafak (2015) Writing in multiple languages was the subject of the day, and we caught up with Turkish writer Elif Shafak before she took to the stage with fellow multi-lingual writer Aleksandar Hemon. We also asked some audience members what they thought about the even… Rory MacLean (2015 Event) When the USSR dissolved in 1991, a narrow sliver of land next to the Ukraine declared independence. Transnistria now has its own Leninist government, but is still not recognised by any other country in the world. Photojournalist Nick Danziger and author R… Cédric Villani (2015 Event) Forget about the maths you learned at school; the charismatic Cédric Villani has a gift for revealing the beauty and magic of mathematics at the highest level. Dubbed a ‘rock-star mathematician’, the French winner of the maths world&rsq… Limmy (2015 Event) Appearing at the Edinburgh International Book Festival for the first time with his first book, Daft Wee Stories, Brian Limond, aka Limmy… Alan Cumming with Ian Rankin (2015 Event) Two of Scotland’s most successful creative talents hook up for this unmissable event. Alan Cumming made waves with a memoir about his tough upbringing, Not My Father's Son, the details of which… Interview - Helle Helle (2015) We were delighted to meet the wonderful Danish writer Helle Helle before her Book Festival event in Charlotte Square Gardens to talk about her first novel to be translated into English, This Should Be Written in the Present Tense. We asked some audie… Jesse Jackson (2015 Event) One of the best-respected and most formidable civil rights activists of the 20th century, the Reverend Jesse Jackson worked for Martin Luther King in the 1960s… Julia Donaldson and Peter May (2015 Event) With the domination of the English language in publishing, we can often overlook what happens beyond our borders. How does a writer's work travel to other nations? How do authors keep ownership of their translations? Watch two of our finest literary e… Chigozie Obioma & Simon Sylvester (2015 Event) Chigozie Obioma’s thrillingly assured debut novel The Fishermen is set in small-town Nigeria, while Simon Sylvester’s seductive debut The Visitors unfolds on a remote Scottish island. Yet despite their disparate locations, these stories are un… Edwyn Collins & Grace Maxwell with Ian Rankin (2015 Event) ‘Moving beyond words’ was one critic’s response to The Possibilities Are Endless, a documentary charting Edwyn Collins’ return to relative good health after two massive strokes in 2005. That film, and a recent book, were the subjec… Interview - Sergio Gonzalez Rodriguez & Juan Villoro (2015) It was an absolute privilege to meet these two incredibly brave Mexican journalists, Sergio González Rodríguez and Juan Villoro, before they took to the stage with the infamous Mexican artist Gabriel Orozco. Don't take it from us though,… Etgar Keret & Alain Mabanckou (2015 Event) Hear two internationally acclaimed novelists who now turn their hands to memoir. Etgar Keret was declared ‘a genius’ by the New Yorker: The Seven Good Years, translated into English… Hyeonseo Lee (2015 Event) As a child of Kim Il-sung’s North Korea, a teenage Hyeonseo Lee believed the Dear Leader was her saviour, even holding on to that faith after she’d fled the country to live with relatives in China. Subsequently, Lee fought for the rest of her … Julian Barnes (2015 Event) One of our finest writers, Julian Barnes first wrote about art in his novel A History of the World in 10½ Chapters. Since then, the Man Booker Prize-winning author has written a series of scintillating essays on a range of artists as diverse as G&e… Interview - David Crystal (2015) Top linguist David Crystal took a moment before his event to talk with us about accents, language and how it's changing in the 21st Century. We also chatted to his fans after the event to see what they thought. You can see David's hour-long event … Innu Poetry from the Canadian Tundra (2015 Event) When the Book Festival invited three writers from the First Nation Innu people of Northern Canada to present their work in Edinburgh, three Scotland-based poets were invited to work with them. In this collaboration, which will also result in Anna Crowe, R… Interview - Rory MacLean (2015) We spoke to Rory MacLean about his wild adventures journeying in Transnistria before his event in Charlotte Square Gardens. We also asked some audience members what they thought about the event. You can see Rory's hour-long event here on our website a… Helen Macdonald (2014 Event) In her powerful, emotive memoir, H is for Hawk, Helen Macdonald recounts her obsessive pursuit to become a falconer. Following the shock of her father’s death and inspired by T H White’s The Goshawk, she embarked on a journey to train her own … Interview - Ella Frances Sanders & Dominick Tyler (2015) Before they took to the stage to talk about their new books, language enthusiasts Dominick Tyler and Ella Frances Sanders joined us in Charlotte Square Gardens for a sneak preview. Also hear from some audience members to see what they thought about the ev… Making Meaning of the Voices (2014 Event) People with severe mental health issues are often stigmatized by society. From drugs to psychiatry, solutions are complex and expensive. Eleanor Longden, a voice hearer and a qualified psychologist joins James Ley, a playwright who explores his bi-polar d… Joe Sumner & Evie Wyld (2015 Event) Evie Wyld is fast shooting to international fame as a novelist. Already the winner of Australia’s prestigious Miles Franklin Prize for All the Birds, Singing, her writing career takes a thrilling new turn in a graphic memoir, Everything Is Teeth, th… David Hare (2015 Event) One of the most celebrated writers of his generation, David Hare’s notable plays include Plenty, Skylight and The Absence of War. In this event, recorded live at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Hare discusses his powerful and often very f… Helle Helle (2015 Event) In Denmark, Helle Helle’s novels have garnered a mixture of critical acclaim, literary awards, and popularity with readers. Now, the highly-respected Danish author’s work has been translated into English for the first time by Martin Aitken. … Interview - Leila Aboulela & Alessandro Gallenzi (2015) Two brilliant international writers, Sudan's Leila Aboulela and Italy's Alessandro Gallenzi, chatted to us about their new books before their joint event in Charlotte Square Gardens. After their event we asked some audience members what they thoug… Greg Proops (2015 Event) Greg Proops is well-known for his appearances on the improv comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway? and for his hit podcast The Smartest Man in the World. Downloaded over 9 million times, it’s a weekly online radio show recorded live from different loc… Interview - John Burnside & Jon Kalmar Stefansson (2015) Bringing myths and fables together from Scotland and Iceland, we caught up with writers John Burnside and Jón Kalman Stefánsson before their joint event in Charlotte Square Gardens. Afterwards we asked fans what they thought about the event.… Chen Guangcheng (2015 Event) The blind Chinese dissident and human rights activist, Chen Guangcheng, escaped house arrest in Dongshigu and sought refuge in the US Embassy in 2012. Here he speaks about his memoir, The Barefoot Lawyer, in which he reveals his view of the flawed diploma… Jussi Adler-Olsen (2015 Event) We were thrilled to welcome bestselling Danish writer Jussi Adler-Olsen to the Book Festival's home in Charlotte Square Gardens for the first time. The creator of the Department Q novels has sold over 10 million copies of his books worldwide; watch as… Jussi Adler-Olsen (2015 Event) Bestselling Danish writer Jussi Adler-Olsen arrived in Charlotte Square Gardens for his first appearance in Edinburgh, delighting fans and newcomers to his work. The creator of the Department Q novels has sold over 10 million copies of his books worldwide… Interview - David Reynolds (2015) We had a quick chat with the brilliant writer David Reynolds about his fascinating journey down Highway 83 before his event in Charlotte Square Gardens. Find out from some audience members to see what they thought about the event. You can see David's … Blood and Secrets with Sophie McKenzie and Salla Simukka (2015 Event) In All My Secrets by Sophie McKenzie, the search to uncover the truth becomes life threatening, after a young woman discovers the shocking reality behind a huge inheritance. Finnish writer Salla Simukka's As Red As Blood, translated into English by Ow… Caroline Lucas (2015 Event) In Honourable Friends? the first UK Green MP, Caroline Lucas reveals the secret workings of parliamentary life and suggests that we could be governed so much better. As a lone voice at her workplace, Lucas is the perfect outsider – ideally positione… Viv Albertine with Ian Rankin (2015 Event) ‘You’re in for a hell of a ride now,’ says Viv Albertine in Clothes, Music, Boys. And she’s dead right: with breathtaking honesty, Albertine… John Boyne (2015 Event) Author of multi-million bestseller The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, John Boyne has unleashed his next book for younger readers, Stay Where You Are and Then Leave. It tells the story of a boy's search for his father during the First World War. For adult… Meera Syal (2015 Event) Acclaimed actor, screenwriter and author of Life Isn’t All Ha Ha Hee Hee, Meera Syal returned to Edinburgh for the first time since 2000 to discuss her new novel. The House of Hidden Mothers moves between East London’s Little India and a villa… David Crystal (2015 Event) A linguist and an expert on the development of the English language, David Crystal presents two books that tell us a great deal about English as it is spoken in the 21st century. You Say Potato looks at accents and our different ideas about ‘correct… Interview - Monica Cantieni (2015) Immigration and belonging are the chief subject of new novels by writers Monica Cantieni and Sunjeev Sahota. We spoke to Monica before their event to find out more, and we also heard from some audience members to see what they thought about the event. Mon… Michael Morpurgo (2014 event) Only Remembered is a timeless and seminal anthology of First World War literature for children, edited by Michael Morpurgo and featuring artwork from renowned illustrator Ian Beck. In this event, recorded live at the 2014 Edinburgh International Book Fest… Interview - Leigh and Maureen (2014) We caught up with two top US writers of fantasy fiction for young adults, Leigh Bardugo and Maureen Johnson, in Charlotte Square Gardens for a quick chat just before their event at the 2014 Edinburgh International Book Festival. You can also watch their h… Martin Amis (2104 Event) The last time Martin Amis wrote about the Holocaust was in 1991 in his novel Time’s Arrow. Now he returns to the subject with the much-anticipated The Zone of Interest. In this event, recorded live at the 2014 Edinburgh International Book Festival, … Gerry Hassan & Lesley Riddoch (2014 event) Two of Scotland's outspoken commentators reflect on what might happen next in Scotland, after the independence referendum on 18 Sept… Diana Gabaldon (2014 event) The Outlander books by Arizona-based author Diana Gabaldon have achieved sales figures that would make your eyes water. Little wonder that Doune Castle was recently besieged by fans keen to see the TV version being filmed. The latest instalment, Written i… Interview - Omid Djalili (2014) Acclaimed comedian and actor Omid Djalili talks about his joyously funny memoir about growing up as an Iranian in London in this interview at the 2014 Edinburgh International Book Festival. You can also watch his sold-out Book Festival event, filmed l… Holly Baxter & Rhiannon Cosslett (2014 event) The Vagenda Blog creators, young journalists Rhiannon Cosslett and Holly Baxter discuss the site, their campaigning new book and how they turn a cacophony of negativity about women into something incredibly positive… Interview - Billy Collins (2014) He’s twice been poet laureate in the US and says he hopes his poems ‘begin in Kansas and end in Oz’. Now Billy Collins returns with Aimless Love, his first collection of new and selected poems for 12 years. Elegant, poignant and thrillin… Lynn Barber (2014 event) Fearsomely incisive interviewer and journalist Lynn Barber faced a Twitter storm after an article on tennis superstar Rafael Nadal, but anonymous cyberhate is nothing for someone who has taken on the likes of Gore Vidal, James Stewart and Salvador Dali. I… Interview - Charlie and Robbie (2014) Dream team comics creators Charlie Adlard and Robbie Morrison have made their contribution to the Great War centenary with their frank graphic novel White Death. This is a quick interview with the pair before they took to the stage at Edinburgh Internatio… Gordon Brown (2014 event) Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown talks about his new bestseller My Scotland, Our Britain: A Future Worth Sharing… John Gordon Sinclair (2014 event) Two years ago John Gordon Sinclair made his crime-writing debut and now he’s back wrapping a grim tale around the CIA, Serbian gangs and a feisty Glaswegian lawyer with his second novel, Blood Whispers. Hear how Sinclair created a central character … Omid Djalili (2014 event) Acclaimed comedian and actor Omid Djalili has produced a joyously funny memoir about growing up and finding fame as a young Iranian in London. He beautifully captures his unique childhood in his parents’ guesthouse, describing meetings with an array… Mai Al-Nakib & Tom Barbash (2014 event) Our 2014 First Book Award-winner Kuwaiti author Mai Al-Nakib comes together in this event with bestselling San Francisco writer Tom Barbash to talk about their brilliant, moving short-story collections… Melissa Benn (2014 event) Airbrushed supermodels, unrealistically skinny celebrities, casual sexism in the media. Why, despite everything, are women still not paid equally or properly represented on corporate boards? These are the questions posed by Melissa Benn in her book What S… The Voices in Our Heads: Creating Characters in Fiction (2014 event) The first sign that a book works is when the characters talk back to their author, and books can represent our internal voices unlike any other art form. A panel of award-winning novelists, Nathan Filer, Edward Carey and Matthew Quick talk about their rel… David Peace (2014 event) Yorkshire-born David Peace’s writing took an exciting turn with GB84, his ambitious novelisation of events during the miners’ strike. Later, Peace turned to football, first with The Damned United, a re-imagining of Brian Clough’s brief t… Omid Djalili (2014 event) Acclaimed comedian and actor Omid Djalili has produced a joyously funny memoir about growing up and finding fame as a young Iranian in London. He beautifully captures his unique childhood in his parents’ guesthouse, describing meetings with an array… Iain Mcwhirter (2014 event) His book Road to Referendum is a clear-minded history of Scotland’s journey towards its historic vote in September, and Iain Macwhirter argues that after the poll, constitutional change is inevitable. If so, where will the negotiations between Holyr… Charlie Adlard and Robbie Morrison (2014 event) Dream team Charlie Adlard and Robbie Morrison came to Edinburgh to talk about White Death, a frank graphic novel account of two dead bodies discovered almost 100 years on, and highlighting how snow was used as a military weapon. In this event, filmed live… George RR Martin (2014 event) Game of Thrones author George R R martin describes how he feels about the screen incarnations of his books… William Fotheringham (2014 event) Long before Bradley Wiggins took the world by storm, British cycling already had a hero. Tom Simpson was world champion and the first Briton to wear yellow in the Tour de France. In 1967 he died during a stage of the Tour while climbing the monstrous Mont… Malala Yousafzai (2014 event) Inspirational education activist and Pakistani school pupil, Malala Yousafzai came to the Edinburgh International Book Festival to talk to a packed theatre full of teenagers.  … Interview - Holly Baxter and Rhiannon Cosslett (2014) Creators of The Vagenda blog, Rhiannon Cosslett and Holly Baxter chatted to the Book Festival just before their sold-out event - talking about the blog and campaigning new book. You can also watch their hour-long event, filmed live at 2014 Edinburgh I… The Moth (2014 event) To celebrate the UK launch of their first book, which collects together 50 of their best stories, we invited The Moth, the legendary US storytelling organisation, to create a special one-off evening of stories inspired by our strand of events, Conversatio… Charlie Adlard & Robbie Morrison (2014 event) Graphic novel dream team Charlie Adlard and Robbie Morrison came to Edinburgh to talk about White Death, a frank graphic novel account of two dead bodies discovered almost 100 years on which highlights how snow was used as a military weapon. In this event… Maggie O'Farrell (2014 event) Acclaimed Edinburgh-based Maggie O’Farrell talks about how she constructed her sixth novel, Instructions for a Heatwave… Irma Kurtz (2014 event) For four decades, the Cosmo Agony Aunt has been helping to solve readers’ problems, encompassing everything from eating disorders to bad behaviour in the office. In My Life in Agony, In this event, recorded live at the 2014 Edinburgh International B… Stripped Highlights Film 2013 Stripped: When comics and graphic novels were laid bare at the Book Festival… Leigh Bargudo and Maureen Johnson (2014 event) Two of the most exciting voices in fantasy writing travelled across the pond to appear at the Edinburgh International Book Festival to talk about their books for young adults. Leigh Bardugo's debut series, The Grisha Trilogy, is set in an alternative … Highlights of the 2014 Edinburgh International Book Festival Just a few of the highlights of the 2014 Book Festival - what a wonderful year we had!… Holly Baxter and Rhiannon Cosslett (2014 event) Co-founders of The Vagenda blog, journalists Rhiannon Cosslett and Holly Baxter ended up with an instant hit; the blog received over 7 million views in year one and has received votes of approval from the likes of Caitlin Moran and Laurie Penny. In this h… Interview - Bonnie Greer (2014) We caught up with the wonderful Bonnie Greer before her Book Festival event for a quick chat about the first volume of her memoirs, A Parallel Life. You can also see her hour-long event, filmed live at Edinburgh International Book Festival, here on our we… Interview - Karl Ove Knausgaard (2014) In this Interview, filmed at Edinburgh International Book Festival in August 2014, Norwegian literary sensation Karl Ove Knausgaard chats briefly about being a writer, doing author events and about Boyhood Island, the third book in his epic and much-discu… Zakes Mda (2014 event) Winner of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, Zakes Mda is regarded as one of the most important novelists to have emerged on South Africa’s literary scene since the end of apartheid. The author of more than 20 novels and plays, Mda is now reside… Diana Gabaldon (2014 event) The Outlander books by Arizona-based author Diana Gabaldon have achieved sales figures that would make your eyes water. Little wonder that Doune Castle was recently besieged by fans keen to see the TV version being filmed. The latest instalment, Written i… John Gordon Sinclair (2014 event) John Gordon Sinclair continues to put distance between himself and Gregory’s Girl, the film that made his name. Two years ago he made his novel-writing debut and his second book, Blood Whispers wraps a grim tale around the CIA, Serbian gangs and a f… Alasdair Gray (2014 event) Hear the inimitable Alasdair Gray talking about his almost-autobiography, his masterpiece Lanark and his meetings with other literary figures at the Book Festival… Blake Morrison (2014 event) Best known for As If, his landmark book about the killing of James Bulger, Blake Morrison is also a poet and novelist. He joined us to read from a new publication, This Poem. Bankers’ bonuses, phone hacking, super-injunctions and Jimmy Savile: these… Oscar Guardiola-Rivera (2014 event) Colombian-born writer Oscar Guardiola-Rivera’s riveting Story of a Death Foretold lays bare the Cold War paranoia and rabid anti-communism which led to the downfall of Salvador Allende, Latin America’s first democratically-elected Marxist pres… Bonnie Greer (2014 event) Best known in the UK as a dispassionate commentator on BBC Newsnight Review and Question Time, even when sitting beside the leader of the BNP, Bonnie Greer has now written the first volume of her memoirs, A Parallel Life. In this event, recorded live at t… Billy Collins (2014 Event) Billy Collins has twice been poet laureate in the US and says he hopes his poems ‘begin in Kansas and end in Oz’. Aimless Love, his first collection of new and selected poems for 12 years, is elegant, poignant and thrillingly accessible. In th… Stripped Comic Fair Film 2013 Stripped mini comic fair: Scotland's finest comics creators come to Charlotte Square Gardens… Bonnie Greer (2014 event) Best known in the UK as a dispassionate commentator on BBC Newsnight Review and Question Time – even when sitting beside the leader of the BNP – Bonnie Greer has now written the first volume of her memoirs, A Parallel Life. In this event she t… Nicholas Parsons (2014 event) The much-loved radio show Just a Minute has been delighting listeners for 46 years and every single episode of the programme has been hosted by Nicholas Parsons. Now, Parsons has produced his first book about Britain’s longest-running radio comedy s… Interview - Melissa Benn (2014) Melissa Benn was in Edinburgh to talk about her book What Should We Tell Our Daughters? and took time out for a quick chat before her event at the Book Festival. You can also watch Melissa Benn's full hour-long event, recorded live at the 2014 Edi… Interview - Diana Gabaldon (2014) Before she took to the stage to thrill fans of her massively successful Outlander book series, Diana Gabaldon took a little time for a quick chat in Charlotte Square Gardens. You can also see her hour-long event, filmed live at the 2014 Edinburgh Inte… Karl Ove Knausgaard (2014 event) Norwegian literary sensation Karl Ove Knausgaard has been gathering an ever-increasing band of avid followers with his epic and much-discussed six-volume novel cycle, My Struggle. ‘It’s completely blown my mind… I need the next volume l… The Principle of Religion (2014 event) Richard Holloway, Rowan Williams, Rchard Sennett and Angela Zito explore the key ideas that have shaped humanity. In this event: the ideas and impact of religious belief… Jura Unbound: Illicit Ink & Graphic Scotland (2013 event) Graphic Scotland and Illicit Ink joined forces to combine stories from the page with illustrators on the stage in this lively, late night Jura Unbound event…… Ma Jian (2013 event) Ma Jian’s criticisms of China’s government led to it placing a blanket ban on all his future books in 1987. He participated in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, and now… Salman Rushdie (2013 event) In 1983, Salman Rushdie was shortlisted for the Booker Prize for his novel Shame and named among Granta’s inuagural Best of Young British Novelists… Tracey Thorn (2013 event) Sitting at home in 2005, Tracey Thorn realised she was no longer happy to be part of the show business feeding frenzy and decided to tell her story… Bryan & Mary Talbot (2013 event) Bryan and Mary Talbot talk about their award-winning work which brought the graphic novel form to mainstream attention… Amy Sackville and Evie Wyld (2013 event) Her debut The Still Point was inspired by the Arctic, and Amy Sackville heads north again with her second novel, Orkney, which confirms that this startlingly original writer is… James Kakalios (2013 event) Charismatic scientist puts the fun into quantum physics in this witty and engaging event… Jenn Ashworth and Peggy Riley (2013 event) Brought up as a Mormon, Jenn Ashworth has since become a powerful voice in British fiction. She returned to Edinburgh with her third novel, The Friday Gospels, the story… UNBOUND: Five Dials Five Dials, an online literary magazine, brought Book Festival audiences some of its leading lights in literature for an evening… The Beano (2013 event) Morris Heggie and Mike Stirling of DC Thomson take a fun-filled journey through the long and illustrious history of the Beano… Hadley Freeman (2013 event) Guardian journalist Hadley Freeman is known for her hugely entertaining daily columns. Now she has produced Be Awesome, a book of heart-warming but razor sharp essays… The Sandman with Neil Gaiman (2013 event) Neil Gaiman talks to Hannah Berry about the hugely influential comics series The Sandman…… UNBOUND: Cargo Special Delivery Joining (parcel) forces were Radio 4 favourite Anneliese Macintosh and novelists Allan Wilson and Tracey S Rosenberg… Kieron Gillen & Jamie McKelvie (2103 event) Long-time collaborators Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie shed light on the processes behind their critically acclaimed Young Avengers series… UNBOUND: The Golden Hour A hellacious hybrid of rakish words and eclectic music: Ryan Van Winkle, Joe Dunthorne, Kelly Link and roofing poet William Leftford… UNBOUND: Electric Lit Orchestra Writers’ Bloc are modern day champions of the Scottish literary tradition the fantastique, and offer weird and wonderful tales… UNBOUND: Words Per Minute Performers got 10 mins to impress with whatever creative talent they could offer in this event… Chris Ware (2013 event) In Chris Ware’s first appearance at the Book Festival he discussed his critically acclaimed graphic novel Building Stories and why comics are a language, not a genre…… Joe Sacco (2013 event) Previous books such as Footnotes In Gaza established Joe Sacco’s international reputation as the world’s leading comics journalist…… Jonathan Agnew (2013 event) There are many, including Jonathan ‘Aggers’ Agnew, who would agree that cricket is more than just a game. Controversy has dogged the sport throughout its history… Grant Morrison (2013 event) King of the Scottish comics scene talks about his extraordinary career… Susan Greenfield with Kirsty Wark (2013 event) She’s the Professor of Pharmacology at Oxford University and has been awarded no fewer than 30 honorary degrees for her work. Baroness Susan Greenfield has risen to… Kristen Iversen (2013 event) Riveting and horrifying in equal measure, Kristen Iversen’s memoir of growing up next to the Rocky Flats nuclear facility near Denver, Colorado describes the secrecy… Joe Sacco and Chris Ware (2013 event) Two of the world’s best graphic novelists reveal the processes behind their first class comic creations… Jura Unbound: Literary Death Match (2013 event) Four talented author-illustrator teams pit their live storytelling skills against one another in this all-star cartoon caper version of the legendary Literary Death Match… Nate Silver (2013 event) Statistician, political forecaster and creator of the New York Times blog FiveThirtyEight, Nate Silver shot to world fame when he predicted the outcome of all 50 states in the 2012 US Elections… UNBOUND: Literary Death Match Four writers used words as weapons in a fight to the literary death. Host Todd Zuniga returned to Edinburgh from New York for the 160th anniversary… Rupert Everett (2013 event) It’s taken the entertainment world six years to recover from Rupert Everett’s first memoir Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins and now he’s back on raucously top form with Vanished Years… Tracy Chevalier (2013 event) Her novel based on a famous Vermeer portrait sold a staggering 4 million copies worldwide and put Tracy Chevalier straight into the international literary premier league… Robert Lewis (2013 event) A decade ago, the death of Dr David Kelly shook the country and for a moment threatened to topple a Blair administration already reeling from dissent against the war in Iraq… Tim Burgess with Ian Rankin (2013 event) Tim Burgess’ rock and roll battles and the death of keyboard player Rob Collins are among the events in The Charlatans’ front man’s upbeat memoir, Telling Stories… Jane Gardam (2013 event) Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and twice the winner of a Whitbread Award, Jane Gardam also received a Heywood Hill Literary Prize for her distinguished literary career… Stephen Collins & Tom Gauld (2013 event) Two critically acclaimed Guardian cartoonists delve into their charmingly surreal comic worlds… Kay Ryan (2013 event) Kay Ryan is widely regarded as one of America’s great living poets. Her book The Best of It: New and Selected Poems won her the Pulitzer Prize in 2011… UNBOUND: Kristin Hersh Founder of iconic alt-rock band Throwing Muses, lead singer of the punk-tinged 50 Foot Wave, revered solo artist and now author… Nadeem Aslam (2013 event) Described by Colm Tóibín as ‘one of the most exciting and serious writers working in Britain now’, Nadeem Aslam’s new book will undoubtedly build his reputation still further… UNBOUND: The Paris Review Pioneers of extraordinary literature since 1953 impart literary wisdom from across the AtlantiC… Damian Barr (2013 Event) In his effervescent memoir Maggie and Me, journalist, writer and gifted storyteller Damian Barr explains how his family, living in the shadow of Ravenscraig, learned to thrive… UNBOUND: Dummy Jim Artist Matt Hulse and actor Samuel Dore enchanted with live music, readings, puppetry and elaborate knitwear, all devoted to the story of deaf cycling… Joe Sacco & Chris Ware (2013 event) For the first time, two of the world’s best graphic novelists, Joe Sacco and Chris Ware, appeared together on stage to discuss their work and life as a cartoonists…… Colm Toibin (2012 event) A writer absolutely at the height of his powers, Colm Tóibín is known for his stunning novels such as Brooklyn and… Ian McEwan with Alex Salmond (2012 event) According to Scotland’s First Minister, Alex Salmond, his eclectic cultural interests range from Miss Marple… Paul Durcan (2012 event) 'If there were a prize for best reader of one’s own poems, Paul Durcan would probably win it hands down,' proclaimed the… Jennifer Rohn & Neal Stephenson (2012 event) Science fiction writing is readily dismissed as mindless escapism but in fact it is a hugely influential and creative genre… Maggie Fergusson & Michael Morpurgo (2012 event) He's a master storyteller who has left an indelible mark on countless children who’ve grown up with his stories… Pat Barker (2012 event) Her books include the highly acclaimed Regeneration trilogy: Regeneration (made into a film of the same name), The Eye in the Door (winner of the Guardian Fiction Prize) and The Ghost Road (winner of the Booker Prize)… Nile Rodgers (2012) He may be best known for the disco hit Le Freak but Nile Rodgers’ influence on pop music has been so very much greater than that… Michael Sandel (2012) In his book, What Money Can't Buy, Michael Sandel examines one of the biggest ethical questions of our time… William Fotheringham (2012 Event) Cycling was a hot topic during the summer of 2012, with British success in the Olympics and the Tour de France… Danny Wallace (2012 event) In his non-fiction work, he’s tried to start a new country and helped a comedy friend find as many of his namesakes as possible. Now Dundee-born Danny Wallace… Hilary Mantel (2012 event) The first woman to win the Booker twice talks to James Runcie about her work in this event, recorded live at the 2012 Edinburgh Intenational Book Festival… Elif Shafak (2012) Elif Shafak’s novel Honour is a moving account of love and family set in Kurdistan, Istanbul and London… Michael Frayn (2012 event) The Man Booker-shortlisted and Whitbread-winning author of Headlong and Spies travelled to Edinburgh to discuss his latest novel… Robert Macfarlane (2012 event) In The Old Ways, shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson prize, the celebrated author Robert Macfarlane sets off from his Cambridge home… Simon Mayo (2012 event) The award-winning broadcaster has been listened to by millions who rely on his insightful film reviews and music choices… Lydia Cacho (2012) A Mexican writer and journalist, Lydia Cacho's courage knows no bounds in her battle to bring an end to illegal sex trafficking… Neil Forsyth (2012 event) Broughty Ferry's fictional hero Bob Servant was brought to life by Greg McHugh (aka Gary Tank Commander) in a sell-out performance. Since then… Charles Fernyhough and Ben Marcus (2012 event) From Gulliver’s Travels to 1984, dystopian visions have shaped literary fiction. Why do these flights of fancy influence our reality?… What Comes Next? (2012 event) Acclaimed author Keith Gray has edited an anthology of stories by leading writers looking at where we go when we die, entitled Next… Frank Close with Peter Higgs (2012 event) The race to identify the Higgs Boson has led to multi-billion dollar investment in the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. The return promise… Nile Rodgers (2012 event) He may be best known for the disco hit Le Freak but Nile Rodgers’ influence on pop music has been so very much greater than that… Coraline with Neil Gaiman & Chris Riddell (2012 event) To mark the 10th anniversary of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline, Chris Riddell has created beautiful, atmospheric and unsettling illustrations for a new edition… Danny Wallace (2012) Well where do we start? From reviewing videogames for Sega Power, judging Edinburgh’s Perrier Comedy Awards… Dyslexia debate (2012 event) In this event, recorded live at Edinburgh International Book Festival, prolific children’s writer Vivian French… Debate: Rethinking the Union, Part 2 (2012 event) The outspoken former Labour MP and Cabinet Minister Tony Benn, joined Dr Nicola McEwen, Director of Public Policy… Michael Palin (2012 event) The last time Michael Palin appeared at the Edinburgh International Book Festival was in 1987, when it was directed by Jenny Brown… Jacqueline Wilson (2012 event) In 1902, E Nesbit published Five Children and It, which has never been out of print. Jacqueline Wilson, the highly acclaimed author of Tracey Beaker… Dragons and Fairies with Julia Donaldson (2011 event) The opening event at the 2011 Edinburgh International Book Festival drew huge crowds of 5-9 year olds and their families to see the inimitable and forever-entertaining newly appointed Children’s Laureate Julia Donaldson… Miguel Syjuco reading Be Here Now The bright and brilliant Filipino-born Man Asian Literary Prize-winner reads his story on the theme of Elsewhere… Kristina Stephenson: Sir Charlie Stinky Socks (2011 Event) Children's author Kristina Stephenson introduced her new book featuring the lovable but slightly pongy Sir Charlie Stinky Socks to the delight of her young audience of 5-7 year olds at the Book Festival… Jen Hadfield Reading From My Vow Hear this talented young author read her new work From My Vow, part of our series of stories and podcasts on the theme of Elsewhere… Robin Robertson reading Partytime The Scottish award-winning poet reads his brand new work on the theme of Elsewhere… Richard Bath and Tommy Macpherson (2011 event) Rugby writer Richard Bath has tackled a very different kind of battle in aiding Sir Tommy Macpherson with his memoir, Behind Enemy Lines. Britain’s most decorated living war hero with three Military Crosses,… Anne Donovan reading Not Scotland Prize-winning short story writer and novelist reads her story on the theme of Elsewhere… Michel Faber (2011 Event) The astonishing, triumphant television adaptation of Michel Faber's novel The Crimson Petal and the White represents a radical new step for the previously tired costume drama genre. In this event, Faber discussed his book with Lucinda Coxon,… John Byrne (2011 event) Painter and set designer, playwright and novelist, John Byrne is one of Scotland’s great polymaths. Best known for his plays the Slab Boys Trilogy and Tutti Frutti, Byrne has also designed record sleeves for Donovan and The Beatles… Cathy Cassidy (2011 event) In this exciting event Cathy Cassidy gave a sneak preview of her brand new book, Marshmallow Skye… Louise Welsh reading Vanishing Point The popular Scottish novelist reads her exclusive short story as part of our Elsewhere series of podcasts… Edna O'Brien with Andrew O'Hagan (2011 event) 'I'm very grateful for Ireland,' said Edna O'Brien in a recent interview. 'It stirs things up in me.' O'Brien came to Edinburgh to discuss her latest book, Saints and Sinners, which includes several stories set in her beloved home country… John Hartson (2011 Event) The explosively talented Welsh footballer John Hartson enjoyed success with Arsenal and West Ham before becoming a striker for Celtic, where he scored more than 100 goals in a glorious five year period… Gill Arbuthnott reading Marilyn's Hands Listen to the author of the gripping Germ Wars and The Keepers Daughter and many other novels and fact-filled books based around science, as she reads her contribution to… Andy Stanton reading Welcome to Flaxland The endlessly entertaining children's author Andy Stanton reading his story Welcome to Flaxland, part of an engaging series of podcasts of… Wendy Cope (2011 Event) The poetry of Kent-born Cope has charmed readers ever since her first collection, Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis… Jonathan Meres: May Contain Nuts (2011 Event) The former stand-up comedian turned children's novelist Jonathan Meres launched his mad-cap new novel starring the hapless Norm at the Book Festival… Alan Warner reading Sullivan's Ashes Man Booker longlister and Morvern Callar author reading his new story on the theme of Elsewhere… Melvyn Bragg (2011 Event) Since its publication in 1611, the King James Bible has been the world’s number one bestseller. But the book has become a story in itself. It has been the Bible of wars from the British Civil War to the American Civil War… David Vann reading Bain de Soleil Young award-winning US author David Vann reads his story on the theme of Elsewhere… Francesca Simon: Horrid Henry (2011 event) You may not want Horrid Henry as your son or brother but how much fun would it be to have him in class? In this event, recorded live at the 2011 Edinburgh International Book Festival, his creator Francesca Simon… Chan Koonchung (2011 event) Is it possible to live in China today, and to raise an eyebrow about the country’s political ambitions? Chan Koonchung does precisely that… Kurdo Baksi (2011 Event) Stieg Larsson’s books have sold more than 20 million copies in 41 countries. But because they were published after his death, many have been left wondering about the true character of a man who was as passionate in his campaign… Michael Ondaatje (2011 Event) The hotly-anticipated novel Cats Cradle is without question Michael Ondaatje's finest to date. Launched worldwide at this event, recorded live at the 2011 Edinburgh International Book Festival, he tells the… Jo Nesbo (2011 Event) Jo Nesbø, the king of Nordic crime fiction, came to Edinburgh to discuss his latest thrilling work, The Leopard… Allan Radcliffe reading Chicago Edinburgh-based Allan Radcliffe reads his contribution to our Elsewhere series of stories… Stella Rimington (2011 event) The former director general of MI5 has forged a new career for herself as an author of spy novels, using her inside knowledge of intelligence activities to create a credible new hero, Liz Carlyle… Denise Mina reading We Are All Waiting The popular Scottish crime-writer reading her story on the theme of Elsewhere… Ingrid Betancourt with Kirsty Wark (2011 Event) When Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt went on the campaign trail in 2002, she could not have imagined that it would end in a kidnapping and six year incarceration at the hands of guerrilla forces… Ed Stourton (2011 Event) When you hear that a book by a renowned journalist and broadcaster is subtitled ‘Time Spent Following a Lead’, you might assume it’s a memoir concerning the pursuit of headlines. But Diary of a Dog Walker is in fact Stourton’s tale/tail of going o… Barry Hutchison reading The Unclaimed Girl Author of the Invisible Fiends horror series for children, Barry Hutchison here reads his story on the theme of Elsewhere… David Almond reading Paper Boat Paper Plane Multi-award-winning children's author reads his story on the theme of Elsewhere… Caitlin Moran (2011 event) What should you call your vagina? And why does everyone ask you when you're going to have a baby? Caitlin Moran is on a mission to reclaim feminism… Jacqueline Wilson (2011 Event) Jacqueline Wilson always wanted to be a writer and wrote her first ‘novel’ when she was only 9. Since those early days she’s gone on to write over forty books, won many prestigious awards and created iconic characters such as Tracey Beaker… Caitlin Moran (2011 Event) Caitlin Moran is on a mission to reclaim feminism and make it relevant to women today… Neil Forsyth (2011 Event) The BBC Radio adaptation of Forsyth's Delete This at Your Peril catapulted the fictional Dundonian anti-hero Bob Servant to national attention. Servant's habit of responding to junk emails and striking up a relationship with… Niall Ferguson (2011 Event) Are we living through the dying embers of Western ascendancy? For Scottish historian and broadcaster Niall Ferguson, the ‘killer applications’ test is the best way to measure our status with the rest of the world… Ben Mezrich (2011 Event) His last book was adapted to become The Social Network, one of the most successful movies of 2010. Mezrich then turned his attention to another strange-but-true American tale in his novel Sex on the Moon… Elizabeth Laird reading Red Wolves in the Mist An engaging new story by a much-admired author of young adult fiction, read by the author herself… Michel Faber reading A Flash of Blue Light Hear the bestselling author of The Crimson Petal and the White read his new story inspired by the theme of 'Elsewhere'… Julia Donaldson reading Ballad of Jemmy Button The massively popular children's writer and new Children's Laureate reading her contribution to our Elsewhere series of stories… Alan Hollinghurst (2011 Event) It's many years since Alan Hollinghurst's last novel, The Line of Beauty, was published – a story so powerful that it beat David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas to win the 2004 Booker Prize. His follow-up, The Stranger's Child,… Eleanor Thom reading Sassuolo The young Glasgow-based writer reads her contribution to our Elsewhere project - a collection of new writing on the theme of Elsewhere… James Robertson reading The Future According to Luke The winner of the Saltire Book of the Year award in 2010 reads his new story on the theme of Elsewhere… Jonathan Agnew (2011 event) In 1991, cricket commentator Agnew was involved in a slice of broadcasting history with an innuendo-fuelled remark about Ian Botham. His throwaway line during a Test Match Special had his radio colleague Brian Johnston… John Fardell: The Day Louis Got Eaten (2011 Event) In this fun, interactive event for 4-10 year olds, award-winning author-illustrator John Fardell introduced his new picture book The Day Louis Got Eaten and talked about his artwork, sketches and models… Kirstin Innes reading Horror Story Kirstin Innes' Horror Story is just one of a whole series of podcasts of leading authors reading their stories on the theme of 'Elsewhere'… Debi Gliori reading Once Upon a Time Children's writer and illustrator Debi Gliori reading her story Once Upon a Time as part of our series of podcasts on the theme of 'Elsewhere'… Neil Gaiman with Audrey Niffenegger (2011 event) American Gods author talks Americana, myth and fantasy with fellow enthusiast Audrey Neffenigger… John Byrne (2011 event) Painter and set designer, playwright and novelist - one of Scotland's great polymaths talks about his extraordinary life and work… Alasdair Gray (2011 event) Thirty years ago Lanark was published, which confirmed Alasdair Gray as the most ferociously inventive Scottish writer of his generation. His output since then has been characterised by a close relationship between his writing… Tam Dalyell with James Naughtie (2011 event) There can be few backbench politicians who have had as much influence on British politics as Tam Dalyell. Fiercely independent and a thorn in the side of several Prime Ministers, his contributions to politics include his vocal opposition to military inter… Vivian French reading Billie D Listen to the ever popular and prolific children's author Vivian French, read her contribution to our series of stories on the theme of 'Elsewhere'… Audrey Niffenegger (2011 event) Michigan-born writer and artist, and one of our guest selectors, Audrey Niffenegger is the author of the runaway bestseller The Time Traveler’s Wife. In this event she chats about her various books, the most recent of which is a graphic novel, The Night… Pamela Stephenson-Connolly (2011 event) Her book is certainly engaging but can it live up to the claims that it is the most enlightening book on sex ever published? Pamela Stephenson-Connolly's event threw up some surprises at the Book Festival in 2011… Jason Donald reading Puerta Galera Listen to acclaimed author of Choke Chain read his story Puerta Galera, part of a series of podcasts… Rodge Glass reading After Drink You Can Turn Earth Upside Down The versatile and entertaining Somerset Maugham Award-winner Rodge Glass reads his story on the theme of Elsewhere… Roddy Doyle reading Los San Patricios Roddy Doyle reading his story Los San Patricios (note: contains strong language). Part of an engaging series of podcasts of leading… Robert Coover (2011 Event) The reissue of his early novels as Penguin Classics in 2011 underlines his status as a giant of American literary postmodernism. Stories like Spanking the Maid, Gerald's Party and Pricksongs and Descants show that a mordant… Marcus Sedgwick reading Archipelago Bestselling novelist of compelling teen fiction reading his story on the theme of Elsewhere… Yiyun Li reading A Tale of Two Cities The brilliant young Chinese-American writer reads her short story on the theme of Elsewhere… Michael Scheuer (2011 event) The death of Osama bin Laden in May 2011 marked a key moment in the history of the so-called War on Terror. But Michael Scheuer, formerly the chief of the CIA unit responsible for capturing the elusive Saudi, believes bin Laden’s death will make no diff… Anne Fine reading her story As The Proverb Goes... Part of an engaging and varied series of podcasts of leading authors reading their stories, poems or essays on the theme of ‘Elsewhere’… Neil Gaiman with Audrey Niffenegger (2011 event) It’s ten years since the publication of the landmark American Gods, a book that brought Gaiman to international fame. One reviewer even lauded him thus: ‘Saying Neil Gaiman is a writer is like saying Da Vinci dabbled in the arts.’… Roddy Doyle (2010 children's event) Listen to this audio recording to join the audience of Roddy Doyle’s fantastic 2010 Book Festival children’s event, ideal for ages 7+ and families. Brilliant and hilarious, the madcap misadventures of Rover and the Mack family are unmissable… Karen Campbell and Simon Lelic (2010 event) Two of Britain's leading young writers stretch the boundaries of crime fiction… Roddy Doyle (2010 event) Booker Prize author Roddy Doyle's writing has been described as urgent, funny and often deeply moving, in this video we see him reading from his new novel The Dead Republic before responding to audience questions… Joseph Stiglitz (2010 event) A 2010 Book Festival event that will be talked about for some time to come. Nobel Prize-winning economist, Joseph Stiglitz, delivered a thought-provoking event with the words of a real insider. As chair Ruth Wishart said, "Joseph Stiglitz has analysed mor… John Green (2010 event) On 15 August droves of enthusiastic fans were treated to a visit from American teen novel master John Green. In a stroke of genius he arranged a meet-up beforehand for the Edinburgh-based fans in his audience...! The result: an unbeatably friendly and fun… Marina Endicott and Lisa Moore (2010 event) Canadian author Lisa Moore and Commonwealth Prize-winner Marina Endicott delivered with chair Luke Brown a captivating Book Festival event in 2010 to discuss their affecting explorations of life after death… David Vann and Willy Vlautin (2010 event) Another chance to listen to two writers who have produced riveting, heartbreaking and sometimes shocking accounts of father-son relationships. An interesting, intelligent and compelling event, chaired by Hannah McGill, well worth revisiting… Reggie Nadelson in conversation with Ian Rankin (2010 event) In this event crime writing extraordinaire Reggie Nadelson discussed the ventures of her brilliantly believable detective, with Edinburgh’s own favourite crime writer, Ian Rankin. The charismatic pair are well worth a listen – and another listen after… Polly Toynbee and David Walker (2010 Event) So what exactly did twelve years of undiluted New Labour achieve? Polly Toynbee and David Walker, co-authors of two previous books on the subject, returned to the Book Festival in 2010 with the definitive assessment… Katie Morag with Mairi Hedderwick (2010 Children's Event) In this event for 5-8 year olds, sensational Scottish children's author Mairi Hedderwick - and a firm favourite with younsters - brings her stories about Katie Morag and her magical Hebridean home to life. What can you expect? A few tales of mischievo… Rodge Glass, Jen Hadfield and Eleanor Thom (2010 event) Three leading authors, who are all part of the writing project Elsewhere commissioned by the Book Festival, discuss what it felt like to be asked to take part… Alberto Manguel and Miguel Syjuco (2010 event) Two writers of international significance discussing their latest novels and literary festivals… Michel Faber (2010 event) The acclaimed author of The Crimson Petal and the White describes how ‘elsewhere’ can be hilariously ordinary… Louise Welsh (2010 event) Much-loved author of The Cutting Room and The Bullet Trick Louise Welsh discusses and reads from her new novel… Tom McCarthy (2010 event) In 2010, major new literary voice Tom McCarthy joined us in Edinburgh to launch his new book, C, in which McCarthy’s hero embarked on a strange, Pynchonesque journey across the 20th century, from a Bohemian spa and the First World War, to a climax in an… David Mitchell (2010 event) The remarkable author of the Booker-winning Cloud Atlas sold out the Book Festival's biggest venue many weeks in advance. Talking to chair Steven Gale, he delighted festival audiences with his warmth and humour, offering a fascinating insight into how… Michèle Roberts & Helen Simpson (2010 event) Two remarkable writers led an exceptional Book Festival event in 2010. Joined by chair Steven Gale, Michèle Roberts and Helen Simpson discussed their sharp and moving short story collections to great effect… Cressida Cowell (2010 children's event) A chance to hear the author of the book-turned-into-big-screen-hit How to Train your Dragon in her fantastic and wildly popular 2010 kids' event, ideal for ages 8 - 12. The adored writer provided some very silly drawings, chatted about her big hit, and mo… Garth Nix (2010 children's event) The engaging Australian fantasy writer Garth Nix  talks about his gripping The Keys to the Kingdom series… David Vann & Willy Vlautin (2010 event) Two of Amercia's most captivating voices in fiction and their riveting new novels… Sophia Jansson (2010 event) To celebrate the 60th anniversary of Tove Jansson’s wonderful Moomin series, Sophia Jansson, the author’s niece, and an artist in her own right, talked with chair Julia Eccleshare about her aunt’s work and life, revealing what it was lik… Powering the Planet (2010 Event) How do we provide fuel for the world without destroying it in the process, and can Scotland really be a key player? Part of our popular debates and environment strand in 2010, this event features a panel of experts to discuss the options… Andrea Levy (2010 event) In 2010 Andrea Levy joined us for a captivating event to discuss The Long Song. Alongside chair Charlotte Higgins, Andrea Levy spoke of her striking new work to an eager audience… Anne Donovan, Kirstin Innes, Allan Radcliffe and Jason Donald (2010 event) From the word 'Elsewhere' four writers have created very different tales, Not Scotland, Horror Story, Chicago and Puerto Galera, join chair Jenny Brown and the authors as they discuss their commissions from the Book Festival… Emma Donoghue and FIona Shaw (2010 event) Listen to two unique writers as they look at love and trauma through a child’s eyes. Emma Donogue’s Room and Fiona Shaw’s Tell it to the Bees are two remarkable works, discussed in depth in this event chaired by Pru Rowlandson… Anthony Browne (2010 Event) Learn about the importance of visual literacy with a master creator of picture books. Children’s Laureate Anthony Browne led this 2010 CPD event as part of our 2010 RBS Schools Programme - it's an… Alasdair Gray (2010 event) With the help of three actors, Lanark author Alasdair Gray presents an irreverent dramatised reading… Philippe Sands (2010 event) Join Philippe Sands QC in his 2010 Book Festival event to learn why he believes the policy of abuse at Guantanamo Bay originated with Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney and George W Bush. An absorbing event, chaired by Kate Allen… Simon Callow (2010 Event) On Monday 16 August, a gentleman came to the Information Desk to return his earpiece unused. "I didn't need it", he explained; "I've just been to the Simon Callow event!" Sure enough, beloved actor Simon Callow filled our RBS Main Theatre with his legenda… Assessment for the Curriculum for Excellence (2010 Event) Join Terry Lanagan, Executive Director of Educational Services at West Dunbartonshire Council as he explores a range of assessment methods and how they can be used within the Curriculum for Excellence… Simmone Howell (2010 schools event) Eclectic Australian children's writer Simmone Howell joined us for a brilliant event for schools in 2010. Suitable for S2 - S6, she talked about place, people and invention in this fascinating and charming event… James Robertson (2010 Event) Winner of the Saltire Book of the Year award, James Robertson talks to James Naughtie to launch his novel And the Land Lay Still - in an event full of humour and surprises… Joyce Carol Oates (2010 event) Listen to a significant literary voice as she discusses her two books published in 2010, both of which, in very different ways, involve young people coming to terms with their own sexuality… A S Byatt (2010 event) In a surprise Book Festival event announced after the 2010 programme went to print, A S Byatt charmed her substantial audience to the full. Chaired by writer and literary critic Stuart Kelly, this was an engaging and appealing event of intriguing question… James Robertson (2010 event) Joined by BBC Radio 4’s Today programme presenter, James Naughtie, James Robertson discussed his epic novel, And the Land Lay Still, launching it to great enthusiasm at the 2010 Book Festival… Carol Ann Duffy (2010 event) We welcomed Britain's Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy to the Book Festival in 2010 for three remarkable events. In this beautifully-received event she read new work from The Bees which will be published in 2011, and was joined by chair Don Paterson and musi… Tohby Riddle and Keith Gray (2010 teen event) In an exclusive sold out UK appearance, celebrated Australian writer Tohby Riddle talks to masterful teen novelist Keith Gray for a sizzling conversation… Fatima Bhutto & Fay Weldon (2010 event) The celebrated Fay Weldon and the superb Fatima Bhutto captivated Book Festival audiences in this 2010 event chaired by Ruth Padel. Despite their widely different backgrounds, both Fay Weldon and Fatima Bhutto share the way in which a parent’s loss affe… A L Kennedy (2010 event) Exclusive extracts from her 2011 novel and the amusing Q & A with the audience that followed… Christos Tsiolkas (2010 event) Christos Tsiolkas flew all the way to Edinburgh from his home in Australia to open the 2010 Edinburgh International Book Festival in fine literary style. In a sold-out event chaired by Steven Gale, he discussed his much talked-about best-selling novel The… Jeanette Winterson (2010 event) Legendary writer Jeanette Winterson inspired her audience with tremendous charm on 16 August, speaking movingly of happiness and the pursuit thereof. This brilliant event was full of intelligent questions from the audience and great energy from Winterson … Nicholas Parsons (2010 event) Chatting to chair Al Senter, the inimitable Nicholas Parsons showed that the oldest gameshow host ever still retains his famous ability to entertain. A sold out event packed with fans, the British legend discussed life in the public eye to an enthusiastic… Debi Gliori (2010 children's event) Debi Gliori takes us on an enchanting journey, wandering through the forests and meeting the animal characters in her acclaimed books… Andy Stanton (2010 children's event) Highly energetic, funny-man Andy Stanton reads from jotters that he wrote when he was eight… Seamus Heaney (2010 event) We are delighted to offer you a chance to listen to celebrated Irish poet Seamus Heaney in his fantastic and extremely popular event with us in 2010. Chatting to chair Robyn Marsack, Seamus Heaney discussed his newest collection, Human Chain… Andrew O'Hagan (2010 event) August 2010 saw writer Andrew O’Hagan bring to the Book Festival an unforgettable tale of Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and a dog called Maf. Listen to O’Hagan in this audio recording of his special live event in Charlotte Square gardens, where he was… Alistair MacLeod Much to our delight, Alistair MacLeod agreed to travel across the Atlantic from his home in Ontario to be with us at the 2009 Book Festival. One of the foremost novelists and short story writers, he is a master craftsman, an exquisite stylist whose work i… Paul Preston Leading foreign correspondents such as Hemmingway, Gellhorn, Orwell and many others, now forgotten, were present during the Spanish Civil War. In this fascinating event, eminent historian Paul Preston explores their courage and skill and, through a huge t… Raymond Blanc One of the nicest chefs we've ever had the pleasure of welcoming to Charlotte Square Gardens ? he even made up a special recipe for us on the spot after his event (see our blog). Here he tells his remarkable life story, which took him from a boyhood colle… Griff Rhys Jones Comedian, writer, broadcaster and presenter, Griff Rhys Jones spoke at the Book Festival about Britain's rivers, taking the audience on a tour of the most beautiful and extraordinary waterways, exploring their place in the country's soul and their importa… Carol Ann Duffy (children's event) Our new Poet Laureate is as always provocative and heart-rending in equal measure. Her flair for language is nothing short of breathtaking. Listen to her event and be transported - best listened to with nothing to distract you from the warmth, the flow an… Patrick McCabe and Colm Tóibín These two superlative writers explore small-town Ireland in their latest novels and we were delighted that they were both able to come to the Book Festival to talk about their work… Sebastian Barry After being awarded the coveted Costa Book of the Year Award earlier in the year for his incredibly moving novel The Secret Scripture, Irish writer Sebastian Barry went on to receive the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction too, which was announced in a spe… Sharon Olds Award-winning American poet Sharon Olds made a very welcome trip to Edinburgh to appear at the Book Festival in 2009. A poet of passion, imagination and power, her latest collection, One Secret Thing, is at once unforgiving and compassionate, humorous and… Malorie Blackman (children's event) It was a joy to welcome Malorie Blackman to the 2009 Book Festival. She is a fantastically inventive storyteller as proved by her innovative novel Noughts and Crosses. In this event she introduces Double Cross, the latest instalment of the series, to a pa… Mark Millar Mark Millar candidly discusses comics, graphic novels and Hollywood with Stuart Kelly in this sold-out Book Festival event. His bestselling comic Kick-Ass is being made into a film this year; Wanted 2 is in development after the success of his blockbuster… Val McDermid One of Scotland's great masters of the crime genre was welcomed back to the Book Festival by capacity audiences. Great chat and some more tales from the casebooks of Dr Tony Hill and Detective Carol Jordan. A festival favourite if ever there was one!… Emmanuel Jal Forced to become a child soldier for the rebel army in Sudan's bloody civil war, Emmanuel Jal was put into battle in Ethiopia. He finally escaped, told his story in War Child (an incredible and moving memoir-cum-story) and now spreads messages of peace an… David Simon One of the hottest tickets of the 2009 Book Festival, we were thrilled the creator and writer of HBO's universally acclaimed TV series The Wire, took time out to come to Edinburgh for the Book Festival. David Simon first posed the question 'Are America's … Martin Stannard Biographer Martin Stannard tackles the grande dame of Scottish literature in his latest work - the late, great Muriel Spark. We were honoured to have her at the Book Festival shortly before she died; her performance sparkled with wit and lit up Charlotte … Jacqueline Wilson Legions of young fans descended on Charlotte Square Gardens for Jacqueline Wilson's event and book signing (billed for ages 9+). Her writing has made her an international phenomenon and continues to inspire and challenge young readers. In this event she d… Arthur Smith The irreverent, hilarious and scandalous broadcaster Arthur Smith began his event at the Book Festival in the dark due to a complete power failure but with his booming voice and general good humour he revelled in the novelty of performing in the dark. And… Vince Cable Known for his intelligent and honest approach to party politics, Vince Cable has been the Lib Dem's economic spokesperson since 2003 and it is from this viewpoint he has witnessed the storm of the economic crisis. He talks about his new book in this event… Cornelia Funke (children's event) Massively popular writer for older children (although also with many adult readers; her work crosses over nicely), Cornelia Funke made a rare appearance at the Book Festival this year. With her boundless enthusiasm for stories she tells a packed auditoriu… Judith Kerr (children's event) Judith Kerr's picture books, such as The Tiger Who Came to Tea and Mog the Cat, are classics and children love her work. In this event for children aged 9+ she revealed a bit about her own life, a fascinating page turner in itself, including details about… Marina Lewycka Marina Lewycka is a gifted and entertaining storyteller whose popularity became assured with her first novel A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian. Just like her books, her events are full of energy and humour which has made her loved by festival audien… Tracy Chevalier Talking about her new novel Remarkable Creatures, the queen of the historical novel this time tackles Mary Anning, the fossil-obsessed girl who discovered whole plesiosaurs in the Dorset cliffs. Her finds invited people to question the literal truth of th… William Boyd Expect storytelling of the highest order from William Boyd. He's become a favourite at the Book Festival for his relaxed and witty events and, of course, for his brilliant stories. His latest, Ordinary Thunderstorms, is the thrilling tale of a young Londo… Tom Kitchin One of the UK's most exciting chefs, Tom Kitchin launched his first book in this event at the Book Festival. From Nature to Plate captures his story from trainee to Michelin-star chef while taking us through the seasons and some of his favourite recipes. … Jackie Kay A captivating hour of poetry from Jackie Kay, a Book Festival favourite whose events regularly sell-out, this being no exception. Listen to her words, revel in the language. Definitely one to listen to again and again… Kate Atkinson Our opening Meet the Author event for 2009 went off with a bang - and why not? After all, the award-garlanded Kate Atkinson's perceptive and beguiling tales of love and loss, with not a little humour, are read by millions and she's is held in high esteem … Alex Gray and Denise Mina A fantastic hour of crime fiction with two leading ladies of the Scottish crime writing world. Alex Gray's third installment from DCI Lorimer sees him searching for missing school girls and Denise Mina's new book involves a kidnapping and dark secrets in … Alain de Botton What does work mean to us? Why do we do it? What makes it pleasurable? Alain de Botton's gift for looking deeply behind the ordinary, taken-for-granted things in our lives has won him huge popularity. In this event he brings us The Pleasure and Sorrows of… Alasdair Gray Celebrated novelist and artist Alasdair Gray was once better known as playwright, a profession to which he recently returned. In this event he discusses and performs his dramatic works, including an intriguing glimpse at his as-yet-unmade movie of his fic… Tom Parker Bowles The popular food critic and writer Tom Parker Bowles traveled the country meeting the weird and wonderful people and dishes which make up our culinary heritage and in this event he talks about his discoveries with his customary blend humour and wisdom… Ewan Morrison and Alan Bissett The young men of Scottish literature are growing up and taking us with them! Both talk about their latest books in this event: Alan Bissett about Death of a Ladies? Man where his boy racer discovers a life of work, sex and love; and Ewan Morrison picks ap… Narinder Dhami Following her blockbuster success with Bend it Like Beckham, Narinder Dhami visited the Book Festival to talk to her young fans (this event was for ages 8+) about her new series, which focuses on six friends and their everyday lives: surviving school, end… Kate Summerscale Kate Summerscale created a bestseller about the true tale of the murder of a Victorian child. Her novel, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher dazzlingly combines hard-dug research with the best of the crime writer?s craft and in this event she tells all about it… Louise Rennison (children's event) Louise Rennison is splendidly wild, as are her characters. In this event she gives her legions of teenage fans the details of the final instalment of Georgia Nicolson?s adventures revealing what?s next for the Ace Gang and whether Dave the Laugh ever beco… Garrison Keillor For over three decades Garrison Keillor has delighted radio audiences and readers alike with his hilarious yet poignant take on life in mid-west America. Here he tells stories, sings songs and regales the audience with anecdotes in an event like no other… Irvine Welsh The man who delved into the dark reality of contemporary Edinburgh was the first of the 2009 Book Festival's late evening events. Irvine Welsh here talks about his new collection Reheated Cabbage, which brings together an eclectic mix of stories capturing… Dubravka Ugrešic Croatian writer Dubravka Ugrešić has won several major European literary awards and her books have been translated into more than twenty languages. In this event she introduces her new novel, Baba Yaga Laid an Egg, an extraordinary meditation on f… Simon Sebag Montefiore … Christopher Brookmyre Acclaimed Scottish novelist and hugely entertaining speaker, Christopher Brookmyre talks in this 2008 event about his latest book, A Snowball in Hell, which takes celebrity culture and turns it on its head… Michelle Magorian (children's event) Michelle Magorian's debut novel Goodnight Mister Tom has become a children's classic. In this 2008 event Michelle gives an exclusive look at her first book in ten years, Just Henry, a gripping mystery-thriller for children of 10 and upwards… Bill Paterson Bill Paterson, one of Scotland's most renowned and best-loved actors, talks with Ruth Wishart about his much-awaited memoir Tales from the Back Green in this 2008 event. It's a wonderful portrait of growing up in Glasgow's East End in the 1950s… A L Kennedy The finest contemporary Scottish writing commissioned especially by the festival. We asked four of our most highly acclaimed writers (John Burnside, Janice Galloway, A L Kennedy and Don Paterson) to create new work - poetry and prose - for this 2008 event… Jonathan Dimbleby Outstanding journalist and presenter Jonathan Dimbleby travelled thousands of miles to get to the heart of modern Russia. In this absorbing and often moving event from 2008, he gives unique insight into a vast land in transition… Brian Boyd - The Curriculum for Excellence Professor Brian Boyd, contributor to the groundbreaking report The Curriculum for Excellence, examines how to improve the effectiveness of schools and learning for all in this inspirational 2008 event… Tariq Ali One of the most impassioned and eloquent orators and thinkers of them all, Tariq Ali's events are inspiring and unmissable. In this, his 2008 Book Festival event chaired by Ruth Wishart, you can hear him discuss British politics, South America and much mo… Hanif Kureishi One of the most distinctive and fearless writers in Britain, Hanif Kureishi has been a major and vital presence since Buddha of Suburbia. Sex, middle-age, love, longing, race, regret and psychoanalysis are all wholly present in his latest novel, Something… Salman Rushdie Master storyteller Salman Rushdie returned to the Book Festival in 2008 to talk about his sumptuous new novel The Enchantress of Florence with Ramona Koval. This is a short extract filmed live at the sold-out event where he describes the influences on his… Andy Stanton (children's event) His mad wit is reminiscent of Roald Dahl and Monty Python and his crazy events are loved by children. In this 2008 event for 7 - 12 year olds, Andy Stanton gives an exclusive preview of his latest adventure, Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear… Tony Benn Passionately dedicated to politics and to ordinary people, Tony Benn is a highly engaging speaker. He speaks in this 2008 event about his warm, funny, feisty diaries which record his trenchant views on the political landscape of the past seven years… Susan Greenfield A powerful speaker and one of the world's foremost neuroscientists, Susan Greenfield discusses how we can safeguard our individuality from modern living in this 2008 event… Sean Connery talks to Murray Grigor On his 78th birthday, 25 August 2008, Edinburgh-born international film legend Sean Connery launches his long-awaited book Being A Scot with his co-author and friend Murray Grigor at the Book Festival. Here he chats about a wide range of subjects with cha… Julian Barnes Julian Barnes, one of Britain's most singular and talented novelists, talks to Richard Holloway about his new 2008 book Nothing to Be Frightened Of – it is a deeply personal, moving and exhilarating autobiography-of-sorts: a mediation on death, art, God… Jonathan Stroud (children's event) After the knock-out success of his Bartimaeus Trilogy, Jonathan Stroud previews his new stand-alone fantasy Heroes of the Valley in this 2008 event. For children of 10 and upwards… Steven Berkoff Stunning performer and actor, commander of the stage. Steven Berkoff discusses theatre, travel and world cuisine, focussing on his lastest book, My Life in Food, in this 2008 event… Sophie McKenzie - Catching the Spark (children's event)  … John Burnside The finest contemporary Scottish writing commissioned especially by the festival. We asked four of our most highly acclaimed writers (John Burnside, Janice Galloway, A L Kennedy and Don Paterson) to create new work - poetry and prose - for this 2008 event… Alastair Reid 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… The A-Z of Poetry with Michael Rosen, Carol Ann Duffy, Tom Pow & John Sampson The electrifying and infectious Children's Laureate is joined by top poets, musicians and writers for children (Carol Ann Duffy, Tom Pow and John Sampson) in this unique 2008 event which plays with words and makes them dance. For children of 5 and upwards… Lights Off The Quay - pt1 (A L Kennedy) We commissioned and published new stories and poems from four of the finest Scottish writers: A L Kennedy, Janice Galloway, John Burnside and Don Paterson. Lights Off The Quay, our first publication of new writing, is the result. A sold-out event at the B… Eoin Colfer (children's event) The teenage criminal mastermind is back. The latest book in the Artemis Fowl series (described as 'Die Hard with fairies' by its creator) sees our hero come face to face with his worst opponent yet - his younger, more evil self! Join energetic author Eoin… Richard Dawkins A brilliant evolutionist, polemical in his attack upon religion as an explanation of our world, Richard Dawkins was one of our fastest-selling events of 2008. In conversation with Paula Kirby, atheist and former Christian, he tackles life on Earth and the… Janice Galloway Janice Galloway, one of the UK's finest writers, talks eloquently to Richard Holloway in this 2008 event about her outstanding memoir This is Not About Me, which vividly evokes Ayrshire in the 1960s… Sean Connery - filmed highlights On the day of his 78th birthday, 25 August 2008, Edinburgh-born film icon Sean Connery chats with his friend and co-author Murray Grigor about a range of subjects including his much-anticipated book Being A Scot. The event proved to be the fastest-selling… Alex Salmond Scotland's First Minister and the first ever Scottish National Party leader, Alex Salmond speaks of his hopes and vision for the country in this 2008 event. Chaired by Brian Taylor… Jackie Kay An hour of pure pleasure with multi-talented poet, playwright, novelist, storywriter, children's author and broadcaster, Jackie Kay. In this 2008 event she discusses her latest collection of poetry Darling, which gets to the heart of love with exquisite l… Lights Off The Quay - pt4 (Don Paterson) We commissioned and published new stories and poems from four of the finest Scottish writers: A L Kennedy, Janice Galloway, John Burnside and Don Paterson. Lights Off The Quay, our first publication of new writing, is the result. A sold-out event at the B… Louis de Bernières A welcome return to the Book Festival in 2008 by Louis de Bernières, the author of Captain Corelli's Mandolin. Here he speaks engagingly about his humorous and sad new novel, A Partisan's Daughter… Lights Off The Quay - pt2 (Janice Galloway) We commissioned and published new stories and poems from four of the finest Scottish writers: A L Kennedy, Janice Galloway, John Burnside and Don Paterson. Lights Off The Quay, our first publication of new writing, is the result. A sold-out event at the B… Anne Enright Man Booker winner and one of the finest Irish writers, Anne Enright brings to life her intensely poetic writing, focussing on her new collection of stories Taking Pictures in this 2008 event… Gordon Brown - 25th Anniversary Opening Event Prime Minister Gordon Brown opens the 2008 Book Festival with this unique and illuminating conversation with Ian Rankin. Hear him discuss history, heroes and his own writings… David Lodge David Lodge, one of the UK’s pre-eminent novelists and critics, talks about his latest book, Deaf Sentence – a brilliant, elegiac portrait of one man’s attempt to come to terms with his deafness… Gavin Esler Co-presenter of Newsnight, one of our foremost commentators, Scottish broadcaster and writer Gavin Esler knows better than most what goes on behind the scenes in politics. In this 2008 event he talks about his new novel A Scandalous Man, which tells the t… Xiaolu Guo Xiaolu Guo has won international praise for her work as both writer and filmmaker. In this 2008 event she discusses her latest novel 20 Fragments of a Ravenous Youth, which draws on her experiences as a filmmaker in Beijing… Andrew O'Hagan A magnificently intelligent essayist, novelist, critic, and a mesmerising speaker. Andrew O'Hagan talks to Magnus Linklater in this 2008 event about politics, Scotland and his recent collection of reportage on a declining Britain and a rising America, The… Howard Jacobson Howard Jacobson, 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 in this 2008 event… Lights Off The Quay - pt3 (John Burnside) We commissioned and published new stories and poems from four of the finest Scottish writers: A L Kennedy, Janice Galloway, John Burnside and Don Paterson. Lights Off The Quay, our first publication of new writing, is the result. A sold-out event at the B… Sergio Della Sala The much-admired Professor of Human Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Edinburgh, Sergio Della Sala takes us on a highly amusing and accessible journey, exploring the myths and beliefs about our brain. Can mind conquer matter and diseases? Are ou… Louise Rennison (children's event) Do the Disco Inferno with Louise Rennison, outspoken author of extraordinary teen fiction, as she discusses her latest hilarious Georgina Nicholson offering 'Luurve is a Many Trousered Thing...' in this lively 2007 event… A L Kennedy Linguistic brilliance from A L Kennedy, one of the most remarkable writers of her generation. In this 2007 event she talks about her latest novel Day - a moving, profound, beautifully realised story of a bomber in the Second World War… George Monbiot - pt4 Passionate campaigner for environmental and social change, George Monbiot gives us practical, powerful solutions on a global scale of how to prevent further destruction of our planet through climate change in this 2007 event. The video of this event is sp… Alan Bennett Alan Bennett talks about his latest sublime fiction, The Uncommon Reader, in this fun 2007 event. The story revolves around the Queen's dicovery of literature and is full of Bennett's trademark humour and humanity… James Kelman James Kelman is the single most influential Scottish novelist of modern times and Scotland's only Booker Prize winner. Listen to him discuss his groundbreaking early work in 2007, the year of its reissue… Joyce Carol Oates One of America's most admired and respected novelists and a strong contender for the Nobel Prize for Literature. In this 2007 event Joyce Carol Oates discusses her bold new novel Black Girl / White Girl, which examines the issues of race in the US in the … Richard Ford A rare and long-awaited visit to the Book Festival in 2007 by one of America's greatest writers. Richard Ford's Independence Day is the only book ever to have won both the Pulitzer Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award. Here he discusses his magnificent follow… Margaret Atwood - event with Alice Munro An extraordinary event from the 2007 Book Festival - an interview with two legendary, world-leading figures of Canadian writing, one on either side of the Atlantic. Margaret Atwood in Edinburgh interviews and chats to the great Alice Munro in Canada, argu… Ian McEwan Unedited audio recording of the 2007 event in which Ian McEwan chats with chair Ian Rankin about his early work, influences and most recent publication, On Chesil Beach. Great fun!… George Monbiot - pt3 Passionate campaigner for environmental and social change, George Monbiot gives us practical, powerful solutions on a global scale of how to prevent further destruction of our planet through climate change in this 2007 event. The video of this event is sp… Lucy Hawking - pt2   A young audience plays Who Wants to be a Cosmic Billionaire?, is showered by an asteroid storm and learns about the solar system with Lucy Hawking and her father Professor Stephen Hawking (via live audio link-up) in video highlights fr… Phillip Gourevitch - pt2 The esteemed editor of The Paris Review, Philip Gourevitch discusses the magazine's position as one of the great iconic literary publications. See him divulge behind-the-scenes stories about some of the world's greatest writers who he has intervie… Norman Mailer - live from America Live from America, the inimitable man of letters Norman Mailer chats via video link-up to Scottish writer Andrew O'Hagan in Edinburgh. Topics discussed in this extraordinary 2007 event include Mailer's career, his ambitions and his latest novel The Castle… Dylan Wiliam - Formative Assessment Professor Dylan Wiliam of University College, London is a leading education expert and champion of Formative Assessment. In this event from 2007, he talks candidly about helping children reach their goals without teaching to tests… A C Grayling How should we lead our lives? An hour of illuminating, engaging and passionate talk from the leading philosopher A C Grayling in this 2007 event… Michelle Paver (children's event) Michelle Paver's book signing queues are getting almost as long as Jacqueline Wilson's and her Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series has become a massive hit with children; full of ancient artefacts and tales of survival. Listen to this exciting event fro… George Monbiot - pt2 Passionate campaigner for environmental and social change, George Monbiot gives us practical, powerful solutions on a global scale of how to prevent further destruction of our planet through climate change in this 2007 event. The video of this event is sp… Tony Bradman (children's event) Fun poems and stories from entertaining children's author Tony Bradman in this 2007 schools event for pupils from P4-7. Tony also reads from his new book Assassin, which features a boy growing up in Scotland during the time of Hadrian's Roman occupation… Lucy Hawking A young audience plays Who Wants to be a Cosmic Billionaire?, is showered by an asteroid storm and learns about the solar system with Lucy Hawking and her father Professor Stephen Hawking (via live audio link-up) in video highlights from this thrilling 20… John Pilger Radical, passionate and often controversial, John Pilger is one of the most important free spirits in worldwide journalism and filmmaking. In these video highlights from his 2007 event, he talks about the long shadow of imperialism, hidden censorship and … Philip Gourevitch The esteemed editor of The Paris Review, Philip Gourevitch discusses the magazine's position as one of the great iconic literary publications. See him divulge behind-the-scenes stories about some of the world's greatest writers who he has interviewed for … Lionel Shriver American author, journalist and critic Lionel Shriver talks, in this 2007 event, about her new novel The Post-Birthday World which imagines two parallel lives for a woman… Sergio Della Sala - pt2 The much-admired Professor of Human Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Edinburgh, Sergio Della Sala takes us on a highly amusing and accessible journey, exploring the myths and beliefs about our brain. Can mind conquer matter and diseases? Are ou… Alan Warner An immensely welcome visit in 2007 from one of Scotland's most dizzingly talented and original writers, now living in Spain. Listen as Alan Warner, author of Morvern Callar and The Worms Can Carry Me to Heaven, discusses the scope and ambition of his work… Germaine Greer Provocative and opinionated - there's no one quite like Germaine Greer. In this 2007 event she talks about Shakespeare's Wife, her new book on Ann Hathaway, which combines her immense literary knowledge with her views on woman's position in society… John Pilger - pt2 Radical, passionate and often controversial, John Pilger is one of the most important free spirits in worldwide journalism and filmmaking. In these video highlights from his 2007 event, he talks about the long shadow of imperialism, hidden censorship and … Raja Shehadeh A breathtaking 2007 event with Palestinian human rights lawyer and writer Raja Shehadeh. He here launches his new book Palestinian Walks in which he crosses his land on foot; conflicts and history revealed in the beautiful and battered landscapes. Chaired… Fay Weldon She's stylish, sharp, satirical and a great speaker to boot. A free spirit with a long and remarkable writing career, Fay Weldon talks in this 2007 event about her latest novel The Spa Decameron, in which ten women gather at a spa for pampering, new begin… Nicola Barry Join leading journalist Nicola Barry for this poignant event from 2007 about her family's struggle and her ultimate triumph over alcoholism… Andrew Marr The hugely admired Scottish broadcaster Andrew Marr talks to Iain Macwhirter about Scotland, politics and life in general in one of our fastest selling events of 2007… Joanna David - with Josephine Hart & Dan Stevens The poetry and life of Byron is examined by novelist and poetry evangelist Josephine Hart in this 2007 event. With readings by renowned actors of stage and screen, Joanna David and Dan Stevens… Ian Rankin Always a hot favourite at the Book Festival, bestselling crime author Ian Rankin's events are never less than entertaining. Here he chats to Magnus Linklater and reveals something about his new 2007 Inspector Rebus novel, Exit Music… Billy Bragg Thoroughly at home with an audience, political singer and activist Billy Bragg inspires his hundreds of fans with talk of his new book, The Progressive Patriot in this 2007 event… Michael Rosen - Mustard, Custard, Grumble Belly... New Children's Laureate and master entertainer Michael Rosen (most famous for We're Going on a Bear Hunt) thrilled Book Festival audiences in 2007 with this fun event for the whole family, full of silly, zany poetry told with infectious enthusiasm. Suitab… Cathy Cassidy (children's event) Cathy Cassidy is back with an all-new lovable heroine whose family are a complete embarrassment - her mum is a drama queen while her dad thinks he's Elvis! Hear about the quirky characters and silly misadventures of Sundae Girl in this hugely enjoyable 20… Jacqueline Wilson (children's event) Perennial children's favourite Jacqueline Wilson is always a sell-out, and has the longest queues for book signings in the festival. In this 2007 event she talks about her new book for older readers and teenagers, Kiss which charts the adventures of growi… Roger McGough A joyous return to Edinburgh in 2006 by the 'patron saint of poetry' - simply hearing him read his own work is a blissful experience. He has also written an autobiography filled with his usual idiosyncratic humour and humanity - growing up in Liverpool, o… Doris Lessing A great favourite at the Book Festival and one of the most revered figures in English literature, Doris Lessing reveals the full force of her literary intelligence as she discusses her career and recent writings in this 2006 event… Ian Rankin   Always one of the most popular Book Festival authors and an international bestselling phenomenon to boot, Scottish-born Ian Rankin is interrogated by fellow crime writer Denise Mina in this revealing 2006 Book Festival event… Paul Muldoon Pulitzer Prize winning poet Paul Muldoon has been called 'the most important English language poet born since the Second World War'. Hear the power of his forthcoming work in this 2006 event… Meg Rosoff (children's event) Will you step in front of a bus today or win the lottery? The author of the breathtaking bestseller How I Live Now, talks to an audience of teens and adults in this 2006 event about her utterly compelling new novel on fate and what happens when fate doesn… Michael Foreman - with Michael Morpurgo (children's event) A unique opportunity to hear one of the most successful and best-loved writing and illustrating partnerships, Michael Foreman and Michael Morpurgo, in conversation in this 2006 event. Between them they have worked on over 250 books for children and remain… Seamus Heaney A chance to hear Seamus Heaney, the great Nobel Prize winning poet, reading his own work in this 2006 event, including his major new volume District and Circle. Pure pleasure… Margaret Atwood She is one of the world's most gifted and eminent authors, on a special visit from Canada to receive the Scottish Arts Council's Muriel Spark International Fellowship. Always an entertaining speaker, here Margaret Atwood talks about her life as a writer i… Gillian Baverstock To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the publication of Malory Towers, Enid Blyton's daughter, Gillian Baverstock, shares her memories of growing up with one of the world's best-loved children's authors. Hear about the real-life inspirations behind Blyton… Billy Collins One of the most popular poets on the planet and former US Poet Laureate in his first visit to the Book Festival in 2006. Billy Collins speaks without pretension and with perfect perception about the revelatory detail of our daily lives… Ngugi wa Thiong'o A major, first ever visit to the Book Festival in 2006 from one of the most important living African writers. A legend in his native Kenya, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, now world-renowned, was imprisoned for his opposition and insistence on writing in his native la… Bernard MacLaverty … Alexander Masters Alexander Masters' biography of homeless Stuart Shorter, Stuart: A Life Backwards, has been hailed by critics as startling, remarkable, rare, haunting and uplifting. In this utterly absorbing event from 2006, he asks how a life can follow such a troubled … Tony Benn In the fastest selling event at the 2006 Book Festival, captivating speaker Tony Benn enchants his audience with wit and unquenched passion… John Mortimer Utter delight in the company of one of the most effervescent minds in the land, creator of Rumpole of the Bailey and now a wonderful new comic novel, Quite Honestly. This 2006 event with John Mortimer is great fun… Martin Amis We were delighted when Martin Amis agreed to speak at a special Book Festival autumn event at Edinburgh's Queens Hall in 2006. A rare visit to Scotland by one of the most admired and influential writers of his generation was indeed cause for celebration. … Eoin Colfer (children's event) … Charlie Higson (children's event) Charlie Higson brings the latest ingenious instalment of his Young Bond series to the Book Festival in 2006. Hear about the thrilling teenage exploits of the world's most enigmatic spy in Blood Fever. Suitable for 10-14 year olds… Roger McGough (children’s event) Roger 'patron saint of poetry' McGough enchanted his young audience with a lively bit of chat and some fantastic poetry in this 2006 event for all the family. Suitable for children aged 7 and upwards… Andrew Marr The first ever visit to the Book Festival by the BBC's Political Editor was our fastest selling event in 2005. Andrew Marr talks about his trade and brings inside stories from the world of politics - expect colourful descriptions of Westminster shenanigan… Richard Dawkins Richard Dawkins, one of the world's greatest living scientists, talks to Muriel Gray in this 2005 event about his extraordinary investigations of evolution and his passion for the wonders it contains and reveals… Anna Politkovskaya An outstandingly courageous critic of the current Russian regime, journalist and author Anna Politkovskaya has been the recipient of numerous international honours. Sadly she was found shot dead in a lift at her apartment block in Moscow on 7 October 2006… Michael Morpurgo (children's event) Award-winning Children's Laureate Michael Morpurgo is a gripping speaker and a firm favourite with youngsters (and adults!). In this 2004 event for 9-12 year olds he talks about his new book Private Peaceful, the story of a young soldier at the front duri… Andrea Levy Andrea Levy's Small Island has won the Orange, Whitbread and Commonwealth prizes. The author speaks in this 2005 event with intelligence and wit about the book and her career… David Almond (children's event) A fantastic opportunity to gatecrash our 2005 Book Festival event with David Almond, one of today's most respected and acclaimed writers for young people and the author of many novels including the award-winning Skellig and The Fire Eaters. In this record… Cathy Cassidy (children's event) Fans of Jacqueline Wilson's books for older readers will love the wonderfully warm characters in Cathy Cassidy's instantly popular Dizzy and Indigo Blue. This 2005 event is suitable for 11-13 year olds… Margaret Atwood Canadian novelist, poet, critic and essayist of global renown and influence, Margaret Atwood's Book Festival events always sell out in a matter of days and her visits to Edinburgh are much anticipated. In this 2005 event she reads some of her short storie… Liz Lochhead Rejoice in the wit, charm and warmth of a captivating poet and performer. Brimful of the most wonderful language, this Liz Lochhead event was the perfect conclusion to the 2005 Book Festival… Jeanette Winterson Lighthousekeeping, in which motherless Silver is taken in by Mr Pew, keeper of the Cape Wrath lighthouse, is an extraordinary homage to R L Stevenson by one of the most startlingly original and brilliant novelists at work today. Jeanette Winterson is also… Melvin Burgess (teen event) Well known for producing controversial, demanding and prize-winning teen fiction, Melvin Burgess is now regarded as one of the best writers of contemporary children's literature. In this 2005 schools event he talks about the significance of myth in his ne… William Nicholson (children's event) A gifted and imaginative writer, William Nicholson returns to the Book Festival in 2005 with the first book in his new trilogy Seeker, an extraordinary adventure full of magic, glory and truth. Suitable for children aged 11 and upwards… Andre Brink Hear from one of the most important voices coming out of South Africa in this 2005 event. Andre Brink discusses his new novel Praying Mantis, many years in the making and steeped in African magic and dreams…