Doris Lessing

Juno Dawson & C N Lester (2017 Event) What makes a woman a woman? Is it her biology? Is it a rite of passage? Is it society? As she transitions from male to female, Juno Dawson's The Gender Games explores feminism and femininity in culture, science and society. Co-founder of the first… Gina Martin at the Edinburgh International Book Festival The vile practice of upskirting wasn’t an offence in Britain until activist Gina Martin came along. With no legal or political background, Martin changed the law within 18 months. Now, she wants to help others do the same. Be the Change is a campaigning… 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… Nicola Barry Join leading journalist Nicola Barry for this poignant event from 2007 about her family's struggle and her ultimate triumph over alcoholism… Ruth Jones (2018 Event) Acclaimed comedy actress and writer Ruth Jones has turned her talents to novel writing. Never Greener ponders the age-old question of whether the grass is a different shade on the other side. Kate had a fling in her early 20s with a married man and when… Lemn Sissay at the Edinburgh International Book Festival One of Britain's best loved poets, Lemn Sissay is a performer of rare passion. But growing up with foster families and in care homes, Sissay struggled with his identity. The discovery of his birth name and Ethiopian background is the catalyst for… Hallie Rubenhold: The Problem with Great Men (2020 Event) Of the five women who died in the Autumn of 1888 at the hands of Jack the Ripper, the most salient thing that has remained in the public imagination has been the brutal manner of their murders. While the identity of the murderer has been the subject of… 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… 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… 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 adventurous.’…