Ian Rankin

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… Paul Mendez & Derek Owusu: Thorny Intersections (2020 Event) How do you get the upper hand on a world you don’t yet understand? That’s the burning question at the heart of two striking debuts that scrape away the coming-of-age clichés, breathing through the aches and pains of growing up. With echoes of earl… 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… 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… 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?… Adam Kay (2018 Event) Working a 97 hour week doesn’t sound much fun for anyone, but when we’re talking about an NHS doctor, such a schedule could become a matter of life and death. In This is Going to Hurt, comedian and ex-junior doctor Adam Kay reflects on the oft… 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,… 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… 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… 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…