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Edinburgh International Book Festival

2025 Festival:
9-24 August
Edinburgh International Book Festival Edinburgh International Book Festival
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2025 Festival:
9-24 August
Home Photo Gallery

2012 Book Festival Highlights

Unbound: The Colour Orange

Unbound: The Colour Orange

A reading during Unbound: The Colour Orange

Unbound: The Colour Orange with Ryan van Winkle
Unbound: The Colour Orange
Unbound: The Colour Orange
Unbound: The Colour Orange
Tom Benn and Elaine Proctor
Unbound: The Colour Orange: A reading during Unbound: The Colour Orange
  • Stephen Trombley signing | Stephen Trombley signs copies of his book
  • Samba welcome | Edinburgh Samba School provide a lively welcome for the opening of the Book Festival
  • Reading brochure in the sunshine | Reading a Book Festival brochure in the sunshine
  • oobicoo | The Oobicoos in our children's bookshop
  • Guardian chairs | The lovely and very popular Guardian deck chairs
  • Busy Festival site | Busy Book Festival site
  • Andrew Motion | Andrew Motion on stage
  • Jacqueline Wilson book signing for a fan | Jacqueline Wilson meets a young reader
  • Happy and colourful audience | Happy Jacqueline Wilson audience
  • Three happy readers | Three young readers happily clutch their books
  • John Ashton, Hans Kochler and Jim Swire talk to Ruth Wishart | John Ashton, Hans Kochler and Jim Swire talk to Ruth Wishart about the Abdelbaset al Megrahi conviction.
  • Jacqueline Wilson on stage | Jacqueline Wilson takes to the Book Festival stage
  • Simon Callow | The lovely and entertaining Simon Callow
  • Photographer | Book Festival photographer takes some snaps
  • Ewan Morrison press shot | Ewan Morrison poses for the press photographers
  • Returns queue | Queuing for returned tickets to a sold out event
  • Bookshop buying | Making a purchase in our Bookshop
  • Bookshop sign | a view from our bookshop
  • Bookshop shelves | A view from our main bookshop
  • Bookshop browsing | Browsing in the Book Festival's main bookshop
  • Simon Callow photoshoot | Simon Callow poses for photographs
  • Staff with books | Books!
  • Guardian bookswap | The Guardian Book Swap bookshelf
  • Story Shop Author | Up and coming author Mary Mowat reads in Story Shop
  • Story Shop Peggy | Peggy from Edinburgh City of Literature Trust introduces Story Shop
  • Simon Callow press interview | Simon Callow being interviewed in the gardens
  • Young reader in bookshop | A peek at Jacqueline Wilson's book in the bookshop
  • Nick Barley with the press | Book Festival Director Nick Barley talks to the media
  • press photographers | A gaggle of press photographers
  • broadcast tent | our broadcast tent where the media conduct interviews
  • Main theatre queue | Patiently waiting to get into the RBS Main Theatre
  • Busy Gardens | A busy Charlotte Square Gardens on the first day of the Book Festival
  • Frank Cottrell Boyce and Andrew Motion signing | Frank Cottrell Boyce and Andrew Motion sign books for eager readers
  • show in progress | Show in Progress
  • ice cream | Yum!
  • Entrance tent | Inside the Book Festival's entrance tent
  • Anobii voting box | The giant voting box for the Anobii First Book Award
  • Info desk | Info desk
  • children on deckchairs | Children on the deckchairs
  • Samba welcome 2 | A very Samba welcome
  • Tom Watson | Tom Watson on stage
  • Ewan Morrison | Ewan Morrison on stage at the 2012 Edinburgh International Book Festival
  • andrew motion | Andrew Motion at the 2012 Edinburgh International Book Festival
  • Young reader in the bookshop | A young reader engrossed in a book in the RBS Children's Bookshop
  • Benjamin Wood | Benjamin Wood reads from his debut novel The Bellwether Revivals
  • Audience Q and A | A member of the audience puts a question to the author
  • Attentive audience | Attentive audience
  • Zoe Strachan | Zoe Strachan reads from her new novel Ever Fallen in Love
  • Unbound: Big Time Sensuality | Late night Unbound in our Spiegeltent courtesy of Glasgow Based Words per Minute
  • Unbound: Big Time Sensuality | Late night Unbound in our Spiegeltent courtesy of Glasgow Based Words per Minute
  • Unbound: Big Time Sensuality 1 | A bit of music during Words per Minute's Unbound session
  • Rachel Hazell at the lost art of correspondence | Book artist Rachel Hazell introduces her workshop on the lost art of correspondence
  • The lost art of correspondence | Creative fun in the Lost Art of Correspondence worshop
  • The lost art of correspondence | Busy participants create some stunning books in The Lost Art of Correspondence workshop
  • The lost art of correspondence | The art of folding in Rachel Hazell's workshop
  • Simon Mawer and Michele Roberts | Simon Mawer and Michele Roberts offer a fascinating insight into World War Two, in conversation with Sarah Crown
  • Sally Gardner, Nicola Morgan and Celia Rees | Sally Gardner and Celia Rees discuss their latest books for teens with chair Nicola Morgan
  • Prue Leith | Prue Leith talks to Book Festival Guest Selector Sue MacGregor
  • Paddy Ashdown | Former leader of the Lib Dems, Paddy Ashdown shares his views with the audience
  • Paddy Ashdown | Paddy Ashdown at the Book Festival
  • Michael Palin talks to a full house | Michael Palin has the audience enthralled
  • Michal Palin and Jenny Brown | Michael Palin talks to Jenny Brown about his new novel and his past endeavours
  • Maajid Nawaz chaired by Sue MacGregor |
  • Happy Audience | A happy, attentive audience
  • Fun in the imagination lab | There are fun goings-on in the Imagination Lab
  • Colm Tóibín | Colm Tóibín discusses his latest literary masterpiece with author Tessa Hadley
  • Chris Riddell live sketching | Our Illustrator in Residence, Chris Riddell, does a bit of live sketching for the onlookers in Charlotte Square Gardens
  • Chris Riddell live sketching | Live sketching with Chris Riddell
  • Chris Riddell live sketching | Live Sketching with Chris Riddell
  • Chris Riddell live sketching | Live sketching with Chris Riddell
  • Busy Spiegeltent | A busy Spiegeltent audience
  • Boy reading in the children's bookshop | Engrossed in a book in the RBS Children's Bookshop
  • Xi Chuan at the Edinburgh World Writers' Conference | Author Xi Chuan joins in the debate at the Edinburgh World Writers' Conference
  • Unbound: Magic Words | Unbound: Magic Words
  • Icelandic music in Unbound | Some music entertainment as part of The Fable of the Hungry Icelander - part of this year's Unbound programme
  • Icelandic Unbound | A reading from Iceland as part of Unbound
  • Icelandic Unbound | Unbound: The Fable of the Hungry Icelander
  • Unbound Audience | An attentive Unbound audience in our Spiegeltent
  • Unbound - Magic Words | Edinbugh Based Ilicit Ink make their Unbound debut with Magic Words
  • Unbound - Magic Words | Some Magic Words in Unbound
  • Sven Lindqvist | Swedish author Sven Lindqvist talks to Steven Gale
  • Spiegeltent Audience | The audience in our Spiegeltent
  • Roland Gulliver introduces Unbound | Book Festival Programme Manager Roland Gulliver introduces Unbound
  • Richard Wiseman at Unbound | Richard Wiseman shows the Unbound audience some tricks
  • Raja Shehadeh | Raja Shehadeh talks to Andrew Franklin about his new book Occupation Diaries
  • Jon Gray and Jamie Keenan judging a book by it's cover | Jon Gray and Jamie Keenan share the twenty irrefutable theories of book cover design
  • Elif Shafak on stage at the Edinburgh World Writers' Conference c Pascal Saez | Elif Shafak on stage at the Edinburgh World Writers' Conference. Elif chaired the first debate 'Should Literature be Political'
  • Vivian French presents The Gift of Dyslexia | Guest Selector Vivian French talks about The Gift of Dyslexia with Matthew McVarish and John Rack
  • Denise Mina at the Edinburgh World Writers' Conference c Pascal Saez | Denise Mina joins in the debate at the Edinburgh World Writers' Conference
  • Clive Stafford Smith | Clive Stafford Smith talks to Andrew Franklin
  • Attentive audience | Attentive Book Festival audience
  • Nikita Lalwani | Nikita Lalwani reads from her book The Village
  • Anjali Joseph | Anjali Joseph reads fro her latest novel
  • Ahdaf Soueif at the Edinburgh World Writers' Conference | Ahdaf Soueif presents the keynote speech at the 'Should Literature be Political' debate during the Edinburgh World Writers' Conference.
  • Ahdaf Soueif and Elif Shafak at the Edinburgh World Writers' Conference c Pascal Saez | Ahdaf Soueif and Elif Shafak lead the 'Should Literature be Political' debate at the Edinburgh World Writers' Conference
  • Camera filming an event | A camera man films a Book Festival event
  • Chris Close at work | Photograph Chris Close at work taking a picture of Raja Shehadeh
  • Dr Book | Dr Book prescribes a remedy for a young reader
  • Hilary Mantel | Hilary Mantel delights a sell-out audience
  • Ian Rankin | Book Festival favourite Ian Rankin
  • Ian Rankin book signing | Ian Rankin signs his book for a reader
  • Impro-Slam | Impro-Slam performer
  • Impro-Slam | Impro-Slam performer
  • Michael Frayn | Michael Frayn talks about his latest novel Skios
  • Michael Sandel | Michael Sandel addresses some big ethical questions with What Money Can't Buy
  • Val McDermid | Val McDermid entertains the Book Festival audience
  • Unbound: Last Orders | A little Irish Unbound action thanks to Last Orders
  • Unbound: Last Orders | Last Orders at Unbound
  • Early evening sunshine | Some early evening sunshine in a busy Charlotte Square Gardens
  • Spiegeltent queue | Queuing to get in to a Spiegeltent event
  • Simon Mayo | Simon Mayo talks science
  • Debate: Rethinking Democracy | Menzies Campbell and Matthew Flinders rethink democracy in one of our Spiegeltent debates, chaired by Jonathan Freedland.
  • Debate: Rethinking Democract | Menzies Campbell and Matthew Flinders rethink democracy in one of our Spiegeltent debates, chaired by Jonathan Freedland.
  • Piratical fun | Piratical fun
  • Patrick Ness | Patrick Ness on stage
  • Nile Rodgers | Disco legend Nile Rodgers charms the Book Festival audience
  • John Burnside | Poet and author John Burnside
  • Fun in the Gardens | Relaxing in Charlotte Square Gardens
  • Claire Tomalin | Claire Tomalin talks Charles Dickens
  • Alain de Botton | Alain de Botton signs his book for an avid reader
  • Vic Armstrong | Film stunt man Vic Armstrong talks about his extraordinary career
  • Val McDermid book signing | Val McDermid signs copies of her new book for children - My Grannie is a Pirate
  • Unbound: South Asia | Unbound with London's South Asian Literature Festival
  • Unbound: Nile Rodgers | Nile Rodgers told tales of his life and career to an Unbound audience
  • Unbound: Nile Rodgers | Nile Rodgers played to a full house in the Spiegeltent for his Unbound session
  • Unbound: Cargo vs McSweeney's | Louise Welsh reading at Unbound: Cargo vs McSweeney's
  • Unbound: Cargo vs McSweeney's | Garth Nix taking part in Unbound
  • Unbound: Cargo vs McSweeney's | David Vann takes to the Unbound stage
  • Unbound: Cargo vs McSweeney's | Unbound: Cargo vs McSweeney's
  • Unbound: Cargo vs McSweeney's | Unbound: Cargo vs McSweeney's
  • Unbound: Cargo vs McSweeney's | Unbound: Cargo vs McSweeney's
  • Unbound: Cargo vs McSweeney's | Kirstin Innes takes to the Unbound stage for Cargo vs McSweeney's
  • Unbound audience | You can often find authors hanging out in the Spiegeltent for Unbound
  • Tom Kitchin | Michelin-starred Edinburgh chef Tom Kitchin spoke to Kirsty Wark about the inspiration behind the recipes in his new book
  • Young audience Q&A | A young audience member speaks out in an event Q&A
  • Steve Benbow and Alys Fowler | Steve Benbow and Alys Fowler talk bees and foraging
  • Reading break | A member of Book Festival staff taking a quiet reading break
  • Mind map | Chilling out on the giant mind map in Charlotte Square Gardens
  • Simon Stephenson at the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust awards | Simon Stephenson reads from his debut book, Let not the waves of the sea, during the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust Book Awards
  • Caught napping | A Book Festival visitor gets captured on camera having a wee snooze
  • Seamus Heaney, Karl Miller & Andrew O'Hagan | A magnificent trio: Seamus Heaney, Karl Miller & Andrew O'Hagan
  • Rethinking the Union part 2 | Tony Benn and Alyn Smith taking part in the second of our Rethinking the Union debates
  • Relaxing on deckchair |
  • Reading in the gardens |
  • Reading on the decking |
  • Raja Shehadeh | Raja Shehadeh photo call
  • Professor Peter Higgs | Professor Peter Higgs
  • Patrick Ness photocall | Patrick Ness striking a pose for the press photographers
  • Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell | Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell get photographed
  • Mind map dancing | The giant mind map in the gardens has been a popular spot for dancing.
  • Michael Palin photocalll | The lovely Michal Palin was very popular with the press photographers
  • Meg Rosoff book signing | Teen author Meg Rosoff signs copies of her book There is no Dog
  • Mark Haddon | Mark Haddon came to share the secrets behind his latest novel The Red House
  • Maggie Ferguson and Michael Morpurgo | Maggie Ferguson and Michael Morpurgo talk about their new memoir of the War Horse author
  • Live TV from the Gardens | A live TV broadcast from Charlotte Square Gardens
  • Lari Don book signing | Lari Don signs books for her young readers
  • Seamus Heaney, Karl Miller & Andrew O'Hagan | Seamus Heaney, Karl Miller & Andrew O'Hagan are popular with the press
  • Seamus Heaney, Karl Miller & Andrew O'Hagan |
  • Karl Miller | London Review of Books founder Karl Miller
  • Joseph Stiglitz | Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz talks about The One Percent
  • John Fardell book signing | John Fardell signs his books for a young reader
  • Janice Galloway at the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust book awards | Janice Galloway reads from her memoir All Made Up during the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust awards. Shortly afterwards she was announced as the winner of the Scottish Book of the Year.
  • James Kelman and Liz Lochhead | James Kelman and Liz Lochhead
  • James Kelman | James Kelman reads from his new book Mo Said She Was Quirky
  • Ian McEwan talks to Alex Salmond | Ian McEwan talks to Alex Salmond
  • Hoovering | Keeping the entrance tent tidy
  • Helen Dunmore | Helen Dunmore
  • Get Plugged In | Get Plugged In - an event to inspire new writers
  • Working in the gardens | Working in the gardens
  • A member of our Front of House team |
  • Enjoying and ice cream | Enjoying and ice cream
  • Book Festival ducks | There has been a little bit of rain.
  • Young audience |
  • Craig Taylor book signing | Craig Taylor signs copies of his book, Londoners
  • Clare Beaton book signing | Clare Beaton signs her book for little children
  • Chris Mullin | Former MP Chris Mullin talks to a sold out audience
  • Chris Close | Photographer Chris Close hangs up some of his author portraits in the Gardens
  • China Miéville and Patrick Ness | China Miéville talks to Patrick Ness about his new book Railsea
  • Camera crew in the Gardens | A camera crew does a bit of filming in the Gardens
  • Warehouse delivery | A delivery of books from our warehouse
  • Books from the warehouse | Book boys
  • Ben Okri 2 |
  • Ben Okri | Ben Okri
  • Antony Beevor | Antony Beevor
  • Angus Peter Campbell at the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust awards | Angus Peter Campbell at the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust awards
  • Ali Smith at the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust awards | Ali Smith reads from her novel There But For The at the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust awards
  • The 2 Steves | The 2 Steves present Action Dogs!
  • The 2 Steves | The 2 Steves select a member of the audience to take part in their Action Dogs event
  • Where's Wally? | The Book Festival front of house staff ready and waiting to welcome the audience on RBS Schools Gala Day
  • Unound: It will be all write on the night | The final Unbound of the year - It will be all write on the night
  • Unound: It will be all write on the night | Sian Bevan introduces the final Unbound: It will be all write on the night
  • Unound: It will be all write on the night | Billy Letford takes to the Spiegeltent stage in Unound: It will be all write on the night
  • Time to clear away | The post-festival clear up begins
  • Tony Ross | Illustrator Tony Ross shares the secrets of his work
  • Teju Cole | Teju Cole on stage
  • Bunting | Book Festival bunting helps to bring Charlotte Square Gardens to life for RBS Schools Gala Day
  • Wally-art | Wally-art
  • Simon Armitage | Simon Armitage reads from his travelogue Walking Home
  • Simon Armitage | Simon Armitage on stage
  • The Gruffalo greets some school childre | The young pupils on RBS Schools Gala Day meet the Gruffalo
  • Ice Cream Queue | After the final audience member and author have left the gardens the Book Festival staff (along with a few Wallies) line up for a much needed ice cream
  • Packing up the bookshop | Packing up the bookshop
  • Kathy Lette | Kathy Lette talks about her new book The Boy Who Fell to Earth
  • John McCarthy | John McCarthy
  • Jeet Thayil | Indian author and poet Jeet Thayil talks about is book Narcopolis
  • Harriet Walter | Actor Dame Harriet Walter shares her new book of photographs celebrating the beauty of older women
  • Gavin Esler book signing | Gavin Esler signs his book
  • Gavin Esler | Gavin Esler on stage
  • Fergus McNicol and Mio Shapley | Fergus McNicol and Mio Shapley entertain the children with stories and songs and their kamishibai theatre bicycle
  • David Walliams | David Walliams enthrals with a reading from his latest book for children
  • Clearing up | Even the plants get taken away during the end of festival clear up
  • Zadie Smith | Zadie Smith on stage at the Edinburgh International Book Festival talking about her new novel NW
  • Zadie Smith | Zadie Smith
  • Wilbur Smith | Wilbur Smith signs books for his fans
  • Unbound: The Colour Orange with Ryan van Winkle | Ryan van Winkle takes to the stage with some writers and musicians from the Netherlands
  • Unbound: The Colour Orange | Some musical entertainment in Dutch-themed Unbound
  • Unbound: The Colour Orange | A reading during Unbound: The Colour Orange
  • Unbound: The Colour Orange | Unbound: The Colour Orange
  • Tom Benn and Elaine Proctor | Two debut novelists take to the stage: Tom Benn reads from his book The Doll Princess, whilst Rhumba author Elaine Proctor looks on.
  • Shaun Tan | An illustrator and a gentleman - Shaun Tan talks about his work
  • Sean Borodale | Sean Borodale reads from Bee Journal
  • Polly Dunbar | Polly Dunbar gets drawing with some help from a young audience member
  • Polly Dunbar | Award-winning illustrator Polly Dunbar shows us how it's done
  • Masha Gessen | Masha Gessen sheds light on Vladimir Putin
  • Mark Haddon chats to audience | Mark Haddon chats to an audience member
  • Mark Haddon | Mark Haddon leaves the stage after his sold out event
  • Mark Easton | The BBC's Mark Easton on stage with Ruth Wishart.
  • Marina Warner and Stuart Kelly | Author Marina Warner chats with chair Stuart Kelly
  • Marina Warner | Marina Warner weaves some magic on stage
  • Lydia Cacho | Mexican journalist and writer Lydia Cacho tells some extraordinary stories from her work investigating human trafficking
  • John Gordon Sinclair | Actor turned novelist John Gordon Sinclair shares his debut novel Seventy Tmes Seven
  • Jeremy Vine | Broadcaster Jeremy Vine signs some books
  • Jeremy Vine | Jeremy Vine on stage
  • Howard Jacobson | Man Booker Prize winner Howard Jacobson talks about life after The Finkler Question and introduces his new novel Zoo Time
  • Francesca Simon | Children's author Francesca Simon surveys the audience
  • Etherington Brothers | One of the fantastic Etherington Brothers shows us how to make a comic
  • Eoin Colfer | Eoin Colfer
  • Eoin Colfer | Eoin Colfer brings us the final installment of Artemis Fowl
  • Book Festival entrance | A busy Book Festival entrance
  • Christopher Brookmyre and Mark Billingham | Christopher Brookmyre and Mark Billingham made a great double act
  • BSL Interpreter | One of the BSL interpreters who do a fantastic job of interpreting our events
  • Billy Letford | Poetry writer and performer William Letford
  • Alan Warner | Alan Warner reading
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