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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

2013 Book Festival Highlights

Simon Mayo takes to the stage

Simon Mayo takes to the stage

  • Sandi Toksvig and audience | There was a full house when Sandi Toksvig came to Edinburgh
  • Sandi Toksvig | Sandi was talking about her latest novel, Valentine Grey
  • A Samba welcome | Edinburgh Samba School provided some rousing entertainment when our gates opened on Saturday.
  • Salman Rushdie | Salman Rushdie reflected on his remarkable career.
  • Salman Rushdie | Salman Rushdie was in Edinburgh to discuss his latest book, Joseph Anton, which gives a frank account of his experience of going underground during the time there was a fatwa against him.
  • Rachel Hazel paper workshop | Rachel Hazel gets hands-on with some paper crafting
  • Props | Some props from Julia Donaldson's all-singing, all-dancing show
  • When Peter Hook met Ian Rankin | Massive music fan Ian Rankin had fun interviewing music legend Peter Hook.
  • Peter Hook | Peter Hook spoke frankly of his life in music.
  • Patrick Ness book signing | Patrick Ness signs books for some of his fans
  • Happy Book Festival visitors | Some jolly Book Festival visitors share a joke in the Gardens
  • Out door superhero | Some of our younger visitors get into the superhero vibe
  • Stormy skies betwee Stripped | A glimpse of our Stripped exhibition of comics and graphic novels artwork in Charlotte Square Gardens
  • Julia Donaldson event | Getting into character for the Julia Donaldson event
  • Lanterns | New for 2013, our lanterns add a touch of colour to a corner of the Gardens.
  • Julia Donaldson and crew | Musical entertainment with Julia Donaldson and friends.
  • Busy bookshop | A member of our booksales team, happy selling books.
  • In the Spiegeltent |
  • George Monbiot | Guardian columnist George Monbiot spoke about his latest book Feral.
  • Gardens at night | Charlotte Square Gardens looking lovely one evening.
  • Deckchair | One of the much-loved Guardian deckchairs
  • Flower table | Another new addition this year - our quirky flower tables
  • Chris Haughton | There were stories, pictures and puppets when Chris Haughton took to the stage.
  • Carrie and David Grant | There was lots of dancing when Carrie and David Grant came to Edinburgh.
  • Carrie and David Grant | A bit of audience participation with Carrie and David Grant.
  • Busy Bookshop | Lots of bookshop browsing
  • Brochures in the Entrance Tent |
  • Blueprint Debate: Energy | George Monbiot and Sue Roaf took part in our debate about the future of energy
  • Stripped banner |
  • The Guardian Literary Clock | The Guardian Literary Clock adds a touch of intrigue to our Entrance Tent.
  • Unbound: Multiples | It was an evening of translation fun when the Multiples team took to the Unbound stage.
  • Stripped flyers in the bookshop |
  • Spiegeltent audience |
  • A Story Shopper takes to the stage | An up-and-coming Edinburgh author reads to our Spiegeltent audience
  • D W Wilson at Jura Unbound | D W Wilson reads at our Best of Young British Novelists evening as part of Jura Unbound
  • Sarah Hall at Jura Unbound | Sarah Hall reads at Jura Unbound - Best of Young British novelists evening
  • Live drawing | This is how you draw the Tattoo Fox
  • Susan Greenfield with Kirsty Wark | Baroness Susan Greenfield talks to Kirst Wark about her extraordinary career.
  • Rowan Williams | The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.
  • Michael De Souza and Genevieve Webster | Michael De Souza, Genevieve Webster and friends bring some Rastamouse spirit to the Book Festival.
  • Phyllida Law | Phyllida Law spoke about her latest book How Many Camels are there in Holland?
  • Nate Silver | American statistical whiz-kid Nate Silver joined us hot on the heels of predicting the outcome of the 2014 Independence referendum.
  • Nadeem Aslam | Nadeem Aslam spoke about his acclaimed novel The Bilnd Man's Garden.
  • Ma Jian | Ma Jian spoke about his latest novel The Dark Road which he researched through extensive travel in remote parts of China.
  • Julia Donaldson | Julia Donaldson is interviewed in the Gardens.
  • Joan Lingard book signing | Joan Lingard has been to every Book Festival since we began in 1983.
  • The tale of the Tattoo Fox | Children and Education Programme Director Janet Smyth introduces the story of The Tattoo Fox.
  • Jack Straw and Allan Little | Jack Straw and Allan Little
  • Jack Straw |
  • |
  • Cerys Matthews plays guitar | Cerys Matthews plays guitar in the Gardens
  • Buglers | There were even some buglers in The Tattoo Fox event
  • Alex Clark chairing Nadeem Aslam |
  • Sandi Toksvig | Sandi Toksvig
  • A member of the audience asks John Taylor a question |
  • A question from the audience |
  • Alistair Moffat |
  • Alexander McCall Smith with James Naughtie |
  • William McIlvanney was joined on stage by Alex Salmond |
  • William McIlvanney |
  • Stuart Kelly interviews graphic novelist Chris Ware |
  • The graphic novels section in our bookshop |
  • Simon Mayo takes to the stage |
  • Ron Rash reads while Manuel Rivas looks on |
  • A little bit of late night filming in the Gardens |
  • Poppy Ackroyd at Jura Unbound |
  • Mark Lawson |
  • Manuel Rivas |
  • Scotland's National Poet Liz Lochhead |
  • Liam McIlvanney |
  • Jonathan Agnew talks to Ruth Wishart |
  • John Taylor |
  • John Lemke performs at Jura Unbound |
  • Two of the world's finest graphic novelists, Joe Sacco and Chris Ware, take to the stage |
  • Jane Gardam |
  • Happy Book Festival audience |
  • Enjoying the show |
  • Charlotte Square Gardens in the evening |
  • Blue skies over Charlotte Square Gardens |
  • Andrew Jamieson and Damien M Love |
  • The Fabulous Baker Brothers pose for the press |
  • Doug Johnstone and Laura Lippman |
  • David Roberts celebrates ten years of Dirty Bertie |
  • David Peace |
  • Crow paper sculpture left in honour of Iain Banks' The Crow Road |
  • Cerys Matthews making music on stage |
  • Busy Bookshop |
  • Blueprint debate about copyright in our Guardian Spiegeltent |
  • Lucky finders of some of the paper sculptures |
  • 30 fantastic paper sculptures to celebrate our 30th anniversary |
  • The Fabulous Baker Brothers on stage |
  • The Edinburgh World Writers' Conference returns to Edinburgh |
  • Will Gompertz demystifies modern art |
  • Viktor Mayer-Schönberger talks big data |
  • Vic Galloway talks about Fife's famous music scene |
  • Ryan Van Winkle presents Jura Unbound: Reel Iraq |
  • Musical entertainment at Jura Unbound: Reel Iraq |
  • The audience was up dancing during Jura Unbound: Reel Iraq |
  • Billy Letford reads at Jura Unbound: Reel Iraq |
  • Jura Unbound with Gutter magazine |
  • Damian Barr reads at Jura Unbound with Gutter magazine |
  • Allan Radcliff on stage during Jura Unbound with Gutter magazine |
  • Jura Unbound: The Bookshop Band |
  • Jura Unbound: Reel Iraq |
  • Tracey Thorn |
  • Tom Palmer held a penalty shoot out during his event |
  • Tom Palmer |
  • Charlatans front man Tim Burgess in conversation with Ian Rankin |
  • Two fine novelists Tash Aw and Rawi Hage |
  • Susan Rice, Chair of the Book Festival board, introduces Ian Goldin |
  • Stewart Lee at Jura Unbound |
  • Kate O’Hearn brought knights and monsters with her |
  • Rupert Everett signs copies of his book |
  • Rupert Everett reveals all to Charlotte Higgins |
  • Robert Peston |
  • Attentive audience in one of our reading workshops |
  • Pippa Goldschmidt reads from her debut novel The Falling Sky |
  • A happy audience |
  • Ticket checking |
  • Deckchairs in the sunshine |
  • Pandas |
  • Neil Forsyth reads at Jura Unbound |
  • A monster in the bookshop |
  • Performance poetry at its best with Michael Pedersen (while Luke Wright listens in) |
  • Maggie O'Farrell |
  • Luke Wright |
  • Keith Gray leads a reading workshop on The Wasp Factory |
  • Book Festival Guest Selector Kate Mosse |
  • Historian John Tolan |
  • John Browne talks about the elements |
  • Jenny Eclair talks about her new novel Life, Death and Vanilla Slices |
  • James Kakalios gives science a superhero twist |
  • Ian Rankin talks to Alan Little |
  • Ian Goldin |
  • Book Festival entrance at night |
  • Edwin Morgan Poetry Award event |
  • Daniel Rachel sheds light on the art of songwriting |
  • Dan Rhodes hosts Jura Unbound |
  • Colm Toibin hosts a reading workshop on Sons and Lovers |
  • Colm Tóibín |
  • Charlotte Higgins talks to Stuart Kelly |
  • Book Festival Illustrator in Residence Barroux |
  • A question from the audience |
  • Ann Widdecombe |
  • Amit CHaudhuri |
  • Alice Thompson reads from Burnt Island |
  • Alfred Brendel speaks to Jonathan Mills |
  • Night time in the Guardian Spiegeltent |
  • |
  • Signing sign |
  • Another great Story Shop reading |
  • A quick interview in the Signing Tent |
  • Ka-pow! |
  • Our Illustrator in Residence Barroux helps a youngster get involved with his Big Draw |
  • |
  • Will Morris and Edward Ross talk graphic novels |
  • Some props from Jura Unbound with Illicit Ink |
  • Emma Vieceli does some live drawing at Jura Unbound |
  • Elephant art at Jura Unbound with Illicit Ink |
  • Live drawing with Jura Unbound and Illicit Ink |
  • Jura Unbound with Illicit Ink |
  • Words and pictures at Jura Unbound with Illicit Ink |
  • Jura Unbound with Illicit Ink |
  • Happy crowd in the Guardian Spiegeltent |
  • The-art-of-reading-graphic- |
  • Stephen Collins and Tom Gauld appeared as part of the Book Festival's Stripped programme |
  • Sonia Martinez and Craig Silvey |
  • A cheeky snooze |
  • Sandi Toksvig signing books for her fans |
  • Robbie Morrison and Jim Murray |
  • The Art of Reading Graphic Novels workshop |
  • Waiting in the wings: Neil Gaiman and Craig Silvey get ready to get on stage for Literary Death Match |
  • Everyone's favourite televisual gardner - Monty Don |
  • Mike Berners-Lee talks global warming |
  • Comics legend Melinda Gebbie |
  • Margaret Atwood |
  • Children's Laureate Malorie Blackman |
  • Literary Death Match comes to Jura Unbound |
  • Literary Death Match with a visual twist at Jura Unbound |
  • isual twist at Jura Unbound |
  • isual twist at Jura Unbound |
  • isual twist at Jura Unbound |
  • A huddle of Literary Death Match judges: Dawn O'Porter, Craig Silvey and Neil Gaiman |
  • Backstage interview |
  • Our Info Desk staff - happy to help |
  • A happy Grant Morrison fan |
  • Grant Morrison |
  • |
  • Francesca Simon on stage |
  • Casting a vote in the Book Festival's First Book Award |
  • Amin Haddad and Eskenderella bring revolutionary poetry from Tahrir Square to Charlotte Square |
  • Amin Haddad and Eskenderella bring revolutionary poetry from Tahrir Square to Charlotte Square |
  • Amin Haddad and Eskenderella bring revolutionary poetry from Tahrir Square to Charlotte Square |
  • Duncan Clark talks climate change |
  • Douglas Hurd and Edward Young sign copies of their book Disraeli |
  • Derek Landy meets his young fans |
  • Dawn O'Porter speaking about her debut novel Paper Aeroplanes |
  • |
  • Chris Close photographs Patrick Ness |
  • Caitlin Moran |
  • Beautiful books |
  • Big Draw fun |
  • Ben Aaronovitch, Steve Cole and Justin Richards talk Dr Who |
  • Our Illustrator in Residence Barroux shows us how it's done |
  • Adrian Todd Zuniga introduces Literary Death Match at Jura Unbound |
  • Sharing a book |
  • The Guardian's Charlotte Higgins signs copies of her book Under Another Sky |
  • Sorting ticket stubs |
  • Michael Pedersen at his post-event book signing |
  • Jackie Kay |
  • Books Words Ideas: The City of Literature info stand |
  • Return to warehouse |
  • Closed for event preparation |
  • Backstage photoshoot |
  • Another wonderful Story Shop reading |
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