Press Releases

Up-to-date news from the Book Festival press office will be posted here as we have it. Please browse the latest and archive press releases below.

World Premiere Closes the 2011 Edinburgh International Book Festival

World Premiere Closes the 2011 Edinburgh International Book Festival
Mon 29 August 2011

An ambitious performed reading of Alasdair Gray’s play Fleck, featuring 18 authors and actors, was staged this evening at the Edinburgh International Book Festival…

James Robertson airs Megrahi conspiracy at Book Festival and outlines failure of accountability from Holyrood

James Robertson airs Megrahi conspiracy at Book Festival and outlines failure of accountability from Holyrood
Mon 29 August 2011

Scottish author James Robertson last night delivered a lecture to a sold out audience at the Edinburgh International Book Festival titled, ‘The Lockerbie Affair and Scottish Society’, in which he described a ‘malaise in the Scottish body politic’…

Consequences of 9/11 discussed at the Edinburgh International Book Festival

Consequences of 9/11 discussed at the Edinburgh International Book Festival
Sun 28 August 2011

The writer and documentary film maker, Dominic Streatfeild, attended the Edinburgh International Book Festival today to discuss his latest work: A History of the World since 9/11. Streatfeild revealed that the 2,753 lives lost in the initial 9/11 attacks, although hugely tragic, were exacerbated by America and Britain’s “War on Terror”…

Pakistan’s ISI comes under spotlight at the Book Festival

Pakistan’s ISI comes under spotlight at the Book Festival
Sat 27 August 2011

Author Kamila Shamsie and the Guardian’s foreign correspondent Declan Walsh discussed the current state of Pakistan today at the Book Festival in one of a series of events examining Revolution in the 21st Century…

Book Festival authors call for Tony Blair to be tried for Iraq

Book Festival authors call for Tony Blair to be tried for Iraq
Thu 25 August 2011

Today to audience applause at the 2011 Edinburgh International Book Festival, author Ahdaf Soueif from Egypt called for the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to be tried for his role in the Iraq war…

Mystery Book Sculpture Delivered to Edinburgh International Book Festival

Mystery Book Sculpture Delivered to Edinburgh International Book Festival
Wed 24 August 2011

The Edinburgh International Book Festival is the latest recipient of the mysterious book sculptures that have been left anonymously at literary sites around the city…

Gary Tank Commander to appear at Edinburgh International Book Festival

Gary Tank Commander to appear at Edinburgh International Book Festival
Mon 22 August 2011

Actor Greg McHugh, best known for his role as Gary Tank Commander, will be appearing at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on Tuesday 23rd August…

The worst of the riots is yet to come argues author at Book Festival

The worst of the riots is yet to come argues author at Book Festival
Sun 21 August 2011

“The recent riots in England are a very dark foreshadow of what is to come”, said Owen Jones, author of Chavs – The Demonisation of the Working Class, speaking at the Edinburgh International Book Festival today…

Indian corruption and technology discussed at Edinburgh International Book Festival

Indian corruption and technology discussed at Edinburgh International Book Festival
Sun 21 August 2011

Two authors discussed the future technological advancement of India today at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, highlighting the rise of e-governance in the second most populated country in the world…

Scottish independence divides Book Festival audience

Scottish independence divides Book Festival audience
Sun 21 August 2011

The future of Scotland was debated at the Edinburgh International Book Festival last night in a sold out event in the Spiegeltent…

New Writer Wins Oldest Book Prize At Edinburgh International Book Festival

New Writer Wins Oldest Book Prize At Edinburgh International Book Festival
Fri 19 August 2011

Debut novelist Tatjani Soli and theatre critic Hilary Spurling have joined the list of acclaimed authors who have won the James Tait Black Prizes, Britain’s oldest literary awards…

Prestigious Poetry Competition Winners Announced At Edinburgh International Book Festival

Prestigious Poetry Competition Winners Announced At Edinburgh International Book Festival
Thu 18 August 2011

The prizewinners in the fourth Edwin Morgan International Poetry Competition were announced at a ceremony at the Edinburgh International Book Festival last night…

Official Enquiry into Riots Called for at Edinburgh International Book Festival

Official Enquiry into Riots Called for at Edinburgh International Book Festival
Wed 17 August 2011

Baroness Julia Neuberger, Senior Rabbi of the West London Synagogue, today called for an official enquiry to the recent UK riots at the Edinburgh International Book Festival…

Sarah Brown Surprises Book Festival Audience With Special Guest

Sarah Brown Surprises Book Festival Audience With Special Guest
Mon 15 August 2011

Former first lady Sarah Brown surprised readers at the Edinburgh International Book Festival tonight by asking husband and former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown MP to join her on stage…

Edinburgh International Book Festival Launches New Web App

Edinburgh International Book Festival Launches New Web App
Sun 14 August 2011

The Edinburgh International Book Festival launched a new web app this weekend enabling audiences to browse the programme, find out more about authors appearing at the Festival and book tickets – all from their mobile phone…

New York Joins the Word Alliance

New York Joins the Word Alliance
Wed 03 August 2011

The PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature in New York has joined the six other international Literary Festivals which make up the ground-breaking Word Alliance, which was formed at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in 2010…