All Events

There are events for just about every age and interest at the Book Festival, bringing readers and writers together for inspiration, entertainment and discussion. Over 900 authors appear in around 800 events, including novelists, poets, scientists, sportsmen, illustrators, comics creators, historians, musicians, biographers, Nobel and Booker prize-winners and many more besides.

Use one or more of the search filters below to find events.

    Browse this year's themes

    Tom Palmer: D-Day Dog

    Families & 8+

    Wednesday 21 August 17:30 - 18:30

    Tom Palmer: D-Day Dog Buy Tickets
    Learn all about a heroic Second World War paratrooper and his loyal parachuting partner: his dog Glen! Following on from the critically acclaimed Armistice Runner, Tom Palmer uses the gripping adventure story of D-Day Dog to mark the 75th anniversary of...

    Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers Series

    In a Desperate Situation

    Wednesday 21 August 17:30 - 18:15

    Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers Series
    'The situation is desperate' are the last words of Daphne Caruana Galizia's final blog post, published the day she was killed. Every day around the world writers continue to share their words despite great personal risk. They suffer censorship,...

    Alan Pollock & Bryony Thomson: The Bear Who Went to War

    Age 7-10

    Wednesday 21 August 17:30 - 18:30

    Alan Pollock & Bryony Thomson: The Bear Who Went to War Buy Tickets
    Join author Alan Pollock and illustrator Bryony Thomson to hear the remarkable true story of an orphaned bear cub who was adopted by soldiers in the Second World War and named Private Wojtek. As they introduce their picture book The Bear Who Went to...

    Tom Bradby & Mick Herron

    Spies Like Them

    Wednesday 21 August 17:45 - 18:45

    Tom Bradby & Mick Herron Buy Tickets
    ITV news anchor and bestselling author Tom Bradby’s latest shelf-emptier is Secret Service. This timely title revolves around a new Cold War during which a senior UK politician, who may be a high level mole for the Russians, is under investigation....

    Gin Tasting and True Crime with Paul French & Susannah Stapleton

    Gin Slings and Gun Slingers

    Wednesday 21 August 18:00 - 19:30

    Gin Tasting and True Crime with Paul French & Susannah Stapleton Buy Tickets
    The gin industry has been booming of late. Food and drinks expert Nikki Welch offers an exploration of the different styles and tastes available, alongside authors Paul French and Susannah Stapleton, who bring the tasting to life with readings....

    Being a Citizen: Creative Writing Workshop

    Writing for Everyone

    Wednesday 21 August 18:30 - 20:00

    Being a Citizen: Creative Writing Workshop Buy Tickets
    Our Citizen Schools Writer-in-Residence Claire Askew has been busy working in three Edinburgh secondary schools, finding out what being a citizen means to young people today. Taking the fear out of creative writing, she offers practical tools for...

    Alexander McCall Smith

    Criminally Charming

    Wednesday 21 August 18:45 - 19:45

    BSL Event Alexander McCall Smith Buy Tickets
    Every year we ask Alexander McCall Smith to give something a bit special to audiences at the Festival he loves so much. Every year he delivers. What makes these events so wonderful? Hilarious stories; gorgeous characters; maybe a surprise guest; and of...

    To Learn the Future: Poetry and Wellbeing

    Resilient Verse

    Wednesday 21 August 19:00 - 20:00

    To Learn the Future: Poetry and Wellbeing Buy Tickets
    Join an evening of readings and discussion around To Learn the Future: Poems for Teachers, an anthology promoting wellbeing in the teaching profession. Scottish Poetry Library’s Hannah Lavery and Samuel Tongue are joined by the anthology’s editors,...

    Marina Warner

    Thinking with Art

    Wednesday 21 August 19:15 - 20:15

    Marina Warner Buy Tickets
    A new collection of essays by Marina Warner uses the tools of literary thinking to analyse art and artists, drawing on anthropology, mythology and more. In Forms of Enchantment, the president of the Royal Society of Literature approaches works by...

    Children's Mental Health

    Is the UK Facing a Crisis?

    Wednesday 21 August 19:30 - 21:00

    Children's Mental Health Buy Tickets
    Almost 400,000 children a year are being treated for mental health problems and estimates suggest over 100,000 British 14 year olds are self-harming. An apparent increase has sparked reports of a crisis, but could it be that improved understanding has...

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