Tuesday 12 August 20:00 - 21:30
- Attend in person
- Captioned
Malachy Tallack’s novel, That Beautiful Atlantic Waltz, is uniquely accompanied by an album of evocative songs. Join us tonight as those songs will be captivatingly performed by a full band (including Tallack)…
Tuesday 12 August 20:15 - 21:15
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- Captioned
Today Ansell talks to us about becoming critically attuned to listening to the natural world and how he has learned to separate their sounds from commotion of everyday life…
Tuesday 12 August 20:30 - 21:30
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- BSL interpreted
- Captioned
With our trading relationships with India and China still very much at the fore, join Frankopan as we revisit this seminal book and its ongoing implications…
Suitable for age 3 - 5
Wednesday 13 August 10:00 - 10:30
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- Learning disability friendly
Join us for a relaxed morning story especially for your littlest readers. Appearing today: Ailie Finlay…
Wednesday 13 August 10:00 - 11:00
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- Captioned
In our First Edition events you can join leading journalists from across the media (and the world) as they discuss the day’s breaking news over a cup of coffee…
Wednesday 13 August 10:15 - 11:15
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- Captioned
In an effort to decolonise the art of nature writing, Faber's Nature Matters anthology draws together work by nearly 80 different poets from the African, Asian, and Caribbean diaspora, on themes encompassing climate crisis, protest, Indigenous wisdom and…
Wednesday 13 August 10:30 - 11:30
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- Captioned
From wood to thread, Callum Robinson and Clare Hunter both explore the powerful stories held within crafted objects…
Wednesday 13 August 11:00 - 12:00
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- Captioned
Kennedy (author, comedian, and longtime BBC radio writer and host) joins us to discuss the real heart of her novel: the nature of justice and mercy, and the power of hope and kindness…
Wednesday 13 August 11:30 - 12:30
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- Captioned
The author of Summerwater and Ghost Wall joins the Festival with Ripeness: a decades spanning story meditating on severed family ties and the decisions that define our lives. Explore themes of migration, belonging, new beginnings, and the idea of home…
Wednesday 13 August 12:00 - 13:00
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- Captioned
Be the first to discover the literary stars of the future. In partnership with Scottish Book Trust and other leading talent spotters across the UK, this lively lunchtime event showcases electrifying new voices, so grab your seat before everyone else does…
Wednesday 13 August 12:00 - 13:00
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- Captioned
Even in a world of apps, Al, and the metaverse, humans still are drawn to the dark underbelly of our collective imagination, through folklore, myth, and monsters. Join Anna Bogutskaya, Nicholas Jobber, and Stuart McHardy as they unravel the stories…
All ages
Wednesday 13 August 12:00 - 13:00
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- Learning disability friendly
Join storyteller Ailie Finlay for an inclusive session with sensory stories, art, activities, and games. This is a fun and engaging session for everyone but particularly suitable for children with additional needs and their families and friends…
Wednesday 13 August 12:15 - 13:15
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- Captioned
Shortlisted for 2025's Women's Prize for Fiction, Fundamentally combines Nussaibah Younis' career in academia and Middle East peacekeeping with her recent training in stand-up comedy. Younis talks with us today about navigating cultural divides and the…
Wednesday 13 August 12:45 - 13:45
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- Watch online
- Captioned
Author of the global phenomenon Girl on a Train, Paula Hawkins joins Val McDermid to talk about her latest page-turning thriller…
Wednesday 13 August 13:15 - 14:15
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- Captioned
Two writers grappling with our ties, commitments, and inheritance in the wake of environmental catastrophe come together to discuss their compelling new books with Caoilinn Hughes…
Wednesday 13 August 13:30 - 14:30
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- Watch online
- Captioned
Join the UK’s favourite film critic, Mark Kermode, alongside very special guests – including Golden Globe-winning Succession patriarch Brian Cox – for a unique and energy-filled celebration of the silver screen…
Wednesday 13 August 13:45 - 15:00
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- Captioned
Here at the Book Festival, it's our joy and privilege to shout from the rafters about the talented poets, novelists, thinkers, and performers contributing their diverse voices and fresh ideas to Scottish writing today. Featuring writers including Eilidh…
Wednesday 13 August 14:00 - 15:00
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- Captioned
Described in The Scotsman as having 'Jane Austen stylings and Stella Gibbons satirical wit', we're thrilled that Olga Wojtas is returning to the Festival…
Suitable for age 3 - 5
Wednesday 13 August 14:00 - 14:30
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- Learning disability friendly
Join storyteller George in a gentle Mr. Men Little Miss story journey. Perfect for young children, you’ll find lots of live music, nursery rhymes, sensory participation, action, and movement – and classic characters from the much-loved Mr. Men Little…
Wednesday 13 August 14:15 - 15:15
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- Captioned
What is a marriage, if not being stuck on a raft with another, trying to survive? That's the question, both literally and figuratively, at the heart of Sophie Elmhirst's remarkable Maurice and Maralyn…
Full 2025 Book Festival programme is announced with key theme of Repair 
