Thomas Harding & Kojo Koram: What Was Taken?

Inspired by a personal quest to learn more about Britain’s role in the slave trade, Thomas Harding tells the story of the Demerara Uprising, a key trigger in the abolition of slavery, in White Debt. In Uncommon Wealth, Kojo Koram traces the group of British elites who hid the gains of the Empire and saddled debt on former dependencies. Join the two interrogative writers as they discuss the legacies of Empire and following the trail of these unheard histories.

Book Festival News

Full 2025 Book Festival programme is announced with key theme of Repair Full 2025 Book Festival programme is announced with key theme of Repair
Tuesday 10 June

Enjoying this event? You can help us produce more like it.

Donate

Share

Watch more

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o: The Myth of Human Progress Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o: The Myth of Human Progress One of the greatest living writers, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o joins us by a live link from his home in Kenya. When he visited Edinburgh in 2018, Thiong’o discussed his detainment as a political prisoner in Kenya and his passionate advocacy for the use of local… Torrey Peters: Modern Families, Baby Torrey Peters: Modern Families, Baby Detransition, Baby is the fizzing debut novel from American author Torrey Peters, a modern story about motherhood, sex, relationships and chosen family. Reese is a trans woman in her 30s who desperately yearns for motherhood when Ames, her former lover… David Peace & Chris Power: Cities That Cast Long Shadows David Peace & Chris Power: Cities That Cast Long Shadows Berlin and Tokyo: two peaceful and thriving cities… yet each haunted by the weight of history, where everything is imbued with ‘the stench of the past, the noise of the future.’ Chris Power’s clever debut novel A Lonely Man is set in Berlin under the… Michael Ignatieff: Consolation for Our Times Michael Ignatieff: Consolation for Our Times The historian and political theorist Michael Ignatieff began writing a book about consolation before the first lockdown. Now, our lives changed by Covid-19, and with over 80 million refugees fleeing conflicts worldwide, On Consolation feels spectacularly… Julia Donaldson and Peter May (2015 Event) Julia Donaldson and Peter May (2015 Event) With the domination of the English language in publishing, we can often overlook what happens beyond our borders. How does a writer's work travel to other nations? How do authors keep ownership of their translations? Watch two of our finest literary… Helena Merriman: Undermining the Berlin Wall Helena Merriman: Undermining the Berlin Wall Many of us remember 1989 and the images of people dancing on the Berlin Wall before it fell. Journalist and broadcaster Helena Merriman has focused on the other end of the Berlin Wall story, the early 1960s when it was first built. Based on her… Kevin Barry: Looking Across a Bog to the Bluestack Mountains Kevin Barry: Looking Across a Bog to the Bluestack Mountains Sligo, Leitrim and Limerick are some of Ireland’s smaller, less populated counties. So what did they do to deserve the talents of Kevin Barry? The answer lies in the tender and humorous short stories of Barry’s newest collection, That Old Country Music… Ian Rankin talks to Phill Jupitus at the Edinburgh International Book Festival Ian Rankin talks to Phill Jupitus at the Edinburgh International Book Festival Since Ian Rankin’s appearance at last year’s Book Festival, his iconic detective Rebus has made his stage debut in Long Shadows and is set to star in a television series by Black Watch playwright Gregory Burke. Rankin’s latest, In a House of Lies, is a… William Dalrymple: When India Led the World William Dalrymple: When India Led the World A huge success as co-host with Anita Anand of the Empire podcast, looking at how empires rose and fell in history, best-selling Scottish-born, India-based historian William Dalrymple is about to publish The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the… Kezia Dugdale & Lesley Riddoch: Once Upon a Time in Holyrood Kezia Dugdale & Lesley Riddoch: Once Upon a Time in Holyrood When Humza Yousaf became the sixth First Minister of Scotland, he promised, "new leadership, a fresh start for Scotland" – but amid the enquiries and intrigue, what does that really mean? Join our panel including former Leader of Scottish Labour, Kezia…