Edinburgh Festival of Scottish Writing 2007
Libraries across Edinburgh
Various times
Free, booking may be required
The seventh annual Edinburgh City Libraries' Festival of Scottish writing runs for two weeks this May, with an expanded programme with leading authors such as Christopher Brookmyre and John Aberdein. There is also a children's programme, with something for children of all ages.
A full programme is available on the Festival of Scottish Writing website. Here are some of our highlights:
Saturday 12th May
- 2.30 - 3.30pm - Stuart McHardy - Stories and Songs: Ancient and Modern Ideas - Storyteller Stuart McHardy picks up his guitar for an afternoon of folklore and songs. McDonald Road Library
Sunday 13th May
- 2.30 - 3.30pm - Christopher Brookmyer - Meet the author of A Tale Etched in Blood and Hard Black Pencil and hear him read from his forthcoming novel Attack of the Unsinkable Rubber Ducks - McDonald Road Library
- 6.30 - 7.3pm - Catriona McPherson - the author of The Burry Man's Day will be talking about her sources of inspiration. South Queensferry Library
Tuesday 15th May
- 6.30 - 7.45pm - Elizabeth Cumming talks about Scotland's role in the Arts and Crafts Movement, as demonstrated in her beautiful book Hand, Heart and Soul. Central Library Conference Room
Wednesday 16th May
- 6.30 - 7.30pm - Aline Templeton - a chance to meet local crime writer Aline Templeton as she discusses her latest Galloway-set novel, Lying Dead. Blackhall Library
Thursday 17th May
- 6.30 - 7.30pm - John Aberdein - Meet the Saltire Society award-winning author of Amande's Bed. Central Library Conference Room
- 6.30 - 7.30pm - Reg McKay - Meet best-selling true crime writer and novelist Reg McKay as he talks about his latest book, Killers, Crooks and Cons. Ratho Library
- 6.30 - 7.30pm - Antonia Swinson - Scotsman columnist and writer Antonia Swinson explores the social aspects of gardening in You Are What You Grow. Leith Library
Tuesday 22nd May
- 10.30 - 11.30am - Lara Boyd helps young mothers prepare healthy, fresh food for babies in First Foods Fast. Babies and toddlers welcome. Portobello Library
Wednesday 23rd May
- 6.30 - 7.30pm - Des Dillon - Meet Des Dillon and hear him read from his short story collection They Scream When You Kill Them. Fountainbridge Library
Thursday 24th May
- 6.30 - 7.30pm - Alistair Findlay - The unlikely title of The Love Songs of John Knox heralds a darkly funny collection of poetry. Newington Library
- 6.30 - 7.45pm - Robin Crichton takes us away from Edinburgh to the South of France, following the paintings of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, collected in Monsieur Mackintosh. Central Library Conference Room
Saturday 26th May
- 2.30 - 3.30pm - Michael Cannon - Meet the author of Lachlan's War. Newington Library
Bookings for events can be made by telephoning the library hosting the event.
- Amande's Bed
It is 1956 and post-war Scotland is reeling - with sex, Americans, storms, the news from Budapest and fish. Young Peem is hankering, trying to find his legs in that reel - what with Miss Florence, his mother, Haze, Bridget Amande, Dinah, plus the girls in - Attack Of The Unsinkable Rubber Ducks
Jack Parlabane is dead. Or is he? In an unlikely twist of the democratic process, he had been elected Rector of Glasgow's Kelvin University, taking over the post from the celebrity para-psychologist Gabrielle Lafayette. - The Burry Man's Day
Summer 1923, and as the village of Queensferry prepares for the annual Ferry Fair and the walk of the Burry Man, feelings are running high. - First Foods Fast
'First Foods Fast' is full of recipes that do not require a great deal of time, skill or money, and is divided into three key sections, with recipes for babies at different ages. - Hand, Heart And Soul: The Arts And Crafts Movement In Scotland
'Hand, Heart and Soul' examines one of Scotland's most important artistic movements. It looks at public art, concepts of tradition, the rise of independent professional women designers, domestic and church buildings, the role of craft within communities, and how arts and crafts was transformed in the age of modernism. - Lachlan's War
On a wintry evening in 1941 Dr Lachlan McCready is on his rounds in the remote Scottish village of Rassaig when he comes across a silent, frightened evacuee boy who is trying to survive in one of Rassaig's poorest homes. Lachlan, also scarred by loss, sees that desperate times call for desperate measures. - The Love Songs Of John Knox
This collection consists of poems and musings on contemporary Scottish culture, literature and identity, thematically linked by the iconic - and controversial - figure of John Knox. - Lying Dead
DI Marjory Fleming thrives on the adrenalin and tension that come with heading a major crime investigation. With the discovery of not one, but two murdered corpses on her patch, she's about to feel the pressure like never before. - Monsieur Mackintosh: The Travels And Paintings Of Charles Rennie Mackintosh In The Pyrénées Orientales 1923-1927
Discussing Charles Rennie Mackintosh's years in France, this work includes reproductions of 40 of his French paintings alongside photographs of the actual locations and images from the period 1923-1927. - On The Trail Of Scotland's Myths And Legends
From the oral traditions of the Scots, Gaelic and Norse speakers of the past, this book presents a new picture of who the Scots are and where they come from. The stories are hilarious, tragic, heroic or frightening but all provide an insight into a unique tradition of myth, legend and folklore. - A Tale Etched In Blood And Hard Black Pencil
Does knowing someone since childhood enable one to know who is capable of killing in adulthood? Or is there some nugget in their shared experience which explains the murder scene in the hills outside Glasgow? - They Scream When You Kill Them
Welcome to Des Dillon's world - a world where murderous poultry and evolutionary elephants make their mark. Featuring modern, unique, and often gritty stories, Dillon takes the reader on a journey into a world where - amongst other bizarre happenings - the cast of Othello find themselves in the Big Brother house. - You Are What You Grow: Life, Land And The Pursuit Of Happiness
'You Are What You Grow' is the author's vision of how the world ticks. Scything down the caricature of the allotmenteer, this is a social and political critique from an allotmenteer's point of view. She explores issues such as the history of British land ownership, organic produce and self-sufficiency, community building, and much more.
