Tartan Week 2006: New York Programme

Tartan Bites Showcase

Scottish Book Trust is holding a wide-ranging and ambitious programme of events in New York and Washington DC for the 2006 Tartan Week. Tartan Bites represents Scotland’s vast literary landscape with the best the nation has to offer in fiction, non-fiction, poetry, storytelling and song.

Thursday 30 March
Launch event with Neal Ascherson and Alastair Reid: Unearthing Scotland
Two of Scotland’s sharpest-eyed and most cosmopolitan sons talk about their view of Scotland from near and far. Followed by a reception hosted by Alexander McCall Smith.

Sunday 2 April and Monday 3 April
Fresh talent
Showcasing three outstanding young talents, Louise Welsh reads in Chelsea (Monday), while Rodge Glass and Alan Bissett pack out one of NYC’s most trendy literary watering holes – the KGB bar (Sunday).

Tuesday 4 April
AL Kennedy and Michel Faber
Two world class best selling icons of literary fiction read from their latest work at Barnes & Noble’s flagship store on Union Square.

Wednesday 5 April
Celebrating Scotland’s Poetry with the Poetry Society of America at the National Art’s Club - An all star line up featuring Liz Lochhead, Alastair Reid, James Robertson and Janice Galloway read their selection of favourite Scottish poems, exploring some of the influences and experiences that went into their making. Chaired by Alice Quinn, poetry editor of The New Yorker.

Thursday 6 April
Andrew O’Hagan and Janice Galloway (chaired by Richard Holloway).
Discussing their novels Personality and Clara, two of Scotland’s sharpest literary minds bring their world class talents to bear on the business of writing about famous lives and the cult of celebrity at Barnes and Noble, Astor Place.

Friday 7 April
Scotland in Story and Song
In a mixture of English, Scots and Gaelic, Grace Banks, Martyn Macintyre and Margaret Bennett explore Scotland’s rich oral heritage in Swift’s Hibernian Lounge, one of NYC’s most lively Celtic bars.