How We Kept The Conversation Going in 2020

Anne Enright: Flying the Nest  Anne Enright, one of Ireland’s most celebrated authors, returns to discuss her new novel, The Wren, The Wren. The possibility of freedom and the pain of separation affect mother and daughter differently when Carmel watches Nell go out into the world. Join… 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… Loud Poets Grand Slam Final The highly anticipated Loud Poets Grand Slam Final promises to be a festival highlight, combining music with fist-thumping, side-tickling poetry. Having qualified through a series of Scotland-wide Slams, 12 poets compete for a £3,000 prize and the coveted… Interview - Jussi Adler-Olsen (2015) Bestselling Danish crime writer and creator of the Department Q novels Jussi Adler-Olsen joined us for a quick chat in Charlotte Square Gardens before his event. We also asked some of his fans what they thought about what he had to say. You can see Jussi&#… Sarah Smith: Hear No Evil One of three major performances this year looking at today’s Scotland through the lens of its past, present and future, Hear No Evil is based on the debut novel by Sarah Smith. This production uses a fusion of sign language, image and performance to tell… The Accessibility of Books What steps are being taken for those who face barriers in accessing books, or whose stories are underrepresented in mainstream publishing? Chaired by author and co-founder of the Good Literary Agency, Nikesh Shukla, this event showcases examples of how… Jackie Kay: My Libidinous, Raunchy, Fearless Blueswoman ‘Bessie Smith showed me the air and taught me how to fill it.’ And Janis Joplin was certainly not the only person who fell in love with the Tennessee blues singer’s unforgettable voice. As a young Black girl growing up in Glasgow, Jackie Kay found in… David Cannadine at the Edinburgh International Book Festival It’s easy to feel fatigued by continual political crises and the nation’s uncertain future. In a world of chaotic news headlines, how can we find understanding and perspective on what is happening? Hear one of Britain’s most renowned historians and… Matt Haig at the Edinburgh International Book Festival The modern world can make us feel like the walls are closing in, but a vanguard of writers are here to help us cope – and none more so than Matt Haig. After the storming success of Reasons to Stay Alive comes Notes on a Nervous Planet, a wise and witty… Alan Cumming (2016 Event) Dividing his time between New York and Hollywood, one of our best-kent Scottish actors has found himself at the centre of an impressive collection of scenes, scrapes and scraps in the world of showbiz. Alan Cumming has now gathered some of his best…