Henrietta Bowden-Jones, Erin Saltman & Åsne Seierstad with Lennie Goodings (2015 Event)

What draws women to the extremes of war? Åsne Seierstad, acclaimed author of The Bookseller of Kabul and a seasoned war reporter, talks about being on the frontline; Erin Saltman, Senior Counter Extremism Researcher from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, tells us what makes young women slip from their families to go to Syria; and Imperial College psychiatrist Dr Henrietta Bowden-Jones explores the behavioural science behind it all. Together with Lennie Goodings they discuss women and extremism, in this event recorded live at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Download MP3

Book Festival News

Communities Programme participants celebrate success of 2024 Communities Programme participants celebrate success of 2024
Friday 13 December

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

Donate

Share

Listen to more

Libraries in the Digital Age (2015 Event) Libraries in the Digital Age (2015 Event) With the world’s knowledge accessible from anywhere via a computer screen, why should we continue to value physical spaces for literacy? In this discussion, recorded live… Pussy Riot's Maria Alyokhina with Yanis Varoufakis (2018 Event) Pussy Riot's Maria Alyokhina with Yanis Varoufakis (2018 Event) 'To back down an inch is to give up a mile,' says Maria Alyokhina in Riot Days, her account of Pussy Riot’s extraordinary rise to infamy in 2012. Following an iconoclastic balaclava-clad performance in a Moscow cathedral, Alyokhina and two of her… Arthur Smith Arthur Smith The irreverent, hilarious and scandalous broadcaster Arthur Smith began his event at the Book Festival in the dark due to a complete power failure but with his booming voice and general good humour he revelled in the novelty of performing in the dark. And… Terry Waite (2015 Event) Terry Waite (2015 Event) As special envoy to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Terry Waite spent plenty of time not only in the company of Robert Runcie, but also his son James. Then, he was kidnapped in Beirut. Upon his release, Waite continued his charity work, befriended his… Ryan Gattis and Marlon James (2015 Event) Ryan Gattis and Marlon James (2015 Event) Images of the 1992 LA riots were beamed across the world as six days of violence left a city bruised and broken. In All Involved, Ryan Gattis concocts a novel from separate voices of those whose story wasn’t told. The 1976 attempted murder of Bob… Christos Tsiolkas (2010 event) Christos Tsiolkas (2010 event) Christos Tsiolkas flew all the way to Edinburgh from his home in Australia to open the 2010 Edinburgh International Book Festival in fine literary style. In a sold-out event chaired by Steven Gale, he discussed his much talked-about best-selling novel The… Niall Ferguson (2011 Event) Niall Ferguson (2011 Event) Are we living through the dying embers of Western ascendancy? For Scottish historian and broadcaster Niall Ferguson, the ‘killer applications’ test is the best way to measure our status with the rest of the world… Alasdair Gray (2014 event) Alasdair Gray (2014 event) Hear the inimitable Alasdair Gray talking about his almost-autobiography, his masterpiece Lanark and his meetings with other literary figures at the Book Festival… Alexander Masters Alexander Masters Alexander Masters' biography of homeless Stuart Shorter, Stuart: A Life Backwards, has been hailed by critics as startling, remarkable, rare, haunting and uplifting. In this utterly absorbing event from 2006, he asks how a life can follow such a troubled… Omid Djalili (2014 event) Omid Djalili (2014 event) Acclaimed comedian and actor Omid Djalili has produced a joyously funny memoir about growing up and finding fame as a young Iranian in London. He beautifully captures his unique childhood in his parents’ guesthouse, describing meetings with an array…