Matthieu Aikins, Sally Hayden & Polly Pallister-Wilkins: Bordering on Inhumane

Deemed by Sally Rooney as the ‘most important work of contemporary reporting’, My Fourth Time, We Drowned explores Sally Hayden’s staggering investigation into the migrant crisis across North Africa. In The Naked Don’t Fear the Water, journalist Matthieu Aikins follows his friend Omar as he flees his war-torn country. And in Humanitarian Borders, Polly Pallister- Wilkins interrogates the humanitarian responses to border violence. A vital event for our times, chaired by Esa Aldegheri.

Book Festival News

Celebrating the 2024 Book Festival Celebrating the 2024 Book Festival
Monday 26 August

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

Donate

Share

Watch more

Tim Burgess with Ian Rankin (2016 Event) Tim Burgess with Ian Rankin (2016 Event) In his memoir Telling Stories, Tim Burgess lifted the lid on life with The Charlatans and their experiences at the heart of the 1990s 'Madchester' scene. In this event, filmed live at the 2016 Edinburgh International Book Festival, Burgess is joined by… Iman Mersal: The Limits and Pleasures of Egyptian Womanhood Iman Mersal: The Limits and Pleasures of Egyptian Womanhood Iman Mersal is a major figure in international literature, an Egyptian poet whose work is characterised by her ardently experimental style. Her latest novel, Fee Athar Enayat Al Zayyat (In the Footsteps of Enayat Al-Zayyat), was published in 2019 and was… Interview - Julia Donaldson and Peter May Interview - Julia Donaldson and Peter May We caught up with brilliant and best known writers Julia Donaldson and Peter May to talk writing and translation, which was the subject of their joint event in Charlotte Square Gardens. We also asked some audience members what they thought about the event… Anne Enright with Vicky Featherstone: Mothers and Daughters Anne Enright with Vicky Featherstone: Mothers and Daughters ‘You were always sitting in character, you were just never sure which one.’ So says Norah to the memory of her mother in Actress, the new novel by Anne Enright. The mother in question is Katherine O’Dell, who died aged 58 – the same age Norah has now… Peter Hitchens speaks to Ruth Wishart at the Edinburgh International Book Festival Peter Hitchens speaks to Ruth Wishart at the Edinburgh International Book Festival A former member of the International Socialists, Peter Hitchens now leans firmly to the right. But his latest book, The Phoney Victory, may rankle with those on both sides of the political spectrum as he argues that Britain went into truncated decline… Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor: Across the Indian Ocean Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor: Across the Indian Ocean ‘In this dazzling novel you will find the entirety of human experience – tearshed, bloodshed, lust, love – in staggering proportions.’ So said Taiye Selasi about Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor’s debut novel Dust in 2015 – a book that heralded the arrival of a… 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… Oana Aristide & Courttia Newland: New World Disorder Oana Aristide & Courttia Newland: New World Disorder One interesting product of dystopian fiction is the new perspective it offers on the real world we are living in. That is the case in the novels discussed today. Oana Aristide’s Under the Blue was written before the pandemic hit but with uncanny timing it… Sean Connery - filmed highlights Sean Connery - filmed highlights On the day of his 78th birthday, 25 August 2008, Edinburgh-born film icon Sean Connery chats with his friend and co-author Murray Grigor about a range of subjects including his much-anticipated book Being A Scot. The event proved to be the fastest-selling… Jed Mercurio & Prasanna Puwanarajah: The Bionic Policeman Jed Mercurio & Prasanna Puwanarajah: The Bionic Policeman If you were one of the millions of people captivated by hit TV police thriller Line of Duty, the name of its creator and screenwriter Jed Mercurio will be very familiar. Now Mercurio has teamed up with actor, writer and director Prasanna Puwanarajah and…