Remembering John Calder (1927-2018)

Everyone at the Book Festival is saddened to hear of the death of trailblazing publisher John Calder at the age of 91. Calder was a 'towering' opponent of censorship and the publisher of Beckett, Duras and Miller, as well as being the co-founder of the Traverse Theatre and the International Writers Conference.

Nick Barley, Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival said, “It is with great sadness that we heard of the death of John Calder. John, together with Jim Haynes, was instrumental in arranging the seminal 1962 Writers Conference in Edinburgh - the precursor to the Edinburgh International Book Festival.  We were delighted that in 2012, the 50th anniversary of that event, he was able to participate at our own Edinburgh World Writers Conference.  He was one of publishing’s great mavericks – bold, thrawn and iconoclastic. His voice and influence will be very much missed.”