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Events

Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least ten days before publication to suzanne.black@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Suzanne Black.

Thursday 2

Edinburgh

VIII The Space of The Page Scottish Poetry Library. 5 (‘richton‘s (‘lose. (‘anongate. 557 2876. L'ntil Sat 2() Dec. 1 lam—6pm; Sat l-5pm; closed Sundays. Starting with Stephane Mallarme's Un (‘nup (1e Des. curators Thomas A (‘lark and Julie Johnstone take a look at the relationship between poem and page in this exhibition that draws on the works of‘ work of Charles ()lson. Iiugen (iomringer. Ian Hamilton Finlay. lidwin Morgan and more.

Glasgow

Writers Read for Amnesty The

Glasgow School ol'An. 167 Renl’rew Street. 353 4526. 7pm. £4 (£3). Anne Donovan. (iha/i Hussein. Tom Leonard and others exchange their pens for the spoken word and read from their works in support of the human rights organisation. A short film by the Camcorder (iuerillas will also he shown. Advance tickets from amnesty(a‘cartside.co.uk. also available at the door.

Edinburgh

Latif Bolat Workshop The Augustine Church. 41-43 (icorge IV Bridge. 668 2()l‘). 10am—4pm. £20 (£15). The Turkish musician heads a workshop on "Turkish Mystic Sufi Literature' drawing on poetry. storytelling. humour and philosophy.

Monday 6

Edinburgh

Reading Group: New Books Scottish Poetry Library. 5 (‘richton’s ('lose. (‘anongate. 557 2876. 6.3()~-8pm. £5 (£3). Librarian Julie Johnstone selects the pick of the library’s new poetry for discussion. This month is the tum of .«Vigh-Nu-I’Iru'e by Jen Hadlield. For booking and more details please phone or email reception(fl‘spl.org.uk

Tuesday 7

Edinburgh

VIII Book Group: ‘Exploring Scotland through the printed word' National Library of Scotland. (ieorge IV Bridge. 623 4675. 6pm. A monthly discussion group for lovers of Scottish fiction. (‘ontact Beverley (‘asebow on ()l3l 623 384] or ('arol Stobie on ()l 31 623 3842 for more information.

VIII Marie Carter Blackwells. 53 5‘) South Bridge. 622 8222. 6.30pm. Ticketed. (‘arter went from working behind the counter in James Thins to being on the shelves. via swinging from a trapeze. the experience of which inspired her debut novel. The 'I'rupe:e Diaries. Tickets from ()l3l 622 8216 or claire.leach(a‘blackwell.co.uk

Wednesday 8 _

Edinburgh VIII Book Crossing Meet-up National Library of Scotland. (ieorge IV Bridge. 623 3845. 1—2pm. Turn on. tune in and trade up! Bring along works of' fiction by Scottish authors to swap them for another. alter a lively debate. Julie Walters in Conversation Royal Lyceum Theatre. (irindlay Street. 248 4848. 5.3()—6.5()pm. £6. The

34 THE LIST 2—16 Oct 2008

national treasure has entertained tis for over 25 years and will be reading from and signing copies of her autobiography That '5‘ Another Story.

Poetry Association of Scotland: Ron Butlin Scottish Poetry Library. 5 (‘richton's ('lose. (‘anongate. 557 2876. 7.30pm. £5 (£3). The PAS season kicks off with lidinburgh's new Makar sharing the music and magic of' his poetry. Booking essential.

Thursday 9

Glasgow

VIII

Workaord Working Wording with Words 'l‘ramway. 25 Albert Drive. ()845

33() 3501. 7pm. An experimental spoken

word event to mark .‘v'uii'unul Poetry Day.

Edinburgh

VIII National Poetry Day Blackwells. 5359 South Bridge. 622 8222. 6.30pm. Ticketed. Some of the illustrious poets included in l()() l'in'uurite Scottish Love Poems read their meditations on that tnost tickle of emotions while the editor. Stewart (‘oniL discusses the collection as a whole. i‘ree tickets from ()l3l 622 8216 or claire.leach(a‘blackwell.co.uk

Glasgow

VIII Pat Nevin, John Wark, David Potter and Phil Jones \y'aterstone‘s. l53~~l57 Sauchiehall Street. 332 9105. 12.30 1.30pm. Meet the compilers ol’ the newly published An Iinijvi'lnpuerliu of Scottish Football.

Edinburgh VIII Peter Alliss Waterstone's. 83 (ieorge Street. 225 3436. 5- 6.30pm. The former Ryder (‘up player signs copies of (In/f} It '5‘ .\"ever You lute. David Malouf: Selected Works Scottish Poetry Library. 5 (‘richton‘s (‘lose. (’anongate. 557 2876. 7.30pm. £5 (£3). Australian writer Malouf talks about his favourite poems with Robyn Marsack.

Wednesday 15

Glasgow

Neal Stephenson Waterstone‘s.

I53 I57 Sauchiehall Street. 332 ‘)l()5. 6.30 -8pm. £2 (redeemable against purchase). Stephenson launches his latest postcyberpunk tome. Anal/rein.

Edinburgh

VIII Close Encounters: John Burnside National Library of Scotland. (ieorge IV Bridge. 62.3 4675. 7pm. Poet and novelist Burnside gets tip close and personal with poems in this joint event with the National Library of Scotland.

Thursday 1 6

Edinburgh

VIII Scott and Stevenson Oissect the Doctors Appleton 'i’owet'. L'niversity ol' lidinburgh. (‘richton Street. 65() 8445. 6pm. (‘aroline .‘ylc(‘racken- Flesher give a lecture on lidinburgh‘s gruesome scientific history. taking in Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. VIII Maria Ouercioli Bosi Blackwells. 53-5‘) South Bridge. 622 8222. 6.30pm. Ticketed. Readings in italian and linglish of' (In 'Amieizr'u l‘.T(’lII'()Ill('(l//‘II Ifmuil Friendship. with the author (Maria Quercioli Bosi). illustrator ((iillian Mc(‘onnell) and translator ((‘aroline iliggitt) all on hand to aid understanding. Tickets from ()I 3l 622 8216 or claire.leach(a‘blackwell.co.uk Oa Sang 0 da Barren Orange Tree Scottish Storytelling (‘entre. 43 -45 High Street. 556 957‘). 7pm. £6 (£4). Local poet (‘hristie \N'iliamson recites Lot'ca's Spanish poems in Shetlandic Scots accompanied by guitarist (ialo ('eron.

Comics

DRAMA

NATE POWELL Swallow Me Whole (Top Shell“) .000

Although Nate Powell's graphic novel about the growing pains of a pair of step-siblings living in small town America is in the magic realist mould. the fantastic elements here are definitely and in no way contrarin of the mundane variety. Teenage Ruthy has conversations with insects. both living and the dead ones she collects in jars. while her step-brother Perry is bugged by the nattering Gandalf eraser on the end of his pencil. But as mildly strange as all this is. Powell's focus is on the minutiae of the kids everyday existence:

benign step-dad Ewell's irritating way of forgetting about Ruthy's vegetarianism. the teaching of evolutionism being banned in school by the PTA. the kids' terminally ill maternal grandmother coming to live with them. It all adds up to a wonderfully nuanced portrait of teen angst. mental disorder and family (‘lysfunction And Powell's subtle storytelling is enhanced by his deceptively dynamic black and white artwork.

(Miles Fielder)

CARTOON SATIRE CURT SIBLING

Total Fear: Collection 2 (Small Press) 000

It‘s obvious right away that pseudonymous Scots comic creator Curt Sibling is taking the mickey. but the way in which he does it really has to be spot-on in its exeCution to succeed. This self-published. black and white anthology takes a few shorts swipes at staple concepts of adventure

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stories and films. with little bits of The Twilight Zone. Scoohy Doe and The Mummy films sprinkled around. That each story inevitably features a pair of buxom young women in the tightest of tops is what makes his work a love- or-hate experience however.

A lot of the humour is pretty childish. but in all fairness. not much more than Tarantino when he sent hot-partied young women high-kicking around the back roads of America in Death Proof. The idea of a comic book equivalent of exploitation cinema is a good one. although Siblings art and humour isn't yet nuanced enough to deflect any claims of sexism which might be aimed his way. (David Pollock)

SCI-Fl ADVENTURE GARTH ENNIS 8. GARY ERSKINE Dan Dare

(Virgin Comics) 0.00

Following cold on the heels of Grant Morrison and Rian Hughes‘ controversial. and some might say ugly. early 90s update of Britain's noblest comics hero. this seven-part revival from Richard Branson’s comics line. now repackaged in one hardback collection. takes a more affectionate. nostalgic line. It does come from the pen of Garth Ennis. though. and the celebrated Northern Irish writer of Preacher and The Boys is known

to be a fan of a good old-fashioned war story.

So Space Fleet becomes the Royal Navy here. and much of the later action is staged like battleship warfare in space. Of course. no update of a classic character is complete without a bit of real world cynicism, and the story is tempered by Dare's lack of faith in a dOuble-talking government at the beginning and a succession of real tragedies throughout. More than just a cracking yarn. this fine mini-saga has plenty to say on the subject of hereism.

(DaVId Pollock)

SUPERHERO KURT BUSIEK & ALEX ROSS Marvels

(Marvel UK) 0.00

Comics are often repackaged and reprinted. sometimes seemingly ad infinitum. but when it's as gorgeous a package as 1994's Marvels it's hard to argue with another opportunity for new readers to discover such a wonderfully rounded work of fiction. Marvels general premise is to look at the public's reaction to the wonders inherent in a world of superheroes. telling the story of the Marvel Universe from the point of View of photographer Phil Sheldon. conveying his awe. astonishment and fear at this new world inhabited by the superpowered. Kurt Busiek achieves this exactly, injecting an everyman perspective into these stories of heroes. mutants and gifted aliens. while Alex Ross' fully painted art is. as always. exemplary. (Henry Northmore)