Simon Pegg
Books EVENTS
EVENTS Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least ten days before publication to books@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Laura Ennor.
Thursday 7 Glasgow FREE Lesley Duncan: Images Not Icons Mitchell Library, 201 North Street, 287 2999. 6–7pm. The Herald’s poetry editor, Lesley Duncan, celebrates 20 years in the job with the publication of Images Not Icons, a collection of verse on everything from the collapse of Communism to sex, war and peace, family and the arts.
Edinburgh FREE National Poetry Day tea party Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 3pm. An old-fashioned tea party with a twist – bring your favourite poems to share aloud. FREE Anne Downie book launch Blackwell, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6pm. Ticketed. Scottish playwright Anne Downie launches her debut novel The Witches of Pollok, which is based on a true story set in 17th-century Glasgow.
✽✽ FREE A Night in the Gutter National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3918. 8pm. Louise Welsh introduces new lights on the literary scene – an all-female group of diverse and controversial writers – for an evening of spoken word and performance. With a bar and music by DJ Miaoux Miaoux. Gliterary Lunch Caledonian Hilton Hotel, Princes Street, 01423 873116. £50. Good food, good books and good company with award-winning authors Sadie Jones and Alice Thompson. See www.gliterarylunches.com for full event details.
North Lanarkshire ✽✽ Words 2010: North Lanarkshire Festival of Books and Writing Various venues. Now in its fifth year, the festival returns bigger than ever with appearances by guests including actors Tony Roper and John Cairney, crime writers Denise Mina and GJ Moffat, sci-fi author Stephen Baxter and musician Edwyn Collins, with music, events and a booksale. Runs until Sat 30 Oct. See www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk for details.
Paisley FREE National Poetry Day with Read Raw The Festival Hub, Paisley Centre, 23 High Street, 0141 572 0125. 12.45pm. Read Raw is a collective promoting wider engagement with creative writing. Poetry readings are followed by a creative writing workshop.
Friday 8
Glasgow FREE Reading Allowed Tchai Ovna, 42 Otago Lane, 357 4524. 8pm. A monthly event of storytelling and poetry reading from well-known and emerging local writers. Saturday 9
Glasgow FREE Yvonne Rainer: Feelings are Facts Glasgow Women’s Library, 15 Berkeley Street, 07783 975044. Noon. The influential filmmaker reads from her book, Feelings are Facts: A Life. Booking required. FREE Graham Fulton Book Launch Street Level Photo Works, Trongate 103, 552 2151. 7pm. Scottish poet Graham Fulton reads from his latest collection Black Motel/The Man Who Forgot How To. 38 THE LIST 7–21 Oct 2010
Given his track record on TV and in film, Nerd Do Well is almost too perfect a memoir title for Simon Pegg. From Spaced to Shaun of the Dead and Star Trek, his geekiness has served him splendidly. Luckily, he’s also extremely funny and intelligent with it. ■ Waterstone’s, Glasgow & Edinburgh, Wed 20 Oct.
Edinburgh Nothing but the Poem John Hope Gateway Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, Arboretum Place, 557 2876. 11am–12.30pm. £5 (£4). An informal poetry session on the subject of green spaces, with Lilias Fraser from the Scottish Poetry Library. Ages 16+. Rutherglen FREE An Afternoon with Fiona Gibson Rutherglen Town Hall, 139 Main Street, 613 5700. 3pm. The children’s author and former Jackie journalist recounts funny tales from her roles as a writer, mother and maker-up of horoscopes. Booking is required.
Monday 11 Edinburgh James Duncan: An Enlightened Victorian Royal Botanic Garden (Lecture Theatre), 20a Inverleith Row, 552 7171. 7.30pm. £5 (members £3). Andrew McDonald Watson discusses and signs copies of his biography of James Duncan, Laird of Benmore, 1870–1889.
Tuesday 12
Edinburgh ✽✽ Iain M Banks: Surface Detail Waterstone’s West End, 128 Princes
Street, 226 2666. 6–7.30pm. £2 (redeemable against purchase). One of Britain’s finest modern storytellers, Iain Banks reads from and signs copies of his much-anticipated latest offering which imagines an interstellar anarchist utopian society. Blimey.
Wednesday 13 Glasgow Iain M Banks: Surface Detail Waterstone’s, 153–157 Sauchiehall Street, 332 9105. 6.30–8pm. £3 (redeemable against purchase). See Tue 12. Poetry @ the Ivory: Viv Gee The Ivory, 2–4 Camphill Avenue, 632 2701. 7–9.30pm. £3. An evening of entertainment from poet, actor and comedian, Viv Gee.
Haddington FREE Poetry in Motion Tynepark Resource Centre, Poldrate, 572 0125. 10.30am–4pm. Art, poetry, dance, photography and live music in celebration of mental wellbeing. Part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival.
Thursday 14
Glasgow FREE A Girl’s Guide to Vintage Waterstone’s, 153–157 Sauchiehall Street, 332 9105. 6.30–8pm. Ticketed. Fashionista, journalist and presenter Lynne McCrossan discusses her new book, which explores the bargaintastic pastime of vintage clothes shopping. Edinburgh FREE Book Signing: Tom Rubython Waterstone’s, Cameron Toll Shopping Centre, 6 Lady Road, 666 1866. Noon–2.30pm. Bestselling author Tom Rubython signs copies of Shunt, his new biography of iconic racing driver James Hunt. James McGonigal book launch Waterstone’s West End, 128 Princes Street, 226 2666. 6.30pm. £2 (redeemable against purchase). James McGonigal launches his biography of the late Edwin Morgan, Beyond the Last Dragon: A Life of Edwin Morgan.
Friday 15
Edinburgh FREE Launch: The Journey to Mount Kailash by Robert Leach Word Power Bookshop, 43 West Nicolson Street, 662 9112. 7pm. Poet Robert Leach launches his new collection, which takes the reader on a voyage across India to the remote and sacred Mount Kailash.
Saturday 16 Edinburgh Nothing but the Poem Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 557 2876. 11am–12.30pm. £5 (£3). An informal poetry group which removes the pressures of review, criticism and hype,
with Lilias Fraser. Pitching Your Manuscript MacDonald Library, MacDonald Road, 529 5636. 2–5pm. £60. Make the best possible pitch to prospective publishers by finding out how to compose a professional synopsis and cover letter, and get written feedback on them afterwards. With editor and literary consultant Claire Wingfield.
Monday 18 Edinburgh FREE Blackwell Book Group Blackwell, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. 6pm. Stephen Fry’s The Hippopotamus comes under discussion this month. Jaded and bitter, recently- sacked journalist Ted Wallace seeks a bit of R and R in the country. Next month’s book up for dissection is Hans Fallada’s Alone in Berlin.
Tuesday 19
Edinburgh FREE David Perrett: In Your Face Blackwell, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8206. 6.30pm. Ticketed. We’ve all been guilty of judging someone by their appearance, but what can someone’s looks really tell us about them? David Perrett, a leading scholar in the field, sets the record straight in his new book, In Your Face. FREE John K V Eunson: Caledonia Dreaming Waterstone’s West End, 128 Princes Street, 226 2666. 6.30pm. Ticketed. Eunson discusses his new book, in which he examines contributions made to the world by Scottish inventors which, as well as things like TV, the steam engine, golf and penicillin, include the BBC (believe it or not), marmalade and the much-maligned speedo. Yikes.
Wednesday 20
Glasgow ✽✽ FREE Simon Pegg: Nerd Do Well Waterstone’s, 153–157
Sauchiehall Street, 332 9105. 12.30–1.30pm. The zombie-bashing funnyman signs copies of his autobiography. See caption.
✽✽ Felix Dennis: Did I Mention the Free Wine? Oran Mor,
731–735 Great Western Road, 357 6200. 7pm. £10–£12 (£5). Now that we have your attention, join one of Britain’s best- loved poets for an evening of wine and poetry as part of his 21-date tour to launch his sixth book, Tales From the Woods.
Edinburgh ✽✽ FREE Simon Pegg: Nerd Do Well Waterstone’s West End, 128
Princes Street, 226 2666. 6pm. See Glasgow. FREE Vagabond Voices presents . . . Blackwell, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8206. 6.30pm. Ticketed. The Lewis-based independent publisher of rants and changelings (or polemical works and translations) presents Alan Cameron’s The Berlusconi Bonus and Renzo Llorente’s Beyond the Pale.
Thursday 21
Edinburgh FREE Allan Massie: Klaus and other stories Blackwell, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8206. 6.30pm. Ticketed. Prolific writer Allan Massie launches his new collection of short stories.
✽✽ Felix Dennis: Did I Mention the Free Wine? The Hub,
Castlehill, Royal Mile, 0844 815 5870. 7pm. £10. See Wed 20. Stirling FREE Hugh McMillan Pathfoot Building (University of Stirling), 01786 473 171. 7.30pm. Readings by Scottish poet Hugh McMillan, whose collections include Aphrodite’s Anorak, Strange Bamboo and The Lost Garden.