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HITLIST HITLIST THE BEST BOOKS, COMICS & EVENTS THE BEST BOOKS & SPOKEN WORD EVENTS
is crammed with over 400 bookish events ✽ Book Week Scotland The whole week ✽ Louise Welsh
all over Scotland, from storytelling to spoken word to comics to visual art. See preview, left. The ever-popular Glasgow author delivers See bookweekscotland.com for full listings. a lecture entitled ‘Robert Louis Stevenson and the Theatre of the Brain’. If that wasn’t intriguing enough, let us hit you with the event’s subtitle: – simply read it as a story, or get involved ‘An Exploration of. in solving the codes and puzzles. See review, page 44. Canongate. ✽ S. A multilayered narrative in novel form ✽ Louise Welsh ✽ Wee Small Hours The perfect chance
The ever-popular Glasgow author delivers a lecture entitled ‘Robert Louis Stevenson and the Theatre of the Brain’. If that wasn’t intriguing with a mix of writers, artists and musicians enough, let us hit you with the event’s subtitle: ‘An presenting entertainment all the way through Exploration of. the night. Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, Fri 29 Nov.
to enjoy the Louise Bourgeois exhibition
✽ Anti-Zine Circus Launch The Antisocial Writers Club offers quirky
readings and music to celebrate the launch of their circus-themed zine. Summerhall, Edinburgh, Sat 16 Nov.
✽ This is the Story of a Happy Marriage Award-
winning American writer Ann Patchett’s essay collection is amusing and intelligent. See review, page 44. Bloomsbury.
✽ Finding Our Own Heroines Novelist Lari Don explores the history of heroines
and presents her new book, a collection of heroine tales. Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, Fri 29 Nov.
✽ Dead Poets Slam A performance poetry night with a difference, as local poets remix the classic verse of their dead literary heroes. Costumes encouraged. Bongo Club, Edinburgh, Sat 30 Nov.
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14 Nov–12 Dec 2013 THE LIST 43
BOOK WEEK SCOTLAND A second series of projects to get the nation reading and writing T he book, we hear, is in crisis, under
constant bombardment from electronic rivals, shrinking attention spans and general dumbing down. Yet, last year, more than 20,000 people attended an event during the inaugural Book Week Scotland, launched to celebrate all forms of reading and writing. This year there are more than 400 events across the country. together stories and memories contributed by people across Scotland – including a few well-known writers. And a day of treasure- themed events in Glasgow on Sat 30 Nov includes the launches of Sally Magnusson’s new children’s book and journalist Jack Webster’s final autobiographical volume, as well as talks on the history of the Barrowland Ballroom and the city’s architectural gems.
As well as author talks and writing salons, there are Big Book Bashes organised by local readers and organisations, reading-themed art installations, a new poll to reveal the nation’s ten favourite Scottish books, and a project giving three free picture books to every Primary 1 child in the country. Following last year’s My Favourite Place project, 150,000 copies of a new collection on the theme of treasures are being distributed free through libraries and other centres, bringing
Poet Ryan Van Winkle, an ambassador for this year’s event, reckons it’s the perfect chance to try new things: ‘Festivals, events and readings minimise the risk of trying out a genre or a subject you might never think of buying a whole book of; you never know what you’ll be switched on by, inspired by or surprised by.’ (Andrea Mullaney) Book Week Scotland, Mon 25 Nov–Sun 1 Dec, bookweekscotland.com