Fri 24 August 10:00- Paterson Arran 10:10 Ten at Ten
13:30 Michael Meacher
Writers’ Retreat, Free: Book in Advance
A delicious morning reading from one of our Festival authors to set you up for the day. Check the screen in the Entrance Tent to see who’s reading each day.
ANOBII FIRST BOOK AWARD Nominee 10:15 Helen FitzGerald
& Herman Koch
When Tough Decisions are on the Menu The Guardian Spiegeltent, £10 [£8]
With The Donor, Scotland-based Aussie Helen FitzGerald delivers yet another tense thriller in the vein of previous triumphs such as My Last Confession and Dead Lovely. Single dad Will has perfectly functioning kidneys but twin daughters both need a transplant. How far will he go? In Spain-based Dutchman Herman Koch’s The Dinner, a polite social occasion temporarily camouflages some dark emotions. Free coffee, courtesy of Heritage Portfolio. 11:00 Christopher de Bellaigue
Iran, Oil and a Very British Coup Peppers Theatre, £10 [£8]
A timely book by the Economist’s Iran correspondent Christopher de Bellaigue looks at a key event in Iran’s recent history. In 1953, after the Iranian Prime Minister nationalised the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, Britain and the USA engineered a coup to protect British imperial power. In the process, an enlightened government was replaced by a dictatorial Shah. De Bellaigue is an Iran scholar who offers a fascinating new perspective. 11:00- Writing Workshop 12:30 So You Want to Write for Children?
Writers’ Retreat, £15 [£12]
Do you want to write a picture book, a teenage novel or something in between? Linda Strachan is the award-winning author of over 60 books including Writing for Children. She will help you decide what age group to choose, and advise you of the skills and approach required for each very different form of writing. In association with the Society of Authors.
Environmental Encounters of a Third Kind? RBS Main Theatre, £10 [£8]
Former Labour Environment Minister Michael Meacher tackles the very notion of existence in Destination of the Species. He wonders if there is a purpose behind the universe, or whether we live in a mechanistic sphere driven by blind natural forces. Or, to paraphrase a sentiment which was heavily espoused during his time in politics, could there in fact be a third way? 14:00 THE BAILLIE GIFFORD EVENT Jonathan Fenby
& Dilip Hiro
What Future for China and Central Asia? ScottishPower Studio Theatre, £10 [£8]
With Inside Central Asia, renowned political writer and historian Dilip Hiro offers a lucid narrative that places the present-day politics and peoples of Central Asia and its neighbours into an international context. Jonathan Fenby’s Tiger Head, Snake Tails looks at the future of China without resorting to the standard black and white story which insists that the country will either collapse or eventually rule the world. 14:00 Susan Fletcher &
Lian Hearn
Five great events about…
politics
Matthew Flinders & Dan Hind (16 Aug, p23)
Should we trust our politicians? Joanna Bourke & Roger Osborne (16 Aug, p24)
Political and social animals explored. Alistair Darling (24 Aug, p49)
Fascinating insights into the British economy, the financial crisis, and the Union. Gerry Hassan & Eric Shaw (25 Aug, p50)
Is the decline of Scottish Labour irreversible? Polly Toynbee & David Walker (26 Aug, p53)
What have the Coalition’s cuts done for us? A special mid-term MOT will reveal all…
Myth and Mystery Fictions RBS Corner Theatre, £7 [£5]
Author of the bestselling Eve Green and Oystercatchers, Susan Fletcher returns with The Silver Dark Sea, a tale of love, loss and the lore of deep waters. The islanders of Parla are astonished when a man is washed up onto their shores, welcoming him with both love and suspicion. Lian Hearn’s Blossoms and Shadows takes us to 1850s Japan, with the samurai age ending and a new country taking its place.
SCOTLAND’S RICH HISTORY 14:30 David Rae
An Insider’s Guide to the Botanics Peppers Theatre, £10 [£8]
Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden has been growing and studying plants for over 300 years, building on its origin as a physic garden. Now David Rae, Director of Horticulture, has assembled a handsome history of the Botanic Garden and its impressive plant collection. He joins us today to share some glorious images and fascinating little-known stories about the Botanics and the people behind its living collection. 15:00 Howard Jacobson
Alex Gray, 20:30
Calling Time on the Novel? RBS Main Theatre, £10 [£8]
Winner of the Man Booker in 2010 for The Finkler Question, Howard Jacobson is sure to rattle some cages with Zoo Time. Arguing that literature may be on its last knees thanks to that pesky internet, Jacobson introduces us to novelist Guy Ableman whose publisher and agent are no longer around. While the novel might be dying, Ableman’s desire to squeeze out one more great book is not. Supported by an anonymous donor.
Book now: www.edbookfest.co.uk 0845 373 5888 See page 83 for booking details
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