Book Festival Launched

The 27th Edinburgh Book Festival has been launched to the press, and a rich programme of events are indeed to be found this year. Our new Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy will appear on the opening day, and on the same day Garrison Keillor will bring us the latest news from Lake Wobegon.

For those of you hooked on the TV series “The Wire”, two of the writers David Simon and Richard Price will be talking about their work. A dozen of Sweden’s best writers are on offer, including the widely popular Henning Mankell. Margaret Atwood will launch her new novel, as will Mathius Malzieu from France and Andrey Kurkov from the Ukraine. There will also be new works from Richard Dawkins, William Boyd, A L Kennedy and Irvine Welsh.

Among the political figures appearing are Cherie Blair, Roy Hattersley and Shirley Williams. Richard Holloway, Guest Director of this year’s Book Festival has created a special series of evening debates in the Spiegeltent bringing together authors, thinkers and experts to debate subjects as disparate as the economic crisis and the true meaning of happiness.

In this Homecoming year there is a Celebrating Scotland strand which will examine all things Scots including our National Bard, and will feature over 200 Scottish authors. A handful of actors and comedians will also be around, including Frank Skinner, Diana Quick, Antony Sher and Joss Ackland. And how can you be part of this cultural bonanza?
From 8.30am till 6.30pm on Monday June 22nd tickets are available at the International Conference Centre on Morrison Street. Thereafter from Tuesday 23rd June till Thursday 13th August the Box Office will be at The Hub on the Royal Mile and will be open from 10.00am till 5.00pm Monday to Saturday.
Tickets may be booked on-line from 22nd June at www.edbookfest.co.uk or by phone at 08453735888.
When the Festival opens on 15th August the Box Office will be in Charlotte Square Gardens daily from 9.30am to 8.30pm.