Edinburgh International Book Festival News

Thursday 12 June 2008

Celebrating 25 years of the Book Festival

2008 is our 25th anniversary and today we launch this year's programme - the biggest and most international in our history. You can download a copy of the 2008 brochure below right.

The packed series of literary and political events taking place in Charlotte Square Gardens this August culminates with a world exclusive: the launch of one of the most eagerly anticipated books for years - the long-awaited memoirs of Sean Connery, Being A Scot. In the city of his birth, and on his birthday, Sir Sean will be in discussion with his co-author, distinguished Scottish film-maker Murray Grigor on the final day of this year's Book Festival.

Sir Sean's appearance also marks a James Bond presence in this, the 100th anniversary year of Ian Fleming's birth. Author and comedian Charlie Higson will launch the fifth (and possibly final) episode of his hugely successful Young Bond series, while we also present the authorised biography of Ian Fleming, For Your Eyes Only.

Running from 9 to 25 August, with a record 800 authors participating in over 750 events, this year's Edinburgh International Book Festival welcomes specially invited guests from over 45 countries, with over 200 Scottish authors also taking part. Major literary names include Salman Rushdie, Louis de Bernières, Margaret Atwood, Alan Sillitoe in his 80th birthday year and Hanif Kureishi. A powerful line-up of politicians, political commentators and foreign correspondents includes John Prescott, Alex Salmond, Menzies Campbell, Tony Benn, Jonathan Powell, David Owen, Gavin Esler, Jonathan Dimbleby, Polly Toynbee, Martin Bell, Alan Johnston, Matt Frei and Kate Adie.

A special 25th anniversary opening event will feature a major public figure revealed in a new light, in conversation with Ian Rankin. The mystery guest will be announced on Friday 8 August, the day before the festival opens.

Special themes include Focus on China, in this Olympic year, bringing the finest writers on and from the world's most populous country. To mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of Israel, and the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, our East and West and War and Terror series bring world experts to Edinburgh to examine, in depth, relations between the West and the Islamic world.

The Book Festival's director, Catherine Lockerbie, said: "I am overjoyed that so many authors, from the most renowned to brand new writers being heard here for the first time, have accepted our invitation to come and be part of our intricately constructed 25th anniversary festival. It is my passion to make this the most international, illuminating, engaging, argumentative and inspiring celebration of words and ideas anywhere in the world. I hope the pressing issues and powerful individual voices in this year's programme reflect that ambition, a fitting one for Edinburgh, the first UNESCO City of Literature, and the world's greatest festival city."

The adult programme is complemented by the RBS Children's Programme, which is packed with events, workshops and debates for every age group from toddler to teenager.

2008 Programme Highlights

The 2008 Book Festival programme features a vast array of events for adults including:

  • Scotland's First Minister, Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, will deliver The National Library of Scotland Donald Dewar Lecture
  • Eagerly awaited memoirs from Kate Adie and award-winning Scot Janice Galloway, a major new philosophical work from the Chairman of the Scottish Arts Council, Richard Holloway and a shocking, hilarious and controversial new novel from literary provocateur Chuck Palahniuk
  • Ten at Ten is a brand new free series of morning readings, ten minutes at 10.00am every day, in our beautiful Writers' Retreat among the trees
  • 2008 Orange Prize winner Rose Tremain will be speaking on her winning novel, The Road Home
  • Thought-provoking memoirs from Rick Wakeman, Alex James, Bill Paterson, Carol Thatcher and nonagenarian Diana Athill
  • Medicine and Society is a major new series examining such controversial topics as euthanasia with leading expert Dame Mary Warnock, and alternative medicine with best-selling science writer Simon Singh
  • Events for Young Adults: a new emphasis this year on events of special interest to older teenagers and younger adults - comedy, current affairs, graphic novels, music and more. We even have an exclusive Book Festival concert - the first ever live performance of Roddy Woomble's new album
  • Focus on China in this Olympic year including Orange short-listed Xiaolu Guo, Tianaman Square protestor Diane Wei Liang, Chiew-Siah Tei, Sun Shuyun and analysts Mark Leonard and Rana Mitter
  • Writers of the World brings writers, often as yet unheard in the UK, to the heart of our literary city from all parts of the planet. Hear for the first time remarkable poets and novelists, including such stars of tomorrow as Saša Stanišic, now acclaimed throughout Europe, creator of one of the finest and most touching novels to come out of the Bosnian conflict
  • Media and Society: looking at spin, distortion, the Scottish media, the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights, the limits of freedom of expression and more
  • Authors visit Charlotte Square Gardens from over 45 countries including Angola, Australia, Bengal, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Canada, China, France, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Italy, Kosovo, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, The Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, USA and Zimbabwe

RBS Children's Programme

From Kipper to Discworld, a packed programme for toddlers to teenagers

Our RBS Children's Programme launches today with a comprehensive range of events, workshops and discussions for every age group from toddlers to teenagers.

Highlights this year include Good Night Mister Tom author Michelle Magorian's first book for ten years, and exclusive peeks at new books from Eoin Colfer, Julia Donaldson, Michael Morpurgo, Andy Stanton and Jonathan Stroud. James Jauncey's first book has just been nominated for the Royal Mail Scottish Children's Book of the Year, and he will be reading from his new novel The Reckoning while Francesca Simon will be joined by the voice of Horrid Henry - award-winning actress Miranda Richardson.

The Edinburgh International Book Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and there are many other birthdays on offer in the RBS Children's Programme. Kipper turns 18, Terry Pratchett's Discworld is 25, The Beano celebrates 70 years, and the Ian Fleming Centenary closes the Festival. Our series of Bond-related events includes the launch of the newest, and last, Young Bond adventure from Charlie Higson.

'Stories from Around the World' brings a strong international theme to the RBS Children's Programme this year. Over twenty inspiring children's authors from every continent will be in attendance. Authors from Hong Kong, Australia, Senegal, Mexico and Poland will visit Charlotte Square Gardens to share the literature, fables, myths and folklore of cultures past and present.

Sara Grady, Director of the RBS Children's Programme, said "Our 2008 programme for children, teenagers and young people promises a summer of action, adventure and exploration. In our 25th year, we are delighted to celebrate a great tradition of Scottish, British and international children's literature and encourage readers of all ages to explore words, discover stories and experiment with new ideas.

"We have expanded our children's programme to include a vast array of events for all ages, tastes and talents in 2008. Insatiable fact finders can join us on a hunt for dinosaurs, missing treasure, lost civilisations, and explore the natural world with events on science, maths, history, archaeology, outer space, magic and more. Our inaugural art & design strand features some of the greatest illustrators, graphic novelists and innovative filmmakers working today, while a raft of new faces in children's and young adult literature peppered throughout the programme are ripe for discovery. So join us this August and celebrate a cornucopia of books, stories, words and ideas that lift the spirit and open the mind."

Older teenagers & younger adults
Following the success of the events suitable for older teenagers and younger adults in the 2007 programme, the series has been expanded this year to include events on graphic novels featuring Posy Simmonds, Dave McKean and Paul Gravett. Paul Kieve, master magician and Physical Magical Consultant on the Harry Potter films, will take his audience on a tour of great magicians past and present and Roddy Woomble will present the first live performance of his new folk album.

2008 RBS Children's Programme Highlights

The 2008 Book Festival programme features a vast array of events for children and teenagers including:

  • Terry Pratchett will be celebrating 25 years of his fantastic fantasy series Discworld
  • To coincide with the 100th anniversary of the birth of Bond creator Ian Fleming, Charlie Higson will be launching the fifth and possibly final Young James Bond adventure, By Royal Command
  • Other birthday celebrations this year include Angelina Ballerina (25), Kipper (18), Jemima Puddleduck (100), and perennial favourite The Beano (70)
  • Francesca Simon will be joined by the voice of Horrid Henry, award-winning actress Miranda Richardson
  • Young scientists, detectives, explorers and archaeologists will be keen to explore our expanded non-fiction series
  • Back by popular demand, the Heroes vs Villains debate - this year between Mark Walden and Andy Briggs
  • Michelle Magorian gives an exclusive look at her first book in ten years. Just Henry is a worthy successor to Goodnight Mister Tom, which has become one of the best-loved modern children's classics
  • Other exclusive first looks at new books from Eoin Colfer, Julia Donaldson, Michael Morpurgo, James Jauncey, Joan Lingard, Andy Stanton, Jonathan Stroud and Justin Somper
  • Francis Firebrace is an aboriginal elder from Australia's Yorta Yorta tribe and will be exploring some of the ancient legends of his people in our Folk Tales From Around the World series - which includes a special focus on traditional Scottish lore
  • Other international guests appearing in the RBS Children's Programme include Mario Iván Martinez from Mexico, Senegalese drummers Ibrahima Senga and Suzanne Amey, Anna Mycek-Wodecki from Poland, Nury Vittachi from Hong Kong, Delphine Durand from France and Elizabeth Laird with stories and myths from Iraq
  • Paul Kieve, master magician and Physical Magic Consultant on the Harry Potter films, performs exciting tricks and illusions while taking his audience on a tour of great magicians past and present
  • Amnesty International launch their picture book depicting the UN's Declaration of Human Rights, We Are All Born Free, with illustrators Axel Scheffler, Debi Gliori and Jessica Souhami
  • Graphic Novel events include Dave McKean, Posy Simmonds, Paul Gravett, Emma Hayley, Alan Grant, Hannah Berry, Bryan Talbot and Barrie Appleby with The Beano

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