Edinburgh International Book Festival: Our top recommendations

The full programme for the Edinburgh International Book Festival has been published – and it looks impressive.
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The new Book Festival Village site at Edinburgh College Of Art to enter, and there’s lots to see.

There will be a huge selection of books for sale of course in their own independent book shop plus a licenced bar and a café for refreshments and seating outside and in. The grass area will also be free to bring your own picnic and juice between the shows.

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There are 600 author and discussion events, and 150 especially for children.

Crowds at Edinburgh's Book FestivalCrowds at Edinburgh's Book Festival
Crowds at Edinburgh's Book Festival

For young readers Are You Sitting Comfortably starts the day for free (bookable) from 10am and authors like Julian Clary reading from his book The Bolds Go Green (Aug 28) or Karine Polwart with stories and song (Aug 26).

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Deacon Blue writer and vocalist Ricky Ross will read from his book Walking Back Home (Aug 18) about his musical roots and a childhood in Dundee at a busy time for him.

His solo tour was announced, the solo album Short Stories Vol 2 is released Aug 5th and Deacon Blue have sold out Edinburgh Castle Esplanade July 9th.

Crowds at Edinburgh's Book Festival  (Pic: Robert Ricciuti)Crowds at Edinburgh's Book Festival  (Pic: Robert Ricciuti)
Crowds at Edinburgh's Book Festival (Pic: Robert Ricciuti)
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On the same day as Ricky chats at the book festival Jarvis Cocker is in with Heather Parry to talk about his book Good Pop, Bad Pop.

On each of the Festival nights at 20:30 a new play based on David Kennan’s novel This Is Memorial Device surrounds the fictional story of Airdrie band Memorial Device and stars Scots actor Paul Higgins with music by Stephen McRobbie of The Pastels.

As the youngest member of a talented family, Martha Wainwright felt she was a failure in comparison and with Karine Polwart asking the questions with tell us about her book Stories I Might Regret Telling You (Aug 13).

Author and broadcaster Stuart Cosgrove publishes the last book in his trilogy Hey America! as he compares black music influencing the White House on Aug 16 while on Aug 26 former Communards keyboard player the Rev Richard Coles tells of his debut novel Murder Before Evensong to Stuart Kelly.

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There are several events for budding writers too with valuable tips from industry insiders. Events run August 13 – 29th and are competitively priced and some are live streamed and all are in the free programme or online at edbookfest.co.uk

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