readings
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The programme for StAnza 2007 is now available. It’s the 10th StAnza, and the line-up is a good ‘un. I’m particularly interested in hearing Jorie Graham, but I’m disappointed that the Eric Gregory Award showcase reading is at a time utterly inaccessible for me. However, I’m appearing in The Gathering: 100 poets reading a poem
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I’ve just discovered that Linlithgow is about to give birth to a book festival. Over the three years I’ve lived here, I’ve often thought the town could easily house a small-scale literary festival. It already has a folk festival, and Celebrate Linlithgow!, a broader arts festival, is to take place for the first time this
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On Thursday evening, I was at the launch of The Testament of Gideon Mack, the new novel by James Roberston–novelist, poet, non-fiction author, founder of Kettilonia press and, with Matthew Fitt, driving force behind the marvellous Itchy Coo project. The venue, Edinburgh’s Fruitmarket Gallery, was jam packed with figures from the Scottish literatary world–I caught
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The City of Edinburgh Council’s 2006 Festival of Scottish Writing begins this weekend. Don’t think I’ll manage to get to much, if any, of it. It’s a varied line-up. There are a few Gaelic events on the programme, but I didn’t notice any specifically Scots-language events. There ought to be one or two at least.
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Just received an e-mail with the programme for this year’s Debut Authors Festival at the Traverse Theatre, 2nd to 4th June. Last year, there was a single event dedicated to poetry, with Matthew Hollis, Jacob Polley and Choman Hardi, chaired by Don Paterson; this year, the sole poet on the bill is Helen Farish, appearing
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Went to hear Ruth Padel read at a Poetry Association of Scotland event in the Scottish Poetry Library last night. She’s an interesting writer–possessed of erudition, intellect and striking emotional intelligence–and an engaging reader. The reading included a spellbinding performance of the long title poem from her latest collection, The Soho Leopard, from memory. It’s
Amy Jo Philip 