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Book festival publishes this year's plans
Thursday, 12 June 2008

Edinburgh International Book Festival, 9 - 25 August

The second Festival to launch its programme this week, the Edinburgh International Book Festival has swung into action with a mammoth schedule of talks and seminars.  Coinciding with the second part of the Fringe, and running from 9th to 25th August this year, there's a lot to recommend the Book Festival; it's gentle, manageable, and the sheer variety of its programme means you're sure to find something which interests you there.

Parent and child reading
Courtesy Edinburgh International Book Festival
Measured simply on number of events, the Book Festival comes second only to the Fringe - with this year's 25th-anniversary programme running to 700 talks and seminars, over a generous 17 days.  Unlike the Fringe, though, the Book Festival benefits from a single, compact site, at the pleasant Charlotte Square Gardens in central Edinburgh.

What's on this year

The programme's index of authors makes a serviceable Who's Who of the current literary scene; simply glancing over the list turns up names like Steven Berkoff, AA Gill, Ian Rankin and the ever-present Alexander McCall Smith.  Non-fiction is also well represented, with a fascinating programme of talks on subjects as diverse as history, travel and science; and there's a welcome programme of family-friendly events for the younger readers, too.

As usual, there's a good smattering of figures in the public eye who have books out this year.  Sean Connery's bound to capture much of the limelight with long-awaited book, Being a Scot.  Among other A-listers, John Prescott talks about that autobiography, Esther Rantzen - remember her? - asks If Not Now, When?, and Roy Hattersley is back with a spin through 20th Century British history.

The world of journalism is also represented, with such well-known figures as Jonathan Dimbleby and James Naughtie appearing this year.  And in a playful twist, the Festival promises an opening event with a "renowned figure" from the world of politics.  The catch?  Their identity will be revealed only on the day.

Browsing and booking

Ironically, perhaps, for this Festival of the printed word, the easiest way to browse the programme is online.  You can download the whole thing as a PDF file from the Book Festival's web site; if you're daunted by its size, just flip to the index of authors right at the back.  You can also pick up the programme from many bookshops and libraries within Scotland, or ask for a copy through the post - send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to request a sign-up form.

Either way, you have a week or so to make your picks if you want to be sure of your seats.  Popular tickets for the Book Festival go very quickly - it's not unusual for a well-known author to sell out on the day the box office opens.

Booking starts at 10am on Friday 20 June, when you should be able to get your tickets through the Book Festival's website - though it must be acknowledged the online launch didn't go particularly well last year.  Phone lines open at the same time, but will also be very busy for the first few days.

If you prefer to go in person, you'll need to note some complex new arrangements.  From Friday 20 to Sunday 22 June, the Book Festival box office will be temporarily housed at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, who have the facilities to cope with the expected crowds.  After that, it moves to Waterstone's bookshop, 83 George Street, Edinburgh (that's near the junction with Frederick Street), open from 10am to 5pm daily.  Finally, it's all change again on 9th August - when the operation decamps to the festival proper at Charlotte Square.
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