July 2007
The queue spilled out the doors of Waterstone’s on George Street, and stretched down the pavement as far as Charlotte Square Gardens. Clutching their marked-up Book Festival programmes, people came armed with folding chairs, umbrellas (this is Scotland in June after all) and prepared for a long wait. One had arrived as early as 6.15am. On the first day of bookings, over 450 customers waited in line for tickets, while online sales experienced a 900% increase, and phone lines were jammed. The newly installed computer system failed and customers were temporarily encouraged to opt for postal bookings instead. By the end of the first week, despite these difficulties, ticket sales were up 45% against last year. Hottest tickets, and the first to go, were for Alan Bennett, making his only Festival appearance in Edinburgh, Andrew Marr and Jeremy Paxman. They were closely followed by the two LongPen events, Andrew O’Hagan talking via transatlantic video link to Norman Mailer, and Margaret Atwood in Edinburgh in conversation with Alice Munro in Ontario. And as if a printed programme crammed with 650 writers already isn’t enough, there are already online additions, such as Yann Martel. Martel first read at the Festival in 2002 before his Man Booker win. He’s back to present the new edition of Life of Pi, illustrated by Croatian artist Tomislav Torjanac who was chosen following an international competition.
Catherine Lockerbie’s role in taking the Book Festival to new levels of intellectual debate and international exchange was recognised last week when Edinburgh University awarded her an honorary Doctorate. She has previously picked up Honorary Doctorates from Dundee University, The Open University and Queen Margaret University.
On stage next to Catherine at the graduations was another new honorary doctor, the traveller, writer and actor Michael Palin. The previous evening he opened a major exhibition of the John Murray archive at the National Library of Scotland. Using interactive technology, the exhibition will highlight eleven changing characters from the archive, starting with the likes of Byron and Darwin, but also lesser known figures such as scientist Mary Somerville and 19th century ‘domestic goddess’ Maria Rundell. Visitors are able to see a recreation of the fireplace in Albermarle Street where John Murray III famously burned the scandalous memoirs of Lord Byron. The letter in which Darwin pitched the idea for Origin of the Species can be viewed, and a drawing by David Livingstone as he camped in the rain by the shores of Lake Malawi. Palin commented that ‘this is a goldmine for anyone who loves the magic of travel’. A travelling exhibition themed on the publishing industry and containing material by Darwin and Byron will soon be touring the Highlands.
The Borders Book Festival, held over midsummer weekend, had its best ever year. A visitor described it as ‘the festival from Heaven, the weather from Hell’. Rainstorms, thunder and lightening didn’t succeed in dampening spirits, and more than 5000 attended over the three days. Highlights included Bernard Cornwell, Clare Messud, and Iain Banks. Book sales were brisk, with sales of £2500 in 72 hours.
The category winners for the newly revamped Scottish Arts Council Book Awards have been announced, and, with an overall award of £25,000, this is now one of the most valuable prizes in the UK. The increase is due to sponsorship by Edinburgh-based firm Sundial Properties. Reconfigured along Costa Book Awards lines, there are now individual prizes for Fiction, Non-Fiction, First Book and Poetry. The category winners (who each receive £5000) are Kirsty Gunn for The Boy and the Sea (Faber), A Lie About My Father by John Burnside (Cape), The Life of George Mackay Brown by Maggie Fergusson (John Murray) and Switherings by Robin Robertson (Cape). The overall winner will be announced at an event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
The Scottish Arts Council may have been making book awards since the 1970s, but they seem upstarts beside the most venerable prize of all. The James Tait Black Awards have been awarded by University of Edinburgh since 1919 in two categories, biography and fiction. The shortlist for both categories was announced last week, and the winners will be announced for the first time at a public event at the Festival on 25 August, hosted by James Naughtie.
Posted on Jul 02, 2007 - 07:05 PM