Edinburgh Events and Reading Groups
We're delighted to bring our all-year-round Literary Festival to our bookshop in Edinburgh. We have a packed calendar which ranges from readings in the bookshop to evenings with literary stars.
Nicola Sturgeon talks Frankly
Monday 15th December, 7pm
In compelling, clear-eyed, and self-critical prose, Frankly gives us a riveting, deeply human portrait of a woman coming into her power and reflecting on her battles, …
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Science Fiction Reading Group
Monday 15th December, 7.15pm
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS EVENT WILL BE HELD AT MATHERS, 25 BROUGHTON STREET - JUST A SHORT WALK FROM THE BOOKSHOP!Now moving towards the end of …
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Queer Fiction Reading Group
Tuesday 6th January, 7pm
Welcome to our Queer Fiction Reading Group! This is an inclusive reading group open to anyone to come together to read and discuss LGBTQIA+ literature, with …
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The New Frontiers: Contemporary Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reading Group
Thursday 8th January, 7pm
You asked, we answered; due to popular demand, we’ve opened up a second Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reading Group!Join Andrew as he leads you on a guided …
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Rawan's Middle Eastern Fiction Reading Group
Tuesday 13th January, 7pm
Welcome back lovers of Middle Eastern Fiction! This Reading Group will explore powerful and complex voices from the Middle East, both contemporary and classic, from a …
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Cooks & Books: Deliciously Ella's Ella Mills for Quick Wins
Wednesday 14th January, 7pm
Fulfill all those New Year's resolutions and join us for a incredibly exciting evening with Ella Mills for her delightful new book, Quick Wins.Reset your January …
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James Muldoon for Love Machines
Thursday 15th January, 7pm
Friends. Lovers. Therapists. 'Deathbots'. Artificial intelligence is now fulfilling new roles for millions of us every single day. How are these new 'relationships' changing how we …
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Graeme Macrae Burnet for Benbecula
Monday 26th January, 7pm
Join Graeme Macrae Burnet, the Booker-shortlisted author of His Bloody Project, to celebrate Benbecula - the lastest of Polygon's Darkland Tales.On 9 July 1857, Angus MacPhee, …
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Grace Murray for Blank Canvas
Monday 2nd February, 7pm
'The kind of interior voice that ensnares you ... The art college campus novel I've always wanted.... Grace Murray is one of those writers who you …
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Nussaibah Younis in conversation with Nicola Sturgeon for Fundamentally
Monday 2nd February, 7pm
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2025 WOMAN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION"Wise, chilling and hilarious, profound and preposterous. The best book I've read this year on the joy, delusions, missteps …
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Rebecca Ferrier for The Salt Bind
Tuesday 3rd February, 7pm
'An utterly mesmerising gothic fairytale and a love letter to all the women who are marked as witches simply for being different. Wild, darkly woven and …
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Mary's Feminist Fiction Reading Group
Tuesday 3rd February, 7pm
Welcome to the wonderful Feminist Fiction Reading Group! A place to discover and enjoy a range of titles and themes lovingly hand picked by Mary. Woven …
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Oliver Bullough for Everybody Loves Our Dollars
Wednesday 4th February, 7pm
This February, Oliver Bullough joins us to discuss his fascinating new book, Everybody Loves Our Dollars. It's a rare skill to make non-fiction read like a …
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Rawan's Middle Eastern Fiction Reading Group
Wednesday 4th February, 7pm
Welcome back to the Middle Eastern Fiction Reading Group! Join us as we explore powerful and complex voices from the Middle East, a region that has …
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Louise Welsh for The Cut Up
Monday 9th February, 7pm
Rilke is a brilliant creation: as raddled, queer and resilient as Glasgow itself -- ALAN CUMMINGAs gritty as it is compelling, The Cut Up is a …
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Queer Fiction Reading Group
Monday 9th February, 7pm
Welcome to our Queer Fiction Reading Group! This is an inclusive reading group open to anyone to come together to read and discuss LGBTQIA+ literature, with …
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Gavin Francis in conversation with Ian Rankin for for The Unfragile Mind
Tuesday 10th February, 7pm
Join us as we welcome the always-brilliant and ever-insightful Gavin Francis to celebrate his latest book: The Unfragile Mind. The event will be chaired by the …
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John Yorke for Trip to the Moon
Wednesday 11th February, 7pm
In this invaluable book, John Yorke uncovers the narratives that help us make sense of the world - and offers an antidote to paint-by-numbers screenwriting manuals. …
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The New Frontiers: Contemporary Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reading Group
Thursday 12th February, 7pm
You asked, we answered; due to popular demand, we’ve opened up a second Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reading Group!Join Andrew as he leads you on a guided …
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Historian Marc Mierowsky for A Spy Amongst Us
Thursday 12th February, 7pm
Join us this February to learn the true story of Daniel Defoe and the dirty tricks which helped bring Scotland into union with England.In 1706, Edinburgh …
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Madeline Cash for Lost Lambs
Monday 16th February, 7pm
‘From magical realism to magical nihilism, Madeline Cash is a voice like no other. Her novel of normal people breaking down under the most abnormal circumstances …
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Zain Rishi for Noon
Thursday 19th February, 7pm
We are thrilled to be hosting one of our own booksellers for his very first poetry pamphlet, Zain Rishi! For anyone who has had the pleasure …
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Ryan Cahill with Hannah Kaner for 'Of Blood and Fire'
Friday 20th February, 7pm
It is with great excitement that we welcome indie-publishing sensation Ryan Cahill to Edinburgh to celebrate the launch of The Broken Binding Press Edition of Of …
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The Guardian's Keza MacDonald for Super Nintendo
Tuesday 24th February, 7pm
'Among the best things ever written about Nintendo.'Tom , author of Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter Keza MacDonald is the video games editor at The …
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Tom Hindle for A Killer in Paradise
Thursday 26th February, 7pm
"Tom Hindle has committed the perfect crime novel" - Janice HallettTom Hindle is the author of A Fatal Crossing, The Murder Game, Murder on Lake Garda …
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Mary's Feminist Fiction Reading Group
Monday 2nd March, 7pm
Welcome to the wonderful Feminist Fiction Reading Group! A place to discover and enjoy a range of titles and themes lovingly hand picked by Mary. Woven …
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Justine Picardie on Fashioning the Crown
Tuesday 3rd March, 7pm
Justine Picardie is the author of six books, including Miss Dior: A Story of Courage and Couture, and the international bestseller, Coco Chanel: The Legend and …
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Dame Prue Leith on Being Old... And Learning to Love It!
Wednesday 4th March, 7pm
Dame Prue Leith is first and foremost a businesswoman, who made her name with Michelin starred restaurant, and Prue Leith's school of Food and Wine.She joins …
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Nancy Birtwhistle on Clean Magic
Thursday 5th March, 7pm
Nancy Birtwhistle is a Sunday Times bestselling author, lifelong gardener and Hull-born baker who won the fifth series of The Great British Bake Off in 2014.Motivated …
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Francis Spufford for Nonesuch
Thursday 5th March, 7pm
'My God can he write.' ~~Richard OsmanFrancis Spufford, the booker-longlisted author of Light Perpetual and friend of the bookshop returns to celebrate his latest fantastical masterpiece, …
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Rawan's Middle Eastern Fiction Reading Group
Thursday 5th March, 7pm
Welcome back lovers of Middle Eastern Fiction! This Reading Group will explore powerful and complex voices from the Middle East, both contemporary and classic, from a …
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Queer Fiction Reading Group
Monday 9th March, 7pm
Welcome to our Queer Fiction Reading Group! This is an inclusive reading group open to anyone to come together to read and discuss LGBTQIA+ literature, with …
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Jennie Godfrey for The Barbecue at No.9
Thursday 12th March, 7pm
"A beautiful story about secrets, lies and community." - Graham NortonFollowing on from the incredible success of The List of Suspicious Things, we are delighted to …
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Jenni Fagan for The Delusions
Monday 16th March, 7pm
'Brilliant, original, daring, a 1984 for the afterlife and a fabulous satire. It really makes you think about what it means to be human.'- Irvine WelshWe …
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Michael Pollan in conversation with Sally Magnusson for A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness
Friday 20th March, 7pm
Join Michael Pollan, one of the greatest narrative-non fiction writers in the English language, to celebrate his latest book, A World Appears.Pollan has already brought us …
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Antony Beevor for Rasputin and the Downfall of the Romanovs
Tuesday 24th March, 7pm
One of the great historians of our time returns to Edinburgh to celebrate his latest work, Rasputin, charting the rise and fall of the so-called 'mad …
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Elinor Cleghorn for A Woman's Work: Reclaiming the Radical History of Mothering
Monday 30th March, 7pm
We are delighted to welcome Elinor Cleghorn to Edinburgh this March to celebrate A Woman's Work: the Radical History of Mothering. Elinor's previous book, Unwell Women, …
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Mary's Feminist Fiction Reading Group
Thursday 2nd April, 7pm
Welcome to the wonderful Feminist Fiction Reading Group! A place to discover and enjoy a range of titles and themes lovingly hand picked by Mary. Woven …
View event details
Queer Fiction Reading Group
Monday 6th April, 7pm
Welcome to our Queer Fiction Reading Group! This is an inclusive reading group open to anyone to come together to read and discuss LGBTQIA+ literature, with …
View event details
Rawan's Middle Eastern Fiction Reading Group
Thursday 9th April, 7pm
Welcome back lovers of Middle Eastern Fiction! This Reading Group will explore powerful and complex voices from the Middle East, both contemporary and classic, from a …
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James Bailey for Like a Cat Loves a Bird: The Nine Live of Muriel Spark
Thursday 23rd April, 7pm
"This is a deeply stylish, astute and illuminating biography of a fascinating writer" - Francesca WadeThere are few names in the history of Scottish literature more …
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Andrey Kurkov for The Lost Soldiers
Thursday 30th April, 7pm
Literary legend Andrey Kurkov joins us in Edinburgh for the first time to celebrate the latest in his Kyiv mysteries, Lost Soldiers. It is an honour …
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Brian Dillon for Ambivalence
Tuesday 12th May, 7pm
Brian Dillon is the author of Affinities, Suppose a Sentence, Essayism, The Great Explosion (shortlisted for the Ondaatje Prize), Objects in This Mirror, Tormented Hope: Nine …
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Tayari Jones for Kin
Monday 1st June, 7pm
"It's among Tayari's many gifts that she can touch us soul to soul with her words." - Oprah Winfrey The Women's Prize winning author of An …
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