NEW AUTHORS ENCOURAGE EXPLORATION
CHANCE LITERARY ENCOUNTERS
Seeking new authors is the key to discover the future of the Book Festival.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival, now in its 26th year, has delivered on its promise to bring 750 authors from 45 countries to celebrate the written word at Charlotte Square.
Although more than a third of the 700 events at this year's Edinburgh Book Festival have sold out, tickets are available for a huge selection of unique events. Richard Holloway, the festival's guest director, urged visitors to take a chance on new names. He believes it’s the "gems" in among the big names as well as the opportunity for visitors to discover new or less well-known talent that makes the festival the foremost literary event in the world.
The small Georgian garden in Edinburgh's west end has been transformed into a bustling village of marquees and tents – and for the first time, the book festival will branch out beyond Charlotte Square with the launch of Canadian author Margaret Atwood’s new novel, The Year of the Flood, accompanied by music and song at St John's Church on Princes Street.
Children's events will be integral to the festival as they have always been. More than 300 authors will feature themes of adventure and discovery. "Edinburgh is the only literary festival to always have a children's event," said children's programme Director Sara Grady.
As becoming a reader has a visual literacy element to it, the Festival is including picture books, graphic novels and other forms of illustrated art to reflect the dialogue between pictures and text. Scottish artist Catherine Rayner has been brought in as an illustrator in residence to ensure these elements are connected thoughtfully.
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