Edinburgh International Book Festival

In 1983, Edinburgh, in Scotland, hosted the very first Edinburgh International Book Festival, and its popularity and interest from various countries saw to it that the festival became an annual event in 1997. Coinciding with both the other two anticipated festivals in Edinburgh, namely the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Edinburgh International Festival, visitors from all corners of the globe descend on this magnificent city in Scotland to be a part of the celebrations and wonderful opportunities that are available. As the Edinburgh International Book Festival celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary, it is guaranteed to be a festival to remember.

The 2008 Edinburgh International Book Festival will take place between the 9th and the 25th of August. With approximately eight hundred authors and more than seven hundred events to attend, it is no wonder the tickets are selling fast and some events have already been sold out. Two hundred of the authors are from Scotland, while others are from countries such as Spain, Bosnia, China, Mexico, the United States of America, Iceland, Switzerland, Ukraine, Australia, Norway, Russia and Angola, to name a few. Beyond the discussions, workshops and debates in regard to the literary world of books and authors, there will also be political debates, illustrators and creative writing, as well as items related to climate change, psychology, travel, publishing and medicine.

With a diverse range of events, comes a diverse range of guests. Some of the authors that visitors to the festival can look forward to include Ian Rankin, Alan Silitoe, Will Self, Tony Parsons, Hanif Kureshi, Salman Rushdie, Val McDermid, Canadia McWilliam, Steven Berkoff, Margaret Atwood and Carol Ann Duffy. Foreign correspondents and political commentators, such as Polly Toynbee, Menzies Campbell, Gavin Esler, Matt Frei, John Prescott and Jonathan Powell, will also be in attendance at the festival.

The festival will again feature the RBS Schools Program, which introduces the young and upcoming authors of tomorrow to the public, as well as events such as readings in the Writers’ Retreat, looking at the controversial subject of euthanasia, the China Olympics, exploring the Declaration of Human Rights and authors that bring far away parts of the world to life in the pages of their books. The Edinburgh International Book Festival has authors, books, art, music and events that will entertain, explore world concerns, make the audience laugh and keep all spellbound for hours. It is a celebration of life, art and literature.