The Edinburgh International Book Festival marked two firsts in 2024: its first run under new director Jenny Niven, and also its first time in the space that we’ve all been anticipating – in the Edinburgh Futures Institute. With much uncertainty circulating the book festival, with a change in grounds and the discussion around ethical fundraising that writers and activists have brought to the fore, there was an eager anticipation by the staff and authors to see it through and truly envisage what their Future Tense will indeed be like as it lands.
First up for me was Camilla Grudova and Irenosen Okojie talking dark fiction, surrounding their books Children of Paradise and Curandera, injecting humour, pathos and tragedy with discussions of TS Eliot, the absurdity of Etonian 35 year olds, Afro-Surrealism and children’s books. A varied and rich discussion, I was reminded that I need to read works by both writers.
This was followed by a discussion between Nicola Sturgeon and author of The Power, Naomi Alderman, the discussions of 35-year-old Etonians and the absurdity continues into the day. This time Nicola wants to host a conversation about Alderman’s The Future, which considers a dystopian or utopian (as Alderman considers it) world. An interesting conversation about tech giants, questioning them holding monopolies, it’s geared for stimulation and provocation.
Unable to make it back to the book festival site until Sunday 18th August, I then embark on a trek to the much-anticipated Spiegeltent for a curious discussion around two recent novels that both have climate change as a focus within, The Salt Flats by Rachelle Atalla and Ava Anna Ada by Ali Millar. Chaired marvellously by Zoe Venditozzi, we are given both the realms of where these books sit similar and how they are also incredibly far removed from each other. The characters, for one, are very different and social media is prevalent in one but omitted from the other. However, it makes for a curious chat about social consciousness, social media and character, and there are definitely worse ways to spend an hour on a Sunday.
Following this was an hour with Rachel Cusk, and her new book, Parade, a novel that considers the art world and gender. Chaired by Adam Biles, an English writer and translator based in Paris as well as Literary Director at Shakespeare and Company, Adam holds the hour well with Cusk as they explore the art world further in a ponderous and overbearing fashion. Such is Cusk
Arriving back on site on Wednesday 21 August, it was a pleasure to attend one of the book festival’s How to Live a Meaningful Life events, with a lecture specifically on comedy by playwright, screenwriter and novelist Andrew O’Hagan. A marvel of an hour listening to O’Hagan talk about the Scottish humour that is meaningful and effective for him – this in turn explores tragedy, class and absolute precision. It was simply a shame it was a mere hour – comedy is something I could happily listen to a lecture on for an epic temporal length.
And with a key focus on humour that Wednesday I was next in the Spiegeltent for a chat around comedian Fern Brady’s book Strong Female Character, which is mindfully chaired by Sam Baker. A discussion about growing up in Bathgate as a teenager with autism, and being accepted at university in Edinburgh where no-one would assist her, Fern goes into great vulnerable and personal depth about her young life and feeling strange, ‘alien’ as she terms it, and now accepting and acknowledging the diagnosis and what that has deemed for her. It’s an inspiring and warming event that shows Brady’s inner societal obligations as audience members put her on the spot to do more for those that are neurodivergent. Strong Female Character she clearly is, and now one that has fulfilled her dream of being given a stage at the Edinburgh International Book Festival!
And to segue from one strong female character nicely into another, but on a different book festival day, I attend the launch of the highly-awaited event with Jenni Fagan about her new book Ootlin, a book that has taken 23 years to write. A memoir about growing up in the care system, and described by many (including chair and journalist Caroline Sanderson) as more beautifully crafted than a conventional memoir, this is a considered and stunning event that looks back at Jenni’s life and the pile of care files sat on stage with Jenni, giving thought to the darkness that she’s emerged from as a writer with the skill, drive and discipline as a powerhouse and ‘warrior’ (in the words of Lemn Sissay). Deserving of and receiving a standing ovation, it’s with much cherished joy that we get to witness Fagan launch this book into the world before succumbing to my final book festival event for 2024.
Blindboy Boatclub: Look at My Art Instead is the concluding book festival event before it all comes to a close for me, and this is where the Irish bestselling writer of unique short story collections talks Limerick, mental health, and neurodiversity with the soon-to-be Edinburgh Makar, Michael Pedersen. With humour, unpredictability and some degree of pathos he enlivens and adds rapture to the festival before its final close and reminds us why over 1 million people listen to his podcast.
This year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival had it all with its Future Tense theme, laughter, joy, sadness, power structure exploration, TS Eliot love, and a stunning dose of care and consideration for those with more formidable tales to tell. Though the new site in Quarter Mile was the most common discussion this year, there were many other invigorating and interesting tales to take away.
You can find out more about the Edinburgh International Book Festival here, and re-watch some of the events that were made available online: https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/
Words by Keira Brown
