Edinburgh Book Festival Embraces Hope and Repair
Festival Theme Offers Optimism Amid Global Challenges
This summer’s Edinburgh book festival will center on the theme of “repair,” aiming to provide audiences with constructive dialogue and hopeful perspectives during a period marked by widespread conflict and societal strain. The festival promises a diverse lineup of authors and thinkers offering solutions and fresh analysis.
Diverse Voices Take Center Stage
The festival’s opening gala will feature new works from Palestinian poet Najwan Darwish, exiled Brazilian Indigenous leader Juma Xipaia, and writers Jenni Fagan and Amitav Ghosh. Hanif Kureishi, recovering from a life-altering accident, will participate online, sharing a deeply personal reflection on the process of recovery.
“Repair is a positive, optimistic approach, [and] looking at journalism, looking at politics, there are a lot of things that are broken – politically, mental health and wellbeing, societally.”
—Jenny Niven, Event Director
The festival is also broadening its appeal to reflect contemporary reading habits. According to a recent report by the Publishers Association, audiobook sales in the UK increased by 14% in 2023, demonstrating a shift in how people consume literature. Publishers Association
Celebrity Appearances and Expanded Programming
Former Scotland footballer Ally McCoist will discuss his new autobiography, Dear Scotland, while Ruth Jones, co-creator and star of Gavin & Stacey, will appear in the festival’s “Front List” series. Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will present her memoir, Frankly, with Kirsty Wark, following earlier talks in Manchester.
The festival will also significantly expand its cookery demonstrations, building on the success of last year’s events. Seven hands-on cookery classes, featuring chefs like Sabrina Ghayour and José Pizarro, will offer immersive culinary experiences, with tickets costing up to £100 per person.
A New Home and Evolving Identity
Relocated to a renovated Victorian hospital on the south side of Edinburgh, the festival is undergoing a broader transformation. Music, book-binding workshops, theatrical productions, and focused subject themes are becoming integral parts of the event, designed to stand out in a crowded festival landscape.
A unique event will recreate the sitting room of Scottish poet Ivor Cutler, featuring Hamish Hawk performing stories from his childhood and reworkings of Cutler’s work, accompanied by Cutler’s original harmonium.
The festival will conclude with a reading from The People Speak, an anthology of influential speeches, featuring Hollywood actors Viggo Mortensen and Vanessa Redgrave, alongside other prominent speakers.
