Even though I haven’t been able to make it to Edinburgh in August in a couple of years now, I just can’t resist perusing the program listings for the Edinburgh Fringe and the Edinburgh International Book Festival and picking out the shows that I would get to if I was going to be in Edinburgh this summer- so, the annual Edinburgh recommendations post is too tempting for me to skip. It being the opening weekend of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, I have to say one thing: even if you don’t get to any of the shows on the schedule, get down to Charlotte Square and hang out in the bookstore. Get a cup of coffee, sit at one of the tables and watch the crowds, and just breathe in the atmosphere. It’s magic.

If you can get to the Book Festival, I personally would check out at least one or two of the following:

Christopher Brookmyre, or Chris Brookmyre, Scottish novelist and creator of the Jack Parlabane novels including “Quite Ugly One Morning”, which won Critics’ First Blood Award for Best First Crime Novel of the Year in 1996, will be speaking on the topic “Does Feminism Have a Dark Side?” on August 21st: https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on/chris-brookmyre-1

Thursday August 25th, Louis de Bernières will be speaking about and reading from his second collection of poetry: https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on/louis-de-bernieres-2

This Wednesday, August 17th, Daniel Hahn, Charlotte Collins and Deborah Smith will be talking about the key role of translation in bringing international fiction to an English speaking audience https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on/charlotte-collins-daniel-hahn-deborah-smith

On August 25th, Irish novelist Cecelia Ahern (best known for her novel P.S. I Love You) and YA novelist Teri Terry will be discussing and challenging our preconceptions of right and wrong, and good and evil: https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on/cecelia-ahern-teri-terry-judgement

Be sure to check back with the box office for tickets to see Ian Rankin or Alexander McCall Smith (both currently sold out)- they would be amazing to be at.

I never get to the Edinburgh International Festival itself, but the Edinburgh Fringe is hard to resist.

My first recommendation for the Fringe has to be EPIC BEARD MEN, a.k.a. Sage Francis and B. Dolan, over from Rhode Island for the month to do 20 spoken word shows “Strange Speech, Famous Development” at the Stand. Even if you’re not sure about “spoken word”, believe me – these shows will be fun.

David O’Doherty, purveyor of whimsy with tiny keyboards, will be back at the Fringe (in addition to his event at the Book Festival) with his show “David O’Doherty: Big Time”. Always guaranteed a good laugh and a warm feeling about the world in general (a pretty tall order these days).

Josie Long is a similarly wonderful comedian who I tried never to miss- and she’s doing two shows this year: her “Josie Long: Work in Progress” and “Josie Long and Martin Williams: Investigations”. Both shows run August 16-28.

“Work in Progress” is a popular title this year, as it’s also the title of ever-popular Stephen K. Amos‘s solo show. Always an hour of top-notch comedy sure to make your stomach hurt from laughing. His “Talk Show”  is also sure to be well worth the meagre ticket price.

A Dublin friend once called me from Australia to let me know that Andrew Maxwell was in town and planning to do a set in a local (Dublin) comedy club that night so I wouldn’t miss it- that’s how much fun a Maxwell set can be. He’s doing shows in Edinburgh from August 18th through the 28th in the Assembly George Square Theatre- don’t miss it.

Shappi Khorsandi is “celebrating her fortieth year in Britain with a love letter to her adopted land” in the form of her show, “Oh My Country! From Morris Dancing to Morrissey”. Guaranteed to be a good laugh. Continue reading →