Date Published: 20th August 2024
Alexander McCall Smith returned to the Edinburgh International Book Festival yesterday for a sold-out event in their main theatre-space, in conversation with author and broadcaster and new Chair of the festival, Jamie Crawford.
The event was a triumph with introductions to thee new books: The Perfect Passion Company, The Winds from Further West and the forthcoming 25th volume in The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, The Great Hippopotamus Hotel. Alexander treated the audience to a reading of his latest poem to round off the event.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival is now in its new home, The Futures Institute, just off the green meadows that run through the centre of Edinburgh. It is a very old building, converted from the original Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. The corridors are the original stone and the floors the original flagstone. The theatre spaces have been created for the festival and the sound and sight lines are perfect. In front of this grand dame of Edinburgh is a green space that is home to a temporary bookshop, run by Waterstones, a Spiegel Tent and various food and drinks offerings with space to sit. An additional theatre tent space is in this garden area too.
A long time annual visitor to Charlotte Square Gardens in the west end of Edinburgh, the festival outgrew the site and also felt that the environmental damage to the area was too great. It then had a few years in temporary accommodation within Edinburgh College of Art. This move to the Future’s institute is permanent and feels just right.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival takes place at the same time as the Fringe Festival and full Edinburgh International Festival. The city is alive with the arts and with visitors from around the globe.
