With February on the way and the Edinburgh International Book Festival out of sight, it can be easy to take on a more passive approach towards the literary scene. I am always on the lookout for my next read, and I find that one fun way to branch out from your usual type of book—as well as the perfect remedy for when you are looking for something new to do in the city—is picking up a new release and attending its author’s talk. So, here is a short list of promising new books and talks coming in the next month (each for just £5 — with a student ID).
Blank Canvas by Grace Murray (Toppings, 2 February)
Here is one that is worth keeping an eye on this February: Grace Murray, one of our university graduates, will be speaking at Edinburgh’s Topping & Company Booksellers on the 2nd about her debut novel, Blank Canvas. A cleverly narrated and sharp work of fiction, Blank Canvas explores themes of Catholic guilt, queer identity, and moral codes through its meditative look into the psyche of Charlotte, a compulsive liar and final year English art student in up-state New York.
Trip to the Moon by John Yorke (The Royal Scots Club, 11 February)
What are stories? How do they work, and what makes them so powerful? These very questions lay at the heart of John Yorke’s Trip to the Moon. A storytelling expert and former head of BBC and Channel 4 drama, John Yorke offers insight into how stories shape our lives. Trip to the Moon has been recently released, and those interested in listening to its author in person may take a trip to Edinburgh’s The Royal Scots Club on the 11th of February.
A Spy Amongst Us by Marc Mierowsky (Toppings, 12 February)
Scottish history buffs with an interest in classical literature are sure to appreciate Historian Marc Mierowsky’s A Spy Amongst Us, an upcoming work of historical non-fiction recounting Daniel Defoe’s sabotage of the Scottish independence movement as a writer-turned-spy. If you would like to learn more about the consequences of Defoe’s unionist propaganda, make sure to pick up a copy on its release date: the 10th of February. Mierowsky will be in Edinburgh’s Topping & Company Booksellers on the 12th to discuss the release.
Photo by Florencia Viadana on Unsplash