Alistair Moffat from the Borders Book Festival launched this year’s programme at Marmions Place on the Wynd in Melrose this week.
Events to look forward to include our own Jen Stout talking about her award-winning and BBC Radio 4 Book of the week title, Night Train to Odesa, as she explores the ongoing human cost of the war in Ukraine. The remarkable Mollie Hughes with life lessons from her adventures climbing Everest (twice) and crossing Antarctica solo, in a white out that lasted seven days at temperatures as low as -45 degrees. She celebrates publication of her latest book: Breathe. Jim Swire and Peter Biddulph will be talking about the mid-air destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie and Jim’s continuing search for the search behind the the murder of his daughter, fellow passengers and crew. They will be in conversation with Allan Little, one of the first journalists on the ground. And they will talk about their book Lockerbie: A Father’s Search for Justice and the recent screen adaptation starring Colin Firth. Alistair Moffat on his latest and perhaps most personal book yet – To See Ourselves: A Personal History of Scotland Since 1950. This is history with a difference: one in which we have all taken part and which gives reason to ‘today’. Rosemary Goring is in conversation with Alan Taylor, talking about her latest book, Exile: The Captive Years of Mary Queen of Scots. Rosemary uses the 57 recently decoded, secret letters – written by Mary and smuggled out by visitors – as her point of reference to create a deep psychological portrait of a Queen who still captures both the imagination and the heart.
Bringing the kids? Don’t miss Eilidh Muldoon telling families of her inspiration and putting the colouring and drawing skills of her audience to good use! For kids ages 3-6 years.
And that’s just the Birlinn and Polygon authors! Take a look at the full-to-bursting programme of real literary and political giants – Gavin Esler, Larry Lamb, Andrew Marr and James Holland, Andrew O'Hagan, Micahel Palin, Kirsty Wark, Sally Magnusson, Louise Minchin and SO MANY MORE.
Tickets on sale now.
