Well the International Book Festival has just finished. It is immensely popular and each year it is more difficult to get tickets of choice. This year they used the Edinburgh International Conference centre for the first few days of public booking and there were queues outside from dawn -or so I'm told! I applied by post on the first day (couldn't get through by phone or website) and got half of those I asked for! The first to get fully booked was of course Sir Sean- but I did get in to the second most popular- Sir Menzies (Ming) Campbell.He was in very good form in the repartee with Chair Brian Taylor as he answered questions abut his autobiography.
I managed one of the series of the 'Focus on China' which was very interesting. Tarik Ali is one of the most intelligent and well informed speakers I've heard for ages and David Owen's research about the health of political leaders -whether Presidents and Prime Minister's should be allowed to cover up the ill-health which could affect their political sound judgement -raised important issues for us all. My last ticket was to hear Carol Anne Duffy reading some of her poems;-the first year I have managed to get in to hear her.
I always spend more money on books at the festival-not necessarily of the Authors I have heard. As I look back at the programme it isn't just the names I failed to get to hear-Kate Adie, Kate Moss, Deborah (Mitford) Devonshire, Esther Rantzen, C Mc. Smith, Tony Benn, Jonathan Dimbleby and all the other well kenned authors- but many interesting topics. I usually select topics new to me and widen my horizons each year. Given money and time I'd like to be there every day; even the atmosphere is fun.
Indeed I met a lady in the Book Tent (we shared a coffee table) who came for the first 2 days each year just to enjoy the atmosphere--
Even when it rains--!
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