Back to the Book Festival- Politics to Poetry

I think I've been to the International Book Festival here every year since it started. In that time it has grown in size and importance and now has hundreds of authors speaking at events throughout every day for 3 weeks and with adult and childrens events running side by  side there is a huge choice, but by the time I have been through the programme to tick those events which look interesting the most popular are already booked. Indeed when the public booking opens the first day it is held in the International Conference Centre to have space to deal with the queue of people anxious to get tickets. So now I select a variety of speakers/topics of well kenned names, or topics which look interesting from politics to poetry, philosophy to economics and the environment, plus fiction and crime novels-especially those  based in and around Edinburgh.
If some event is booked up one may get a ticket on the day,- as I did to meet John Simpson. The first time we had expected to hear him a few years back the BBC whisked him to some important 'do' in Johannesburg. This time we were more fortunate; he had just flown in from Kabul and was about to take off to Iraq and talked easily about his life in journalism, his relationship with the BBC and his adventures along the way in answer to questions. It was a fascinating hour.
I have enjoyed Salley Vickers books though (as often happens) I still like the first I read -Miss Garnett's Angel- best. This year she read from her latest book Dancing Backwards and discussed her approach to writing. I also went to hear AL Kennedy reading from and discussing her latest work too but this was a different world altogether and one I do not want to enter. A.S Byatt's latest is The Children's Book which is interesting. It was an award-winning called I think Possession.

For me this Festival is educational. It is great to go and hear people at the forefront of their profession talking enthusiastically about their latest book. I heard two world famous speakers -one Economist the other a 'joyful, inpirational Naturalist'- whose names were unfamiliar to me.
The Economist was Joseph Stiglitz, a Nobel Prize Winner and erstwhile Chief Economist at the World Bank. whose latest book FREEFALL free markets and the sinking of the Global Economy is described as 'devastating and inspiring'. I can't pretend I understood enough to comment ( though the signed copy of the book is on my 'to read' pile) but he was friendly and approachable person and will no doubt offer wise advice in the Scottish context-
The other new name is in a very different field. Sir John Lister-Kaye is one of Britain's best known naturalists and conservationists. He and his wife run the world -famous Aigas Field Centre in the Scottish Highlands and the more I heard I long to visit there. The books were beautiful but please do visit the website!

Comunn na Clarsaich - meur Dhun Eideann

I went to a lovely concert yesterday in the Queen's Hall given by Na Clarsairean (The Harpers in case you haven't guessed!). 'Harps of Gold' was a Christmas concert with nearly 60 harpists, 2 cellos, 4 fiddles a mandolin and flautist- and Northumbrian pipes joined in once! The harps where decorated with gold tinsel so there was a real gold sparkle in the lights!
We also had a large choir! The Caritas choir from George Watson's College was made up of about 140 children from Primary classes 5, 6 and 7 and they too were super. We had a varied programme of song and harp, some solos and carols- we were allowed to join in and I had not expected to be so moved. We sang about the harps of gold

'but with the woes of sin and strife
the world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel-strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong.
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye men of strife
And hear the angels sing.

And I thought of Zimbabwe and Congo and so many suffering people

NB The title? The Clarsach Society - Edinburgh Branch

Blackhouses and Harris Tweed

Well we enjoyed our Lewis adventure! I'm glad we took the car. The original idea was to use our free bus pass which would indeed meet the Ferry but we would arrive at 8pm on Saturday-not a good idea without a car! Our destination was 20 miles or so south-no bus at that time of night (and no buses at all on the Sabbath).
Our cottage was part of a scattered hamlet with a view over the sea-loch and very comfortable and well equipped. I had been told that there were two churches about 4 miles away -one Free Kirk with a Gaelic service at midday and English at 6pm and a Church of Scotland- same times but English at midday. Well we found them almost within hailing distance of each other and if we hadn't been told we would have thought we were in the Free Kirk! No music, 2 psalms sung rather waveringly (by me anyway) a lengthy prayer and more lengthy solemn sermon about the serious preparation needed to prepare ourselves for the Holy Communion service next week. Most of the 50 odd congregation wore black and black hats for the ladies.and no-one even the Minister, actually spoke to us as they disappeared in their cars.
We had seen a sign to the Inn at South Loch- good coffee and welcome lunch too!

Another day we went West to see the famous ancient stones of Callernish and visited the Blackhouse village

The ancient monument is very different from Stonehenge; smaller stones of
different composition, and many more
of them in an interesting formation. It was a cloudy sort of day as you can see.

We went on to find the Blackhouse village only one of which seemed to be partly original. We had hoped to visit the 'real' one on view at Arnol but did not find the time. However the village had a museum where we watched an interesting video of the cutting, drying and storing of the peats. We also watched one of the few traditional weavers at work.

We went south to Tarbert and also explored one of the famous Harris beaches on the Atlantic side. It was long and empty of other people though there were the remains of a sand-castle! The sun shone for us and only when we had regained the car did the rain come in.
We enjoyed Stornoway and found people friendly and helpful especially at the garage which replaced brake-shoes on the rear wheel the evening before we were due to leave!
And we also saw a play -'Lord Arthur's Crime'- apparently based on a story by Oscar Wilde and performed by the 'world famous' Stornoway Theatre company.'Just back from a world tour' my neighbour told me- adding that the hero was played by his dentist (or was he an optician?). It was a pleasant evening nonetheless.

A Dip in the Fringe-

Well the Fringe Festival is ended. For street acts and stall holders it has been a dismal few weeks when there was often continuing rain and it was sometimes quite windy, and everyone took shelter among the indoor events.
The only Fringe event I actually got tickets for was The Soweto Gospel Choir which was, as usual, superb.
Grace, a friend from Uganda, came with me and enjoyed it more even than I did! African singers don't just sing superbly in harmony but they dance too! The energy and joy and love of harmony and rhythm reminds me of a good jazz group (though jazz has its origins in Africa too I suppose). It is the way they work together, listen to each other as each takes the floor in song and dance that soon has the audience clapping and stamping their feet a bit!
The French market also visits at this time so I enjoyed trying out a bit of remembered school French with the lady from Brittany who sold me biscuits and little cakes and others from the Pyrenees (goats cheese) and Provence (quilted bed covers)
Now as I contemplate the Fringe programme (itself a weighty item at half a kilo) I find quite a few events I would have liked. With over 2000 listed I just do not get round to tackling it until too late. Well it all gets too tiring -and expensive- after a while!
But the International Festival is still going and I do have a ticket for the Playhouse tonight--

Books, Books, Books--

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--!

New Europe, New Atheism

The International Festival is mainly performing arts but it has a series of talks this year called Borderlines about modern Europe. The first was a debate about 'whether the new Europe would be better off jettisoning its religious past and welcoming the new atheism? A discussion between a scientist (Dr John Lennox)who thinks God is great and a cultural commentator (Christopher Hitchens) who doesn't.'
JL I remember as a Lecturer in Mathematics in Cardiff and leader in the Brethren there, who gave a superb exposition about the Ark of the Covenant in his home. I think this is the same person, now a Fellow in Mathematics and Philosophy and Chaplain in Green College, Oxford. Christopher Hitchens sounded vaguely familiar; now I am better informed! He is journalist, author, TV commentator, one of the 'New Atheists' -and subject of a 10 page article in the May issue of Prospect magazine!
The Usher Hall is not geared acoustically to the spoken word especially if one is hearing impaired, and a lot depends on the speaker's ability to project voice and speak clearly. Hitchens was the more difficult to follow, while Lennox was clearly used to speaking and debating with an audience. It was a super debate with good humour and without the kind of angry argument some expect. It was well reasoned with Lennox able to agree with much of the criticism of the historical institutional church while demonstrating the core of Christian belief. Ably chaired by James Naughtie, the motion proposed by Hitchen was declared lost.
All very serious!
In lighter mood I was at a Concert on Sunday evening of work by Messian played by the Scottish BBC Symphony Orchestra. I knew this composer had 'a life-long fascination with birdsong' and knowing nothing much about music, had experienced one of his compositions as great swathes of colour, so I was pleased to see the reference to his 'colourful musical language'. There were120 in the orchestra including a large percussion section of 15! It was splendid in many ways-and fortunately lively enough to keep me awake for I was so tired and shame to say I spent a lot of effort suppressing yawns.

Riding sidesaddle

Until recently I had thought that riding a horse using a side saddle was very ladylike for the more fortunate and active of our great-grandmothers but rather limiting in terms of action. I assumed one didn't gallop or jump fences riding side-saddle. Now I know different; those ladies were just as skilled and adventurous as their male counterparts. I learned this from my great-niece who at 16 years is already an experienced horsewoman. Now she is winning prizes not just locally but nationally.
Part of the secret it seems is the special saddle which has a pommel you can hook your right leg round and thus stay in the saddle. (This is not the proper way to describe this of course but I've not actually tried it, not ever having been a horse-rider)

Anyway Samantha has just been winning prizes at the National Side-saddle Championships competing with 2000 side-saddle riding ladies and with her horse Buster won 'lots of rosettes and a nice rose bowl trophy'.
She then qualified for the Championship and became National Reserve Champion while her boss and trainer Babette Cole was the overall Champion.
Congrats, Sam- we are proud of you! In my search of the family tree I've not found any champions or celebrities but the new generation are going to change all that! more

Pheasant gives squirrel a shock!

Lovely Spring days -which are now noticably longer. Cheers us up when we come out of the dark days with only 6 hours of day light. The Snowdrops are really out, wallflowers about to open, mahonia and hellebore also in flower aand today the handsome brown pheasant was back, wandering quietly around, quite elegant compared to the pidgeons. The Squirrel got half way up the pole to investigate the birds' fat/seed-balls when he looked down and saw the pheasant below-shock horror- 'what's that -bigger than me'- double summersault and quick get away. I've not seen squirrel lose face before!

We went to see 'The Blonde Bombshells of 1943' last night at the Kings. Light but fun and many familiar sounds from the Forties- enjoyed by those who do not remember those times too!
Almost all the cast are women and it may make it more difficult for me to hear (and not just me). As I had seen the BBC film with Judy Dench and co I thought it wouldn't matter but of course the stage version is different.

Hallelujah!

Well the Hallelujah chorus woke me up a bit on January 2nd. Someone got us tickets for this annual event of the holiday (this is a public holiday here) always with the Royal Choral Union. Messiah is one of the highlights of the season. I'm not at all musical but it is now so familiar, and one always has the words in the programme which helps people like me who can't seem to pick up words of songs easily.
My Father used to sing in a choir in Southampton and spoke of people like Sir John Barberolli coming to conduct. Once when they visited me in Liverpool we went to hear the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus. Dad couldn't resist humming the base part he knew it all so well!
The Soprano Aria 'I know that my Redeemer liveth' was the first that Chen learned when she came to stay; now she is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music in London and giving occasional concerts. She is also nearing the end of her course at a London Bible College on Music in worship.