K O O B K E E W T O SC LAND @
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ie r a r b i L n a i East Loth
27th November to 3rd December 2017
Book Week Scotland is a week-long celebration of books and reading delivered by the Scottish Book Trust in partnership with local libraries and other organisations. Once again East Lothian Library Service is offering a packed programme of events, so mark your calendar, pick up your tickets, and enjoy!
For details of our full programme visit: www.eastlothian.gov.uk/bookweek17 For events nationwide visit: www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-scotland Tickets/places for events being held in any of our libraries can be booked by phoning 01620 827827 then state at the prompt which library you wish to speak to. Only libraries hosting an event will hold those tickets, but for ease of collection they can be sent to your local branch.
Tuesday 28th November DUNCAN PRIDDLE • A HIKE ACROSS THE PYRENEES This summer Duncan Priddle, Countryside Officer, achieved his long held ambition of hiking the entire length of the Pyrenees on the GR11, the famous long distance route that runs along the Spanish side of the mountain range. Join Duncan as he presents an illustrated talk on the magnificent scenery, landscapes and wildlife as well as the practicalities and physical challenge of undertaking a 6-week trek. Duncan is presenting this talk to our Active Memories Group who meet every Tuesday morning, but members of the public are very welcome to come along on this occasion. Venue The John Gray Centre, Haddington, EH41 3DX Time 10.00am Tickets Free tickets direct from Haddington library or call 01620 827827 Email
[email protected] MICHAEL T R B TURNBULL • ST ANDREW AND THE SALTIRE In the lead up to St Andrews Day, Michael Turnbull, East Lothian based historian, will be exploring the origin of the Saltire Flag, seen before a crucial battle outside Rome in 312 AD. Constantine the Great saw the Cross of Christ in the sky and had his army carry that symbol into battle, which he won, leading to the liberation of Christianity in the Roman Empire. The talk shows the connection between King Angus at Athelstaneford and Constantine. Venue The John Gray Centre, Haddington, EH41 3DX Time 6.45pm – 7.15pm: Accompanied tour of the Saltire exhibition in the Museum 7.30pm: Illustrated talk in the Star room Tickets Free tickets direct from Haddington library or call 01620 827827 Email
[email protected]
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Wednesday 29th November NATASHA PULLEY Natasha Pulley’s captivating novels marry meticulously researched history with ingenious flights of fantasy and invention. From the mysterious and shadowy forests of Peru, The Bedlam Stacks is a dazzling historical novel which blends magic with reality to astonishing effect. The reader is led through the Victorian age to meet a cast of memorable characters, all neck deep in adventure. Pulley’s books are loaded with atmosphere, ingenuity and charm. Join her as she discusses her books, her writing process and some of her insight into what made the Victorians tick. The venue for this event is the wonderful Steampunk coffee roaster and cafe which is housed in a beautiful old steel framed warehouse in the centre of North Berwick. The lucky people who manage to secure tickets for this event will be treated to a free cup of tea or coffee and a chocolate brownie! Books available to buy and signed by the author.
Venue Steampunk café, The Warehouse, 49a Kirk Ports, North Berwick, EH39 4HL Time 3.00pm Tickets Free tickets from Steampunk, tel: 01620 893030, North Berwick library or call 01620 827827 Email
[email protected] Booking essential as numbers are limited
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Wednesday 29th November JUDY MURRAY • KNOWING THE SCORE Former Scottish tennis international and Scottish National Coach, Judy Murray was the first woman to pass the LTA’s Performance Coach Award. She initiated the Scottish Development School, producing four Davis Cup players and one Fed Cup player, including her Grand-Slam-winning sons, Jamie and Andy. Judy has pioneered initiatives to grow the profile and numbers in women’s tennis, including: Miss-Hits, for girls age 5-8; Tennis on the Road, taking tennis into remote and deprived areas; and She Rallies, to encourage more women and girls into tennis across the UK. Judy Murray is the ultimate role model for believing in yourself and reaching out to ambition. From the soggy community courts of Dunblane to the white heat of Centre Court at Wimbledon. As if that wasn’t enough, in 2014 Judy proved her mettle off the tennis court when she strutted her stuff on Strictly Come Dancing with her dancing partner Anton du Beke. Judy will be in conversation with Arlene Stuart, well known locally as one of the presenters of the Boogie in the Morning Radio Forth breakfast show as well as BBC’s Landward. Judy will sign copies of her memoir, Knowing the Score.
Venue The Brunton, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh EH21 6AA Time 7.00pm Tickets £10.00 (conc £8.00) from the Brunton box office tel: 0131 665 2240 Or online at at www.hubtickets.co.uk (booking fee)
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Thursday 30th November MARY CONTINI • DEAR ALPHONSO: AN ITALIAN FEAST OF LOVE AND LAUGHTER Following the successful publication of Dear Francesca and Dear Olivia, Mary Contini picks up the thread of her family story from 1934 in Naples, to the establishment of the family business – Edinburgh’s acclaimed Valvona & Crolla. She relates the story of her father-in-law, Carlo Contini and a life which had known incredible poverty, adventure and survival. From Pozzuoli to Edinburgh, Mary tells of exuberant family relationships, mouth-watering food and hilarious laughter, painting a vivid picture of life in wartime Italy and Scotland and the decades immediately after. Dear Alfonso is a wonderful, heartwarming celebration of food, family and friendship illustrated with archive family images and packed with anecdote, humour and history. Join Mary Contini for a lovely 2-course literary lunch with wine and coffee, at the beautiful Greywalls Hotel, Gullane.
11.00am
Tea or coffee
11.30am
Talk with Mary Contini
12.30pm
Lunch
Venue Greywalls Hotel & Chez Roux, Muirfield, Gullane, EH31 2EG Time 11.00am Tickets £55.00 including tea or coffee on arrival, two course lunch, glass of wine and a signed copy of Dear Alfonso OR £5.00 including tea or coffee on arrival and talk only. Limited availability. Tickets only available from Greywalls hotel, Tel: 01620 842144 Email
[email protected]
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Friday 1st December PAUL MURTON AND MAIRI HEDDERWICK Paul Murton and Mairi Hedderwick have both lived and worked on Hebridean islands and celebrate the beauty, people, places and history of this iconic landscape in their stunning books. Join them in conversation about these inspirational and fascinating islands. Paul Murton is well known as a TV presenter, broadcaster, documentary film maker and historian whose work includes Grand Tours of Scotland, Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands and Grand Tours of Scotland’s Lochs. He was raised on the shores of Loch Long and has a passion for the amazing landscapes of Scotland. He has travelled the length and breadth of Scotland’s rugged, six-thousandmile coast line, and sailed to over eighty islands. In “The Hebrides”, Paul visits each of the islands in turn, introducing their myths and legends, history, culture and extraordinary natural beauty. He meets the people who live there and learns their stories. His blend of the contemporary and the traditional creates a vivid account of the Hebrides and serves as a unique guide to the less well known aspects of life among the islands. Mairi Hedderwick, Scottish illustrator and author, moved to the Isle of Coll at the age of seventeen. She left a few years later but returned in the early 1960s. She lived with her husband and young family in an isolated 19th-century farmhouse at the southern end of the island. They had oil and gas lamps, a big Rayburn stove, a well, but no electricity, running water or permanent road access. They were three miles from the nearest house, at the end of a white sandy beach. Initially the family had hoped to make a living tending lobster pots and keeping a few sheep and cattle, but increasingly Mairi began selling pictures to tourists. She is perhaps best known for the Katie Morag picture books set on the Isle of Struay, a fictional counterpart of the real-life Coll. Mairi Hedderwick has produced several volumes of travel writing, accompanied by drawings and watercolour sketches, including An Eye on the Hebrides: an illustrated journey, a six-month-long odyssey through the Hebrides. She has also produced a range of beautifully illustrated diaries and stationery, featuring her exquisite watercolours of the Hebridean islands.
Venue Longniddry Community Centre,7 Seton Road, Longniddry, EH32 0LD Time 7.00pm Tickets free tickets direct from Longniddry library or call 01620 827827 Email
[email protected]
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Friday 1st December STRUAN STEVENSON • THE COURSE OF HISTORY: TEN MEALS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD Many decisions which have had enormous historical consequences have been made over the dinner table, and have been accompanied (and perhaps influenced) by copious amounts of food and wine. Struan Stevenson brings to life ten such moments in his new book The Course of History: Ten Meals That Changed the World, exploring the personalities, the issues and of course the food which helped shape the course of history. From the claret consumed on the eve of the Battle of Culloden, through the dinners which decided the fates of George Washington, Archduke Ferdinand and Adolf Hitler, to the diplomatic feasts that decided future relations with Russia, China and the Middle East. The book includes the actual recipes, which were researched and recreated by acclaimed chef and restaurateur Tony Singh. Struan Stevenson represented Scotland in the European Parliament from 1999 and retired at the Euro elections in May 2014. He is an award-winning author, lecturer, newspaper feature writer and broadcaster and is well known in Europe and Scotland for his in-depth knowledge and understanding of Scottish affairs.
Venue Dunbar library, The Bleachingfield Centre, Dunbar. EH42 1DX Time 7.00pm Tickets Free tickets direct from Dunbar library or call 01620 827827 Email
[email protected]
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Saturday 2nd December COO CLAYTON AND ALISON SOYE • MAGGIE’S MITTENS Maggie really doesn’t like wearing her mittens. Perhaps on a trip around Scotland she’ll find a way to get rid of them without Mum noticing. She throws, flings and catapults the mittens towards a number of potential new owners on their way to Granny’s house. But mittens are made to be worn by a child, not a lobster, or the Loch Ness Monster! As the weather turns, Maggie realises that her mittens are useful after all. But is it too late? Join Coo and Alison for a morning of mitten mayhem! Suitable for 3+ years
Venue The John Gray Centre, Haddington, EH41 3DX Time 11.00am Tickets Free tickets direct from Haddington library or call 01620 827827 Email
[email protected] LIN ANDERSON • FOLLOW THE DEAD What might it be like to spend Hogmanay on Cairngorm in a blizzard? And want might happen if a murderer is caught in the same storm as 4 young climbers, in the same place, at the same time? Join Lin Anderson as she tells about her latest thrilling novel, a Nordic/Tartan Noir mix, featuring forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod, who joins the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue team as they investigate a mysterious plane crash on frozen Loch A’an. Lin is co-founder of the international crime writing festival Bloody Scotland which takes place every September in Stirling. She is currently working on a rock musical and her script inspired by her short story Dead Close, is currently in development as a feature film Sometime Did Me Seek. Lin will be signing sale copies of her latest book.
Venue North Berwick library, School Road, North Berwick, EH39 4JU Time 3.00pm Tickets Free tickets are available direct from North Berwick library or call 01620 827827 Email
[email protected]
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Saltire festival activities Friday 1st December DRY FELT Felt from wool is considered to be the oldest known textile and was widely used in Scotland. Make your Christmas tree a bit more scottish this year with a felt scottie dog or thistle decoration. Some simple sewing required and the piece can be decorated to suit the individual with beads and fabric. Suitable for adults and children.
Venue The Brunton Hall, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh EH21 6AA Time 2-4pm Tickets No tickets or booking necessary, just drop in. For more information call 01620 827827 Email
[email protected] GLASS PAINTING Stained glass is the art form that uses space, to ‘paint a picture’ using the effect of light passing through coloured glass, by using paints, stains and enamels. Scotland has a rich history of stained glass art. This workshop lets everyone try out different styles and techniques of glass painting. Suitable for adults and children.
Venue The Brunton Hall, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh EH21 6AA Time 2-4pm Tickets No tickets or booking necessary, just drop in. For more information call 01620 827827 Email
[email protected]
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Saltire festival activities Saturday 2nd December CELTIC DESIGN EMBOSSED IN METAL A very effective and satisfying craft which is fun for all. Designs are pressed into soft foil metal using pens or safe embossing tools. The designs can be adapted by adding colour, decorated with beads, or leaving as the unembellished design. Suitable for adults and children.
Venue The Brunton Hall, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh EH21 6AA Time 11-1pm Tickets No tickets or booking necessary, just drop in. For more information call 01620 827827 Email
[email protected] SOAP CARVING WITH CELTIC DESIGNS A tactile craft anyone can turn their hand too. Initially carving the design takes about 10 minutes then there is embellishing. Tools used are cocktail sticks, butter knives, and safe carving tools, finish polishing with tissue paper. Designs available will include the Saltire, Nessy, thistles. Suitable for adults and children.
Venue The Brunton Hall, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh EH21 6AA Time 2-4pm Tickets No tickets or booking necessary, just drop in. For more information call 01620 827827 Email
[email protected]
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Saltire festival activities Sunday 3rd December Enjoy all of the Saltire festival activities in an afternoon of fun at The John Gray Centre.
Venue The John Gray Centre, Haddington, EH41 3DX Time 1.00pm – 4.00pm Tickets No tickets or booking necessary, just drop in. For more information call 01620 827827 Email
[email protected]
Events on throughout bookweek RITA BRADD SALT AND SOIL TOUR Rita Bradd was born in Edinburgh, and has lived in East Lothian since early childhood. She has been widely published in poetry anthologies since 2007. Salt & Soil is her debut poetry booklet, and includes her renowned poem ‘The Herrin Trail’ which tells the story of fisherwomen who walked from Dunbar to Lauder over the Lammermuir Hills with fish to sell or barter. Other poems in the booklet are mainly set in and around East Lothian and Edinburgh. Join Rita at any one of the following libraries where she will be chatting and reading some of her wonderful poems. The booklet will be available to buy, £5.00. No booking necessary. Just turn up. Monday 27th Nov
Port Seton library, 2.30pm - 3.30pm
Tuesday 28th Nov
Longniddry library, 2.30pm - 3.30pm
Wednesday 29th Nov
Dunbar library, 2.00pm - 3.00pm
Thursday 30th Nov
Musselburgh library (invited primary 5 school class only, home schooled pupils welcome), 2.00pm - 3.00pm
Friday 1st Dec
Ormiston library, 2.30pm - 3.30pm
Saturday 2nd Dec
Gullane library, 11.00am – 12 noon
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Nordic House Art Exhibition
13th Nov – 17th Dec
LANDSCAPE ART AND PHOTOS FROM THE FIVE NORDIC NATIONS Exploring the links between Scotland and the Nordic nations, the exhibition showcases wild Arctic seascapes, Icelandic lava fields, Denmark’s oldest allotment gardens, women fishing on the Baltic, and a subsidencethreatened Swedish mining town. It includes reproductions of work by: Kaare Espolin Johnson (1907-1994) – who produced striking images of people and seascapes from his native Finnmark in northern Norway despite being almost blind. Johannes Sveinsson Kjarval (1885-1972) – an orphan and fisherman who became Iceland’s most prolific painter using a variety of styles to depict landscape and lava formation. Åland women – photographs from three collections showing women fishing, working as merchant seamen and sailing from the Finnish Åland islands to Helsinki in the 1920s Vennelyst – photos of Copenhagen’s oldest allotment gardens where families traditionally moved to live for the summer – comparing life at the turn of two centuries -- 1900 and 2000. Kiruna – photos of the Arctic Swedish mining town, currently being moved 4kms, building by building, to avoid a massive crack in the earth caused by subsidence. Nordic House Director Lesley Riddoch said; “Since I first travelled to Iceland and the Far North of Norway I’ve admired Kjarval and Espolin Johnson – artists who battled poverty and blindness to demonstrate an intimacy with landscapes usually dismissed by outsiders as icy wastelands. I think anyone who loves the island landscapes of Scotland will instantly connect with their vivid portrayal of remote, northern scenery and fishing life. Photographs of women fishing on the Baltic and families “camped out” for the summer in Copenhagen allotments both speak of societies less restricted by convention. The extraordinary plan to move the Arctic Swedish town of Kiruna over the next two decades because of mining subsidence also offers a glimpse of the enduring human resilience at work in the High North. This is a small exhibition but I think these artworks from 5 northern seafaring nations will speak to most Scots and will help to stimulate curiosity, invite comparisons with Scotland and re-establish a “north-east passage” of art, ideas and stories between Scotland, Norway, Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Denmark. Nordic House art exhibition was first unveiled in July 2015 at the Storytelling Centre on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. The exhibition will be on display in the John Gray Centre from Monday 13th November until Sunday 17th December. There are times when the Star Room will not be accessible. Check with the library before your visit.
Guided Tour Join award-winning journalist, commentator and broadcaster Lesley Riddoch on a guided tour of the Nordic House art exhibition Venue The John Gray Centre, Haddington, EH41 3DX Date Thursday 23rd November (note – this is the week before Book Week Scotland) Time 6.30pm Tickets £2.50, to include refreshments, direct from Haddington library or call 01620 827827 Email
[email protected] Copies of Lesley’s books will be available for sale and signing
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eResources Roadshow
Take this opportunity to ask our staff how to access eBooks and eAudiobooks, how to stream and download newspapers, magazines & comics, and how to access all of our online learning content. Just drop in, no booking necessary, so if you have a free half hour why not call in at any of the sessions listed below and learn about all the different eResources your Library provides. Use the library PCs or bring along your own mobile device. If you’re not a library member, come along anyway, bring some ID and proof of address and join on the spot! We’d like to know which of our many eResources you would be most interested in, simply by taking part in a very brief, 2-question survey which you’ll find at – www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/DS2D9QN
Date
Time
Branch
Monday 27 November
9am - 12pm 2pm - 5pm
Dunbar East Linton
Tuesday 28 November
10am – 1pm 2pm – 5pm 2pm – 5pm 5pm – 7.15pm
Gullane Musselburgh Port Seton Haddington
Wednesday 29 November
10am - 1pm 2pm - 5pm
Tranent Longniddry
Thursday 30 November
10am - 1pm 2pm - 5pm
North Berwick Ormiston
Friday 1st December
10am - 1pm
Prestonpans
Saturday 2nd December
10am - 1pm
Wallyford
