Books, Non-fiction

AL Kennedy - On Writing

‘There is more than one way to burn a book’, AL Kennedy tells us as she discusses censorship and suppression of art. This book is political, and not the technical examination of writing one might expect. On Writing is a collection in three parts: ‘the…

Tracey Thorn - Bedsit Disco Queen

A wise and humorous pop memoir from the Everything but the Girl singer

This opus from Everything But the Girl’s Tracey Thorn masquerades as a brilliant pop biography, but it’s also a fascinating tale of love, growing up, letting go and finding your way. And it beautifully illustrates how we make sense (and order) of our…

Gemma Elwin Harris (ed) - Big Questions from Little People

A fun, factual compilation where kids' questions are answered by experts such as David Attenborough

As anyone who has ever read an academic textbook knows, finding the simplest, most straightforward explanation isn’t always at the top of the writer’s agenda. Yet who amongst us doesn’t appreciate an easily digestible answer to a complicated…

David Aaronovitch to tackle conspiracy theories at December's Edinburgh Skeptics session

The journalist is the author of Voodoo Histories: How Conspiracy Theory Has Shaped Modern History

We all love a juicy conspiracy theory. There have been many books, DVDs, TV programmes, films and websites dedicated to poring over the minutest technical details in order to try and debunk the official story on everything from 9/11 to 7/7, Wacko Jacko…

Ben Thompson (ed) - Ban This Filth!

A largely entertaining collection of Mary Whitehouse correspondence

For those who thought Mary Whitehouse was a harmless little old lady with too much time on her hands, it might be worth recalling the infamous spat she had with Dennis Potter. When The Singing Detective livened up our small screens in 1986, the arch…

Jon Ronson - Lost at Sea

A collection of non-fiction writing from the offbeat investigative journalist

Will Self pretty well nailed it when he dubbed Jon Ronson as ‘one of the finest comic writers working today’. Even when a subject appears on the surface to be deadly serious (the Self review was for Ronson’s last full work, The Psychopath Test), the…

Interview: Vic Armstrong - Stuntman behind Indiana Jones, James Bond and Superman

Stuntman and director on high falls, Superman, Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford

Vic Armstrong is one of the hardest working men in Hollywood. In the 60s he started working as a stunt man going on to be Harrison Ford’s stunt double in the Indiana Jones movies and Christopher Reeves’ in Superman. Later in his career he moved onto…

Interview: Kim Newman - film critic and novelist

The noted writer talks Dracula, horror and vampires

Writer Kim Newman is probably most famous for his film criticism, a champion of horror and cult cinema, writing several books on the subject, while delving into the Video Dungeon at Empire magazine every issue and starting this interview with the fact…

Summer 2012 biography round-up

New biographies on Amy Winehouse, Barack Obama, Marilyn Munroe and Raymond Chandler

It’s a year since Amy Winehouse joined the ill-fated 27 Club, so it was somehow inevitable that the story of her largely miserable short life would be out round about now. The fact that proceeds will be heading to a charitable foundation to help young…

Robert Aldrich - Gay Life Stories

Fascinating insight into the lives of gay men and women throughout history

(Thames & Hudson) Gay rights have made huge strides in the West in the past couple of decades and with that has come an increase in the numbers of openly gay celebrities from across the spectrum of public life. But what of the many unsung heroes of…

Mark Fisher on The Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide

Theatre critic's book of essential advice to aspiring Fringe performers

1 Choosing a title takes ages It’s as straightforward as they come, yet The Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide was a title born of months of discussion. The subtitle, How to Make Your Show a Success, was arrived at no quicker. My editor couldn’t believe…

February round-up: best books on Dickens

Simon Callow, Constance Moore, Jenny Hartley and Ruth Richardson celebrate the novelist's legacy

In February, the rest of the UK will be joining all of dear old London town by taking to our foggy streets in honour of Charles John Huffam Dickens’ bicentenary. Well, perhaps not, but the media has certainly done its best to remind us that 2012 isn’t…

The top books for a healthy start to 2012

Dieting and exercise books from Tracy Griffen, Mike Dow, John Briffa and more

It’s that time of year when the season’s jollities come back to haunt you. Stepping on the scales or glancing in the mirror can be a pretty scary prospect. Fortunately, you’re never short of advice in written form come January. Edinburgh-based personal…

Marcus Berkmann - A Shed of One’s Own

Occasionally hilarious, occasionally turgid treatise on middle-age

(Little, Brown) What is middle-age? Is it a fixed number or a fluid miasma of values, outlooks and opinions? Marcus Berkmann, probably correctly, believes it could strike at any time (you could even get a middle-aged teenager) but is perhaps more…

Film books round-up

The Man in the Seventh Row, Cinema: The Whole Story, Hitchcock’s Magic and more reviewed

Brian Pendreigh must surely be the hardest working movie-mad journalist and writer in Scotland. The Man in the Seventh Row (Blasted Heath ●●●) is his seventh book following biographies of Ewan McGregor and Mel Gibson, as well as Scottish cinema and…

Umberto Eco - On Ugliness

Entertaining collection of art history essays edited by the Italian author

(MacLehose Press) Just as notions of beauty are very much in the eye of the beholder, what constitutes ‘ugly’ can be viewed differently across centuries and continents. Football teams who ‘play ugly’ might still end up as winners, while being told by…

Christmas comedy memoirs roundup

Lee Evans, Johnny Vegas, Jason Manford and Simon Day all have books on the way

With the Christmas market positively saturated these days with stand-up comedy DVDs, publishers have clearly decided it’s time to cash in by launching a batch of memoirs from folk who may (or may not) have made you laugh down the years. Titlewise, Lee…

Margaret Atwood - In Other Worlds

Slightly patchy collection of critical sci-fi essays

(Virago) A companion to Margaret Atwood’s published science fiction rather than an essential purchase in its own right, In Other Worlds charts the Canadian Booker Prize winner’s relationship with SF from an early age, bringing a welcome clarity and…

Christopher Hitchens - Arguably

Stellar collection of essays from the outspoken journalist

(Atlantic) As Christopher Hitchens movingly concedes in the intro to Arguably, he writes each new slice of social, political and cultural commentary as though it may be his last. While others would have disappeared within their shell at having…

Janice Galloway

The All Made Up author takes on our Q&A

Give us five words to describe All Made Up? True. Funny. Sad. Teen-to-adult. Novel. Which author should be more famous than they are now? VS Naipaul. Because he’s irritating, self-regarding and self-involved enough that massive fame would be in…

Kristin Hersh set for Edinburgh Festival show

Indie rock goddess brings new memoir, spoken word and live music

Alternative rock idol Kristin Hersh is spoiling us. She’s playing four shows in the Edinburgh festival, although she doesn’t realise it. ‘Am I? I don’t know!’ she laughs. ‘I’ll do whatever you say...’ The List is tempted to exploit this congenial…

Joe Simon: My Life in Comics

Interesting autobiography from one of the pioneers of superhero comics

(Titan) This autobiography written by one of the founding fathers of the American comic books hits the bookshelves a fortnight ahead of the release of the latest Hollywood blockbuster adaptation of a superhero strip, Captain America, which…

Books on cinema - round-up

How the Movie Brats Took Over Edinburgh, Tough Without A Gun, The Faber Book of French Cinema

As is always the way in Scotland, summer is kind of here, and now is the time to lie in the grass with that growing pile of tosh novels. But let’s face it, you are going to win a lot more kudos from your film-obsessed mates if you create a tower of…

New music books: Luke Haines - Post Everything, Andy Kershaw - No Off Switch,

Simon Reynold - Retromania, Scott Weiland - Not Dead & Not for Sale

Semi-absent fans of former Auteur and Black Box Recorder man Luke Haines might have received something of a jolt on suddenly Googling him. The words on the second entry would have immediately caught the eye: ‘It is with deep regret that we have to…

Interview - Alice Ozma

Author of The Reading Promise: 3218 Nights of Reading with My Father

Give us five words to describe The Reading Promise? Books and love. Not sappy! Which book makes you cry? The Old Curiosity Shop is beat-you-over-the-head sad. I found American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld to be moving in a poignant, calm way. We fall…