Books and Niki Boyle

Swiss writer, philosopher and documentarian Alain de Botton - interview

23 Apr 2012

First record you ever bought Genesis by Genesis. Last extravagant purchase you made An Easter holiday to Istanbul. First film you saw that really moved you The Jungle Book. Last lie you told That I had read a book I hadn’t. First movie…

On the Road trailer unveiled

Jack Kerouac's road novel adapted for the screen by Walter Salles, starring Sam Riley

12 Mar 2012

The trailer for Walter Salles' On the Road has been unveiled, featuring Control's Sam Riley, Tron: Legacy's Garret Hedlund and Twilight's Kristen Stewart. The original novel was written by Jack Kerouac, and is seen as a definitive text for the beat…

Electric Man

A patchy, if well intentioned, Edinburgh-set comic comedy

8 Feb 2012

(12A tbc) 98min Shot in Edinburgh on a micro-budget, comic shop comedy Electric Man declares its intentions from the off: this is to be no social realist kitchen sink drama, typical of the UK film industry, but rather a light-hearted love-letter to…

The Hot 100 2011: 100-50

The definitive list of Scottish creative talent

16 Dec 2011

100: Gordon Ferris. Kilmarnock crime author makes good. The already packed Scottish crime writing field has finally found a bit of elbow room for another burgeoning talent. Joining the likes of Rankin, Brookmyre, McDermid and co is this Ayrshire-born…

Hot 100 2011 - No. 49 to 1

The definitive list of Scottish creative talent

16 Dec 2011

The Hot 100 is the definitive list of Scottish creative talent. From fashion designers to performance artists, everyone who has made a sizeable splash in 2011 has a place in this countdown. It’s for people who’ve created a buzz, but it’s also about…

Top 5: Philip K Dick adaptations

Featuring Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly and The Adjustment Bureau

10 Mar 2011

Philip K Dick (fun fact: the K stands for Kindred) is hailed as one of the finest science fiction writers in history. He never achieved commercial success in his lifetime: he died following a stroke in 1982, three months before Blade Runner - the first…

Travel theme for 2010 Scottish International Storytelling Festival

Japanese strand and Festival-on-Tour among themes

17 Feb 2011

Following on from 2009’s ‘Homeland’ theme, which explored the tales of the Scottish diaspora, the ‘Eastern Routes’ strand of this year’s Scottish International Storytelling Festival surveys storytelling from India and beyond, including the effects…

Julian Barnes - Pulse

19 Jan 2011

(Jonathan Cape) Julian Barnes’ third short story collection is divided into two books. The first deals with modern, middle-class folks in various states of relationship, from newly-single men trying to start over again, to couples conversing at dinner…

The Hot 100 2010 - Mark Millar, Kevin Bridges and Alasdair Gray take top 3 spots

Our annual chart of the people from Scotland being interesting, successful and creative

16 Dec 2010

The Hot 100 is a list of Scots who’ve made a sizeable creative splash in 2010. It includes musicians, artists, writers, actors, fashion designers, technological innovators, shop owners, festival directors, record label heads and one mad cyclist.

Looking back on 25 years of commentary on Scottish culture

25 years of The List

23 Sep 2010

A lot has happened in 25 years of Scottish culture. Niki Boyle gives a blow-by-blow account of the major events

Alan Warner and Howard Jacobson amongst nominees for Man Booker Prize

2010 literary award longlist announced

29 Jul 2010

The longlist of contenders for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction 2010 were announced yesterday. The prize of £50 000 is awarded to the best full-length novel by a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or the Commonwealth, is written in English, and is…

Work by photographer Chris Close returns to 2010 Edinburgh Book Festival

Portraits of visiting authors appear in Charlotte Square for second year

21 Jul 2010

Chris Close, the photographer behind last year's successful 'almost live' photography display at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, is set to return to Charlotte Square this year with a new series of portraits of visiting authors. Visiting…