Ian Rankin

Anonymous sculptor leaves literary artworks around Edinburgh

11 sculptures made from the pages of books have been discovered

10 Feb 2012

On a quiet day last March, the Scottish Poetry Library received an unexpected gift; a tree, fashioned from words and paper, blossoming from the yellowing book it rested upon. Throughout 2011, ten intricate sculptures appeared at creative organisations…

Edinburgh International Book Festival 2011 line up highlights

Grant Morrison, Will Self and Jo Nesbø among highlights

16 Jun 2011

A selection of international authors, a bunch of Scottish novelists, an array of top non-fiction scribes, a host of children’s writers and a series of exciting innovations: yes, it’s just another Edinburgh International Book Festival programme. A cliché…

Five of the best books set in Edinburgh

Five books set in the Scottish capital, including Kidnapped and Trainspotting

16 Feb 2011

1: Confessions of a Justified Sinner - James Hogg Don’t be put off by the title, this is a compelling and surprisingly modern novel which confronts the hypocrisy of the self-righteous. It inspired numerous later works, including Robert Louis…

How seven key figures in Scottish culture have fared over 25 years

25 years of The List

23 Sep 2010

Didn’t they do well? Scotland has more than its fair share of talent, finds Kirstin Innes, as she chronicles the highs and lows of some of our finest exports over 25 years, including Peter Capaldi, Carol Ann Duffy, Ian Rankin, Douglas Gordon, Tilda…

Edinburgh, My Home: Jonathan Mills

22 Mar 2010

Edinburgh International Festival director Jonathan Mills on the virtues and indiscretions of his adopted home

The Hot 100 2009

18 Dec 2009

Compiled by List staff through a painstaking process of review and debate, the Hot 100 is the comprehensive list of Scottish creative talent, covering both individuals and organisations who’ve made a standout contribution to culture in 2009. This year’s…

Saint Jude’s Infirmary - This Has Been The Death Of Us

13 Nov 2009

(7th Realm of Teenage Heaven) With the likes of Jack Vettriano & Ian Rankin contributing to the album, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s all a bit “Scottisher-than-thou”. This only occasionally becomes a problem, though – in the meanwhile, the…

Hitlist: Books

Two weeks of talks, readings and exhibitions

16 Oct 2009

Alasdair Gray, Scottish International Storytelling Festival, Edinburgh Independent Radical Book Fair, Ian Rankin, Helen Fitzgerald, James Ellroy, Gordon Burn

Hitlist: Books

3 Sep 2009

Mary Brennan As Scottish Ballet opens a new chapter on its story with a move to Glasgow’s Tramway, The Herald dance critic celebrates the company’s many successes as she talks about her lavishly illustrated book, Scottish Ballet: Forty Years.

Off the Page

Stirling's book festival

3 Sep 2009

Book lovers are set for a treat this month as a flurry of leading authors make the trip to Stirling. A week-long jamboree of literary lovelies, this year’s line-up includes Ian Rankin, Rodge Glass and ex-WPC Karen Campbell. The kids should be kept…

Maccabees instore gig set for Edinburgh's Avalanche Records

29 Apr 2009

The Maccabees are the latest act to perform in the recently refurbished Edinburgh branch of cult record shop Avalanche. An instore gig by the upcoming South London band takes place at 5pm ahead of their show at Studio 24 later the same…

StAnza

19 Mar 2009

Scotland’s International Poetry Festival sets out its stall in St Andrews with the usual brew of literary genius. This year’s highlights include Ian Rankin (pictured), Helen Dunmore, Carol Ann Duffy and First Minister Alex Salmond. Byre Theatre…

Aye Write!

1 Mar 2009

Now in its fourth year, Aye Write! 2009 promises to be the biggest and best instalment of the Glasgow-based literary festival yet, and - as the name boldly hints - one which continues to blend an appraisal of the wider written world with a strong spine…

Ian Rankin - Doors Open

18 Sep 2008

CRIME NOVEL After 18 novels, John Rebus retired in his last outing, Exit Music. Whether the detective inspector will return is unclear, but in the meantime Ian Rankin is having some fun spreading his authorial wings. This heist story was first…

Festival frenzy as Edinburgh gears up for August

3 Jul 2008

With just three weeks until Edinburgh officially takes its place in the spotlight as one of the world's greatest cultural playgrounds, festival news and views have been coming in thick and fast. Perhaps most contentious is the news that after capturing…

Sean Connery to appear as part of Edinburgh International Book Festival 2008 programme

12 Jun 2008

Catherine Lockerbie today celebrated 25 years of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, announcing the biggest and most international programme ever. The packed series of literary and political events taking place in Charlotte Square Gardens this…

Rankin in the doghouse

14 Apr 2008

Ian Rankin has admitted to a 'romp' with a young writer at the British Book Awards last Wednesday, 9 April. The Daily Record reports that the author, 47, shared a drunken kiss with the woman, 26, at a post-awards party in full view of other guests, and…

Scottish Opera - Five:15

28 Feb 2008

Think opera, and it’s usually think big. At 15 hours in total, for instance, the four operas that make up Wagner’s Ring are very definitely tipping the overblown end of the scale. Proving that the genre doesn’t always have to be of such towering…

Ian Rankin Honoured with Handprint Sculpture

28 Feb 2008

Ian Rankin has had his handprints sculpted into a piece of Caithness stone to acknowledge his status as one of the city’s leading ambassadors. Interested parties can see it for themselves at the courtyard of Edinburgh’s City Chambers on the Royal Mile.

ITV axes Rebus

22 Feb 2008

ITV has reportedly pulled the plug on Edinburgh-set detective drama Rebus. It is believed that the broadcaster is not keen to continue the Ian Rankin drama without Ken Stott, who says he doesn't want to continue in the role. John Hannah played the…

Hitting the right note

15 Nov 2007

Scottish Opera supremo Alex Reedijk has officially launched the company’s Five:15 programme, which features such Scottish talent as Grace Notes author Bernard MacLaverty and Rebus creator Ian Rankin (pictured) working alongside such musical talents as…

Ian Rankin's favourite culture snacks

1 Nov 2007

My 15-year-old son and I have a weekly pilgrimage where we go into HMV, Virgin, Game, Game Station and Waterstone’s. He gets his games and magazines and I get my CDs, DVDs, books, magazines, newspapers. That’s all I spend my money on. That and…

The Rankin files - St Jude's Infirmary

1 Nov 2007

Firstly can you introduce yourselves? OK, we are Grant Campbell (bass, vocals), Ashley Campbell (guitar, vocals), Emma Jane (vocals), Mark Francis (guitar, vocals) and Alun Thomas (drums). How is the second album progressing? It’s been…

Crime Scene: Edinburgh - the Ian Rankin exhibition

1 Nov 2007

There’s a pleasing circularity to this exhibition at the National Library. Ian Rankin wrote much of Knots and Crosses, the first Rebus book, in the reading room here, thanks to a PhD thesis on Muriel Spark that fell by the wayside. With Rankin’s famed…

Ian Rankin interview

6 Sep 2007

So this is the end, then. Well, perhaps not quite. Exit Music, the much trumpeted latest work from Ian Rankin sees his world famous cynical copper Detective Inspector Rebus handing in his warrant card for the last time and retiring permanently to the…