Horror strikes as Jekyll and Hydes go free across Capital

Published on Wednesday 9 January 2008 09:26

A DRIVE to encourage thousands of people across Edinburgh to read Robert Louis Stevenson's work The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde will be launched next month.

Thousands of free copies of the classic horror story will be handed out to schools and libraries across the city for this year's One Book-One Edinburgh campaign.

The organisers – Edinburgh Unesco City of Literature Trust – decided to promote a work by Stevenson, who is one of Edinburgh's most famous authors, after the success of Kidnapped, one of his other books, last year.

Schools, libraries and book groups will receive 10,000 free copies of a new paperback edition of the original text.

A graphic version of the story has also been created by comic book legends Cam Kennedy and Alan Grant, which will be available in Gaelic, Scots and modern text versions, as well as the standard version.

The book will also be available online, in both text and audio.

Edinburgh crime writer Ian Rankin, a trustee of the City of Literature Trust, has written a new introduction to the novel.

He said: "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a novel I return to year after year, always finding some new layer of possible meaning. As a foray into mankind's dark heart, it is without parallel."

Throughout February, there will be a programme of events for schools, community groups and the general public, including graphic novel workshops, film screenings, discussions, readings, walking tours of Stevenson's Edinburgh and a specially-commissioned live performance written by Donald Smith, director of the Scottish Storytelling Centre.

Ali Bowden, manager of the Edinburgh Unesco City of Literature Trust, said: "We were blown away by the enthusiasm generated by the last campaign, and the response to Jekyll and Hyde has been brilliant. This is a fantastic, dark tale, and a great read to share."

First published in 1886, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was a publishing sensation. The names of Jekyll and Hyde are now used to describe people with seemingly split personalities.

The story was inspired by a nightmare Stevenson had and the first draft was written in "white-hot haste" and burned by Stevenson before anyone could read it.

The finished version, which took just ten weeks to write, is set in London, but it is believed the streets of Edinburgh and the crimes of Deacon Brodie served as an inspiration to the author.

Gavin Wallace, head of literature at the Scottish Arts Council, said: "Stevenson's profound study of human duality, while universal, is also deeply permeated with its author's fascination for the strange contrariness of his native Edinburgh."

Lord Provost George Grubb said: "One Book-One Edinburgh 2008 is a unique opportunity for people across the city to explore this fantastic, gripping book."