Aye Write! heads west for its sixth year

The festival, which began yesterday, takes place at the Mitchell Library and runs until 12 March, with organisers saying it will celebrate "the rich variety of Glaswegian writing along with the best of Scottish and international writers".

Fiction and non-fiction, poetry and prose, crime, comedy, politics and debate are all featured during the events.

This year is the 30th anniversary of the publication of Alasdair Gray's Lanark, which means the work of its author is a major theme, including a special exhibition based on Lanark in the Main Hall of the Mitchell Library.

Other highlights include a look back at cultural life in the 1970s, including sessions on The Goodies and Kenny Everett.

Issues of technology and identity are a key theme, with writers from Saltire-winning novelist James Robertson, through journalist and author Gary Younge, to Brooke Magnanti, better known as call-girl blogger Belle de Jour, all looking at identity online and off.

Dame Shirley Williams, Jasper Fforde, Andrea Levy, Alexander McCall Smith, Barry Cryer, Mark Billingham, Jo Nesbo, Val McDermid, Mark Millar and Iain M Banks are also among the authors taking part.

There are events on folk music and protest, including a session with Clarence Jones, who wrote the "I have a dream" speech with Martin Luther King.

The festival also includes the Aye Write! Schools Programme, weekend family events, Scottish Poetry Slam and a range of reading and creative writing workshops.

Fans of the festival can keep up to date with Aye Write! Glasgow Book Festival news, reviews, events and updates, on Twitter or by joining their group on Facebook, and the organisers are keen to get feedback.