Edinburgh International Book Festival 2023: When is the festival? What are the standout events in the 2023 programme?

Edinburgh International Book Festival: Standout events in the 2023 programme

More than 470 authors, writers and thinkers will be appearing across nearly 600 events at the Edinburgh International Book Festival when its 40th anniversary edition unfolds in August.

Here are just a few highlights from the line-up for the event, which will feature participants from 49 different countries when it is staged at Edinburgh College of Art from 12-28 August.

Mikaela Loach, 12 August

The Jamaican-born, Edinburgh-based climate justice activist, podcaster, writer and medical student has been has been named one of the most influential figures in the global environmental movement. Her work, including new book It's Not That Radical: Climate Action To Transform Our World focuses on the intersections of the climate crisis with oppressive systems and making the climate movement more accessible.

Greta Thunberg, 12 August

The book festival will be marking its 40th anniversary with its biggest ever event when climate activist takes to the stage of the Edinburgh Playhouse. The event, which will include a speech from 20-year-old Thunberg and an in-depth discussion about The Climate Book, which she published last year, will be streamed live after all 3000 tickets were snapped up.

Spectacular Scottish Women: 15 August

Author Louise Baillie and illustrator Eilidh Muldoon have collaborated on a book celebrating some of Scotland’s most inspiring women, including percussionist Evelyn Glennie, model Eunice Olumide, poet and author Jackie Kay, schoolgirl activist-turned-politician Roza Salih and actress Karen Gillan. Trailblazing footballer Rose Reilly will help launch the new book in a special children’s programme event.

Denise Mina: 16 August

The award-winning crime writer’s new book re-imagines the "Bonfire of the Vanities,” a series of fires lit throughout 15th century Florence which were inspired by the fanatical friar, Girolamo Savonarola. Her event will explore the “uncomfortable and unavoidable” parallels between the febrile atmosphere of medieval Italy and the modern-day culture wars.

Katrin Jakobsdottir & Ragnar Jonasson, 17 August

The 40th anniversary edition of the Edinburgh International Book Festival will be staged at Ediburgh College of Art in August. Picture: Simone Padovani

Icelandic Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir was already a scholar of crime fiction when she joined forces with Ragnar Jonasson, best-selling writer of the “Dark Iceland” series” to work on a novel together. They will both be appearing to discuss the book, which explores the mystery of a teenage girl’s disappearance in the 1950s.

Kezia Dugdale and Lesley Riddoch, 17 August

The former Scottish Labour leader will discuss the current state of the Scottish political landscape with the independence campaigner and journalist. Dugdale and Riddoch will also explore whether the Humza Yousaf era signals a new era in Scotland in an event which will be chaired by the broadcaster and commentator Ruth Wishart.

Josie Long, 18 August

The Edinburgh International Book Festival will celebrate its 40th anniversary in August.

Long began performing stand-up at the age of just 14 and has been a familiar figure at the Fringe since being named best comedy newcomer at the event in 2006. She will be appearing at the festival with writer and broadcaster Viv Groskop to discuss her short story collection “Because I Don't Know What You Mean and What You Don't.”

Karine Polwart, Amy Liptrot and Dave Milligan, 18 August

Singer-songwriter Karine Polwart, pianist David Milligan and author Amy Liptrot, whose memoir The Outrun has been turned into a forthcoming feature film, will weave together stories and songs to explore the relationship between a place, a story and a song.

Alice Oseman, 19 August

The English author was just 17 when she landed her first publishing deal after a bidding war over her debut novel Solitaire. She found fame with the graphic novel series Heartstopper – now a hit Netflix series - which follows schoolboys Nick and Charlie as they navigate the ups and downs of first loves, schools, friendships, coming out and mental health. Oseman will make two appearances at the festival, one as part of the children’s programme.

Monica Heisey, 20 August

Schitt's Creek screenwriter and comic Monica Heisey will be appearing at this year's Edinburgh International Book Festival. Picture: Harry Livingstone

The Schitt’s Creek screenwriter, who has peformed improv, sketch and stand-up comey, will be discussing her debut novel Really Good, Actually, which focuses on a young divorcee stepping back into the world and explores “the uncertainties of modern love, friendship and happiness.”

James Kelman, 20 August

It is nearly 30 years since the Glasgow-born author won the Booker Prize for his novel How Late It Was, How Late. He will be back at the festival to discuss his latest novel, God’s Teeth and Other Phenomena, with one of the rising stars of the moder-day Scottish literary scene, Graeme Armstrong.

Andrew O’Hagan, 22 August

As well as launching a new play about the American writer Truman Capote at the Fringe, the Glasgow-born author will be reuniting at with screenriter Andrea Gibb and TV producer Claire Mundell at the book festival to discuss the process of adapting his novel Mayflies into the two-part drama which starred Martin Compston and Tony Curran as best friends Tully and Jimmy.

Michael Pedersen and David Shrigley, 25 August

The poet and visual artist will join forces to discuss Pederson’s new book The Cat Prince and Get Your Shit Together, a new collection of prose, poetry and artwork by Shrigley.

Arusa Qureshi, 26 August

The festival has revived its late-night events for the first time since the pre-Covid 2019 edition, with Edinburgh College of Art's Wee Red Bar playing host to writers, musicians, singers and poets on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Qureshi’s night on the final weekend will focus on women in the Scottish cultural scene who are “fostering change, making noise and refusing to bow down or give in to archaic structures.

A celebration of Salman Rushdie, 28 August

A year on from the attack on the author before he was due to speak at a lectrure in New York, former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Chitra Ramaswamy and Simon Schama will be among the writers discussing the impact of Salman Rushdie’s novels, including his latest, Victory City, which was published earlier this year.