The News, Read by a Poet

Best known for As If, his landmark book about the killing of James Bulger, Blake Morrison is also a poet and novelist. He joins us today to read from a new publication, This Poem… Bankers’ bonuses, phone hacking, super-injunctions and Jimmy Savile: these are just some of the topics he addresses, in verse that is at once terrifyingly honest and full of wisdom about the state of contemporary Britain.

Irma Kurtz at Edinburgh International Book Festival (edbookfest)

Whether it’s exploring the disappearing art of letter writing and the power of the spoken word, or listening to those who hear inner voices or participating in a series of dialogues on the future of Scotland, the Edinburgh International Book Festival examined all aspects of communication in 2014. Under the headline ‘Let’s Talk’ the Book Festival welcomed internationally-renowned writers and thinkers from around the world to its home in Charlotte Square Gardens to discuss such diverse topics as the two world wars, the Commonwealth, Economic Migration, Society, Identity, Culture and the Media. Listen to some of the events here in our series of free podcasts – recorded live at the Book Festival.