Champions of the Short Story

Kuwaiti author Mai Al-Nakib is a thrilling new voice from the Middle East. Educated at Brown University in the USA, her debut short story collection The Hidden Light of Objects offers a stunning perspective on lives overwhelmed by military or religious events. Tom Barbash is an acclaimed, bestselling San Francisco writer whose new book Stay Up With Me has been glowingly described as ‘the Great American Story Collection’.

Part of our First Book Award Nominee series of events.

Billy Collins 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.