Aye Write: Line up of events for Glasgow book festival announced - Celie Imrie, Darren McGarvey taking part

Heralding its return to live events in venues across the city, the Aye Write line-up is as eclectic and exciting as ever, with, amongst many others: Olivier Award-winning actress and bestselling author Celia Imrie on her most recent novel Orphans of the Storm; veteran BBC journalist Justin Webb with his memoir The Gift of a Radio; Rapper, social commentator and author of The Social Distance Between Us, Darren McGarvey; Channel 4 news presenter Symeon Brown with Get Rich or Lie Trying; and former Radio 1 DJ Annie Macmanus with her bestselling novel Mother Mother.

TV legend Chris Tarrant joins the festival cast this year, sharing stories from his 50 years in the business, as does TikTok sensation, ‘Wellerman’ singer and author of The Book of Sea Shanties, Nathan Evans.

What is Aye Write?

The annual Glasgow bookish extravaganza is produced by Glasgow Life.

Aye Write will this year be held predominantly in person, not only at the Mitchell Library, but also across other city venues, including Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall and Tramway. Following the success though of online events in 2021, some digital events will continue to feature in this year’s programme, headlined by Damon Galgut, winner of last year’s Booker Prize for The Promise, and sponsored by Rathbones Folio Prize.

Running over 3 consecutive weekends, Fri 6-Sun 8, Thurs 12-Sun 15 and Thurs 19-Sun 22, May, the festival this year boasts more than two-hundred author talks and panel events, with speakers from all walks of life, including: stars of stage and screen, celebrated journalists, veteran broadcasters, social commentators, politicians, musicians, new literary voices and stalwarts of Scottish literature, historians, archaeologists, explorers and naturalists. And many more besides.

Who is taking part?

Professor Devi Sridhar and Jason Leitch – such a familiar face in Scotland during the pandemic -- set out a vision for how we can better protect ourselves from the inevitable health crises to come, and writer, critic and playwright Ben Aitken explores, alongside philosopher and traveller Will Buckingham, the pandemic and its unexpected and life-affirming connections as well as its enforced separations.

That notion of ‘connection’ is a powerful and pervasive one this year, and not least when set in the context of mental health. BAFTA and Emmy award-winning writer of Succession Georgia Pritchett, whose credits include Veep, Have I Got News for You, Smack the Pony, Miranda and The Thick of It, to name but a few, knows a thing or two about anxiety, and shares her bestselling memoir My Mess is a bit of a Life.

Continuing the theme of powerful female stories, outspoken MP Jess Phillips gives a typically funny and honest insight into the drama of Westminster and life as an MP beyond that most public of stages.

Taking to the Aye Write stage, too, is Louise Welsh, a professor of creative writing at the University of Glasgow whose most recent novel The Second Cut is the long-awaited sequel to her award-winning The Cutting Room. She shares the programme with emerging literary talents Kenny Boyle and Claire Alexander, and writer and poet Leela Soma, whose brainchild The Kavya Prize has just been launched in association with the University of Glasgow, seeking to encourage and celebrate published work and new writing by Scotland’s ethnically diverse communities. The winner of the prize will be announced at Aye Write.

Scottish crime-writing royalty will also be in attendance in the form of favourites Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman as Ambrose Parry, Stuart MacBride, Brian McGilloway, Alex Gray and Douglas Skelton.

And shedding light on crimes in the real world are Nazir Afzal, the Chief Prosecutor who was at the forefront of the British legal system for decades; Kevin Maxwell, who tells his story of being a gay, black man and a police officer, in Forced Out; and Channel 4 news presenter Symeon Brown with his Get Rich or Lie Trying, which lifts the lid on the social media influencer culture, exposing the murk that lies beneath the filtered selfies and gleaming smiles.

Young people

Producing plenty of genuine smiles and lots of giggles, though, will be Wee Write, the book festival for children and young people, which runs at the earlier time of 25-30 April, and which this year offers delights for all ages, including: Harry Potter cover illustrator Jonny Duddle, celebrating 25 years of Harry Potter Magic; Horrid Henry author Francesca Simon and Dennis the Menace illustrator Steve May with their new collaboration, Two Terrible Vikings and Grunt the Berserker; a draw-off event with author-illustrators Tom Morgan Jones and Sophie Henn; and a very special meet-and-greet and storytelling session with children’s favourite The Gruffalo.

How do I get tickets?

The full programmes are available now on the Aye Write website. Live event tickets are available from Aye Write.

Digital event tickets are available from www.glasgowlifetv.com.