Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events.

hyndland bookshop inside

Books, talks and poetry events. Glasgow has everything on offer for lovers of literature, including major book festivals, book launches, poetry slams and spoken word open mics.

Plenty to choose from with events showcasing new talent as well as acclaimed writers and poets.

Events and New Books To Watch Out For

Glasgoes Poetic 2019

jim carruth

28 September – 14 October, 2019 Events Programme Express Yourself Project Cafe i) Friday 28 September 7-10pm Project Café Renfrew Street Glasgow Express Yourself: Carla Woodburn hosts 10 poets, the theme of the evening is poetry involving “Consumer Market.” FREE Glasgow and District Burns Association ii) Friday 28 September 7pm Renfield St Stephen’s Church Bath […]

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Walk in James Watt’s Footsteps

Walk in James Watt's Footsteps

Walk in Watt’s footsteps on Glasgow Green Sunday, August 25, 2019,  2 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. Glasgow Green, Greendyke Street, Saltmarket, Glasgow G1 5DB (Please wear suitable footwear. Adults only. Meet at the gate to Glasgow Green opposite the High Court.) History fans are being given the chance to walk in James Watt’s footsteps – […]

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An Evening with Gracey Flair at Helensburgh Library

gracey flair

Wednesday, 28 August, 2019, 7.00 p.m. Helensburgh Library 51 West King Street Helensburgh G84 8EB ‘Gracey Flair ‘Funnysophical Poet’ – she’s daft but deep.  She’ll either make yi’ laugh or greet! Gracey Flair, born in the ‘Good Old Port’ (Port Glasgow) and then grew up and followed her nose.  Always a truth seeker and this […]

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The Rebirth of the Clyde, Fairfield Heritage

the rebirth of the clyde

2 October, 2019 . 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. ‘The Story of Glasgow’s Greatest Shipyard’ Fairfield Heritage,  1048 Govan Road Govan, G51 4XS This is the Story of how the last Commercial Shipyard in Scotland was rescued from closure and now – less than five years later – plans to lead the world in the […]

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Spirit of Revolt, Show and Tell – Workers City, The Mitchell

city of revolv archive show and tell

16 September, 2019 12 oon – 2 p.m. A display of material from Spirit of Revolt collections and a discussion, led by Tommy Kayes with James Kelman, Brendan McLaughlin, Billy Clark, Michael Donnelly, Ruth Gillett, Paul Anderson, Euan Sutherland and others on the formation and actions of the Workers City group (1988 – 1993). Blythswood […]

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Free event: Scottish Writers Showcase, University of Glasgow

Thursday 22 August, 2019 at 6–8 p.m. Ajay Close, Amanda Thomson, Anna Levin, “Ambrose Parry” (pseudonym used by the writing duo Christopher Brookmyre and Marisa Haeztman), Martin Macintyre and Polly Clark University Chapel, West Quadrangle, Main Building Gilmorehill Campus, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ The writers will be reading and discussing their work with […]

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Monday, August 19, 2019 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events

Book Launch: Blessed Assurance by Stewart Ennis

blessed assurance

Tuesday, 17 September, 2019 – 7.30 p.m. Waterstones Byres Road, 351-355 Byres Road in Glasgow, G12 8AU Blessed Assurances published by Vagabond Voices “The fact of the matter is Joseph Kirkland was afraid.  Afraid of not being Saved.  Afraid of being Saved. Afraid of the transformation that would occur the moment he uttered those words, Jesus! God! I want you to come […]

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Saturday, August 17, 2019 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events

Pollokshields Proposes Exhibition Launch

pollokshields proposes exhibition the glad cafe

Thursday, 22 August, 2019,  6 p.m.- 8 p.m. The Glad Cafe An informal launch with readings and music Throughout the Spring and early Summer, Henry Bell and Alec Finlay were Glasgow Creative Communities artists in residence in Pollokshields. Over three months they met with community groups, schools, and locals and discussed achievable, desirable and impossible […]

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Book Launch: A City of Segregation CCA

book launch city of segregation

19 August, 2019 – 6.30p.m. – 8 p.m. From LA to Glasgow A book launch for City of Segregation Los Angeles may seem a long way from Glasgow, but with a century of vibrant civil rights struggle against exclusionary housing policies and recent attempts to displace communities for boutique hotels and lofts, its current patterns […]

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Wednesday, August 14, 2019 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events

Danger Poets, Waterstones Byres Road

danger poets byres road

29 August, 2019 7.30 p.m. Waterstone’s  351-355 ByresRoad, Glasgow, G12 8AU Jenny Lindsay + Magi Gibson + Ali Whitelock – that’s an explosive mix of poetry/spoken word! Three of the most dynamic and challenging voices in Scottish poetry. Books will be on sale. Free. Refreshments.

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Women With Fierce Words CCA

women fierce words

Scottish Writers’ Centre Women with Fierce Words: Fringe Off The Fringe Tuesday 13 August 2019 7pm, Free (unticketed), Clubroom 18+ Women with Fierce Words is an inclusive collective of established women writers, speaking their truth, their way. They write about what affects them and their world. Their work is often thought provoking, sometimes controversial, but […]

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Friday, August 9, 2019 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events

Books at the Botanics

books at the botanics

Friday 9 – Monday 12 August, 2019 Come along to Glasgow Botanic Gardens and enjoy a browse at the Book Fair.  Soooo the weather isn’t looking too great but don’t forget it’s  indoors, accessible for wheelchairs and buggies and they love to see a dog. Open 10 am till so 5 pm Glasgow Botanic Gardens, […]

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Launch Govanhill Book Festival 2019

go south southside book festival

Friday 9 August, 2019 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. In association with Go South: Southside Book Festival The Rum Shack, 657 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow G41 2AB Two new exciting book festivals with a difference come together to celebrate their launch and their events in the Govanhill International Festival.  Free. 6.00pm: Welcome to Govanhill Book Festival […]

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Govanhill: Portrait of a Community review Pat Byrne

save our pool

The Deep End – Govanhill Baths Arts Space 21 Nithsdale Street,  Glasgow G41 2PZ Part of Govanhill International Festival 2019 Jim and I had a great time at the Govanhill Carnival on Sunday at Queens Park so I though I would venture back across the Clyde to catch some more of the festival. I went […]

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Paul Murdoch, Alexandria Writers + Open Mic

paul murdoch

Tuesday, August 6th, 2019 –  7 p.m. The Balloch House Hotel, Balloch Road, Balloch G83 8LQ (five minutes from train station) The headliner for August is Paul Murdoch who may finally be revealing what he wants to be when he grows up. Paul Murdoch, born the son of a slater in 1961, began performing on […]

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Pinolino Puppet Show and Story Telling

Saturday, 3 August, 2019 Waterstones, 153 – 157 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3EW Pinolino is an extravagant puppet storyteller from the Pine Forest in Tuscany. The forest where it was born is dying because of pollution and climate change. Pinolino has a mission: keeping the pine forest alive and blooming in people’s imaginations through the […]

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Free Pride CCA

pride is a protes

3rd August, 2019 CCA 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JD Free Pride: an independent and community-led LGBTQ Pride event, with three core values: radical, inclusive, and free. Free Pride Workshop: Zines with From Glasgow to Saturn Sat 3 August 2019 A crafty Zine Workshop with From Glasgow to Saturn! 5.15pm, Free (unticketed), Clubroom All ages 0141 352 4900 Related […]

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Mary Irvine’s Blog: Bruce Biddolph Outstanding as ‘The Inquisitor’

the inquisitor

Peter Arnott’s play ‘The Inquisitor’ was recently performed by Bruce Biddolph at the Alexandria Library . The audience sat in a semi-circle in front of a table. A man entered. His dress implied he was someone of importance. An official, maybe. Collar, tie, smart jacket and trousers, highly polished shoes. The table became an office […]

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Edinburgh International Book Festival 2019

edinburgh international book festival

1 – 26 August, 2019 In an era of contradiction and division the 2019 Edinburgh International Book Festival invites authors and audiences to find new stories to give meaning to the world. Stories are to society what DNA is to human life – small strings of information which become bound together to make up a shared understanding of […]

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Stories from the Southside – Govanhill Book Festival

south glasgow bbook festival

Saturday, 10 August, 2019 – 11.30 a.m. – 12.30 p.m. The Deep End, 21 Nithsdale Street, Glasgow G41 2PZ Launch of Stories from the Southside, a new collection of short stories and poems focusing on the fascinating people and places that make South Glasgow. We’ll hear local writers reading from their work, and copies of […]

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Obsession: Double Bill Safe/To Die For GFT

obsession film

Sunday 28 July, 2019 at 1.45 p.m. This double bill brings together two mid-90s arthouse classics that each centre on very different kinds of obsession, and connect with each other in fascinating ways. In Todd Haynes’ Safe, the main character Carol becomes obsessed with possible (and actual) infection from her surroundings, neighbours and family. Meanwhile in To […]

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Saturday, July 20, 2019 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Cinema

Farzane Zamen in Concert

farzane samen

Tuesday 23rd July, 2019 Door time: 6:30pm Start time: 7:00pm A Night of Multicultural Music and Poetry Farzane Zamen, Sawsan Al-Areeqe, Jen Fairgrieve GLASGOW: The Old Hairdressers, Renfield Lane, Glasgow G2 5AR Iranian singer-songwriter Farzane Zamen is joined by Yemeni poet and filmmaker Sawsan Al-Areeqe and local musician Jen Fairgrieve in a multi-cultural celebration of words and music. […]

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Scottish PEN Writers In Exile review by Pat Byrne

panel writers in exile

As part of the Refugee Festival Scotland, Scottish PEN’s Writers In Exile committee presented a literary event at The Project Cafe´, Glasgow on 24 June, 2019; they brought together exiled writers and writers who are far from home.  Liz Niven chair of Scottish PEN’S Writers in Exile Committee was host  the participants were:  Samina Chaudry […]

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Start – Graham Morgan at Helensburgh Library

start grahm morgan

An Evening with local author… Graham Morgan will read from his memoir Start – hosted by Robin Lloyd Jones at the Helensburgh Library, 59 W King St, Helensburgh G84 8EB Wednesday 24th July, 7 p.m. Free entry/refreshments  

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Book Launch: ‘The Sound of the Hours’ Karen Campbell

the sound of the hours

Tuesday 16 July, 2019 7 p.m. Waterstones Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow Launch of Karen Campbell’s new book The Sound of the Hours. Scottish writer Karen Campbell is the author of seven novels, most recently The Sound of the Hours, Rise and This is Where I Am, all published by Bloomsbury Circus. Come and learn about Vita […]

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Book Launch: Something Like Happy – Sasha Greene

something like happy book launch

25 July, 2019 at 6 p.m. Glasgow Women’s Library Sasha Greene celebrating the launch of her first novel by publishers One More Chapter. Glasgow Women’s Library, 23 Landressy Street, Glasgow, G40 1BP T: 0141 550 2267 Buy Something Like Happy on Amazon @SashaGreeneAuth  

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Sunday, July 7, 2019 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events

From Glasgow To Saturn Pride Edition Launch

pride edition launch

Thursday 1 August, 2019 – 7 p.m. Category is Books, 34 Allison Street, Glasgow G42 3NN From Glasgow to Saturn is a literary journal of poetry and prose from the University of Glasgow. In our debut ‘Pluto Edition’ zine we are proud to be featuring work from a sparkling selection of LGBTQ+ writers from the […]

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Friday, July 5, 2019 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events

Some Distant Day with Cheeky Besom Productions

some distant day 2

Sunday 30 June 2019 Jim Ferguson and Vincent Hunter’s short film-essay on Scottish culture and history CCA 7pm, Free (unticketed), Clubroom 18+ 0141 352 4900 Cheeky Besom Productions: ‘Artists with Attitude’ are cordially inviting you to an evening of birlin gallus watergaws and hope you’ll join us in causing a stromash. ‘Come and sing a […]

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Longlist for McIlvanney Prize Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2019

bloody scotland logo

THE 2019 MCILVANNEY PRIZE LONGLIST IS…   A Breath on Dying Embers, Denzil Meyrick (Polygon) A Treachery of Spies, Manda Scott (Transworld) All That’s Dead, Stuart MacBride (Harper Collins) All the Hidden Truths, Claire Askew (Hodder) Breakers, Doug Johnstone (Orenda) Broken Ground, Val McDermid (Little, Brown) Conviction, Denise Mina (Vintage) Fallen Angel, Chris Brookmyre (Little, […]

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Friday, June 28, 2019 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events

Express Yourself – Poets at Tellit Slant

express yourself project cafe

Friday 28 June, 2019 starts 7 p.m. Tellit Slant Project Cafe, Renfrew Street, 134 Glasgow G3 6ST Christie Williamson is acting as guest curator. He’s not a natural organiser but seems to know a lot of very good poets. Line up includes: Stewart Alexander Sanderson Catherine Eunson Jim Carruth Dorothy Lawrenson Jelle Cauwenberghs Dave Watson […]

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express yourself project cafe

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