Home » , » Fiction, not lies, is a way of telling the truth – Ali Smith in Edinburgh

Fiction, not lies, is a way of telling the truth – Ali Smith in Edinburgh

Written By Unknown on Tuesday, August 21, 2018 | 1:01 AM

First minister Nicola Sturgeon interviews the experimental novelist at a book festival event

Maybe it is because of the Scottish Reformation. Maybe it is because of the Scottish Enlightenment. Maybe it is because of all those universities founded in a tiny country in the Middle Ages. Whatever the reason, audiences at the Edinburgh international book festival were treated to a sight unthinkable in England: a senior politician interviewing an experimental novelist live on stage in front of an enthusiastic audience.

As Ali Smith, the writer in question, said: “I can’t imagine sitting next to any other politician who actually reads books. Can you imagine Theresa May sitting here?” (No one, perhaps unfairly, mentioned Jeremy Corbyn, also due to appear at the book festival; he once revealed that he has read Ulysses four times.)

Related: Authors' visa struggles undermine book festival, says Sturgeon

Related: UK reading habits an embarrassment, says Edinburgh book festival director

Continue reading...

0 comments:

Post a Comment