• Home
  • Novels
    • Four Old Geezers And A Valkyrie >
      • Getting Hold Of The Novel >
        • Purchasing the ebook
        • Purchase Direct
      • The Flying Saucers
    • The Discreet Charm of Mary Maxwell-Hume >
      • Purchase >
        • Buy the ebook
    • The Blogger Who Came in from the Cold >
      • Purchase Direct
      • Buy the Ebook
  • Short Stories
    • The Piano Exam
    • Ex Libris
    • A Different Game
    • Of All The...
    • Fishermen
  • Flash Fiction Galore
    • 100 Not Out (Free!) >
      • Download Your Free Gift – 100 Not Out
    • 200 Not Out (Free!) >
      • Download 200 Not Out
  • Non-Fiction Books
  • Essays and Other Stuff
    • Remembrance Special
    • Longer Flash Fiction
    • The Uncle Charlie Stories
    • Assorted Essays
    • Assorted Poetry
    • Chicken Tikka Macgregor
    • In Search Of Scouse
  • Performance
  • Music
    • Bird
    • Right Here Lovin' Me
    • The Saturday Blues
    • River Of Tears
    • Rasta-Jock
    • Any Way You Want Me
    • Music From The Piano Exam
    • The Accidental Christmas Carol
    • Halfway to London
    • The Shores of Caledonia
    • Kindly Leave the Stage
    • The Ballad of Kirstie and Tommy
  • Advice
    • Self-Publishing Guide >
      • Buy the Self-Publishing Guide
    • Editing
    • If you find writing hard...
  • Book Reviews
  • Blethers and Blog
  • Contact
  • Privacy notice
Gordon Lawrie

James Robertson, Aidan O'Rourke & Kit Downes at the Edinburgh International Book Festival

10/8/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
The Edinburgh International Book Festival is back – hereinafter referred to as thhe 'Book Festival' or simply EIBF. Back in 2013 James Robertson, he of And The Land Lay Still, set about writing 365 Stories, one each day and each 365 words in length. The collection was eventually published a year or so later.

A copy eventually reached fiddler Aidan O'Rourke, who was inspired to respond with a matching project of 365 tunes, and it was this 'matching' that was presented this evening at the New York times Theatre. O'Rourke had also enlisted the help of keyboard player Kit Downes, who accompanied both writer and fiddler on piano or reed organ.

Robertson's work was, naturally, the heart of the show. He has a wonderful voice, and the stories he selected were varied and well-paced. There was something for everyone here. I particularly liked the story about Jack and the Moon and the one about the Total Eclipse of Scotland, but they were all good. O'Rourke and Downes became a sort of sideshow, albeit a very good and welcome one, breaking up the performance.

I'm conscious that Robertson is (in my view) a bit hit and miss as a writer. I found The Testament of Gideon Mack hard going, for instance, so perhaps some of the other stories might not be so appealing. Still, this is a book I'll purchase, perhaps along with a download of the music. They'll get some money that way.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    November 2019
    August 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

Picture
Website by Platform 36