When it dropped through the letterbox, I spent an obligatory hour going through the thick Fringe Festival brochure – page after page of shows that might, or might not, be good. Nothing particularly stood out. No connections with anything in particular that we’re interested in.
It wasn’t quite the same with the Book Festival, but some interesting shows clashed with other things, and the only talk we’ve been to was Gus Casely-Hayford & Alastair Hazell.
It was a very good talk – or talks to be accurate, as Casely-Hayford and Hazell both spoke about different topics. The common theme was African history. Shaun and Lindsey also enjoyed the presentation.
Casely-Hayford on the left, and Hazell on the right
I’d previously read Hazell’s book, The Last Slave Market, “…the extraordinary story of John Kirk, the Scottish botanist who singlehandedly ended the slave trade in East Africa.”
A busy Charlotte Square Gardens
It’s always nice spending a half hour walking round the venue in Charlotte Square Gardens.
Well, did you buy a book then?
I bought a book about the Lowland Clearances.