It's a huge honour for us to welcome Ali Smith back to the bookshop to celebrate the publication day launch of Glyph! This anti-war novel, Ali Smith’s most soulful, playful and vital yet, is a work of lightness that goes deep to counter the forces currently flattening the modern world. A standalone novel, it’s family to Gliff. Smith will be in conversation with literary professional Jess Orr.
This event will take place in the bookshop with an in-person audience, as well as an on-the-night-only livestream for attendees watching from home. There will be a signing after the event.
Please note that the livestream will not be available to watch following the live broadcast.
In-person vouchers can be redeemed on the night of the event against a single copy of Glyph – we will have a list of attendees with vouchers to be redeemed. Please note that only one voucher can be redeemed per book. Livestream vouchers are valid until the day after the event and can be redeemed on the website against a single copy of Glyph.
About Glyph:
It sounds like Gliff?
Well, it's something else altogether.
Ghosts don't exist.
They don't. End of.
Story, however.
It is haunting.
Everything tells it.
It all starts when Petra and her little sister Patch hear a horrifying story from the past and find themselves making up a ghost. Is it imaginary? Is it real?
Then it all starts again thirty years later when Petra, now estranged from Patch, finds a phantom horse kicking the furniture to pieces in her bedroom. What to do? She phones her sister.
In a chiaroscuro dance through our increasingly antagonistic era, Glyph asks if we’re attending to the history that’s made us and to the history we’re making. A funny, warm and clear-eyed take on where we are now, Glyph is about what our imaginations are for and how, in a broken, brutal and divided
time, we rekindle care, solidarity, resistance and openness.
Please note: Tickets for our events are non-refundable. Professional photography and videography may take place during this event. Thank you for your understanding.
Participants:
Ali Smith Author
Ali Smith was born in Inverness in 1962. She is the author of several novels and short story collections including, The Accidental, Hotel World, How to Be Both and the Seasonal Quartet. She has been four times shortlisted for the Booker Prize, has won the Goldsmiths Prize, Orwell Prize, Costa Best Novel Award and the Women’s Prize. Ali Smith lives in Cambridge.
Jess Orr Chair
Jess Orr is a literary professional based in Edinburgh, currently working as Operations Manager for Open Book, and Project Manager for the Edinburgh City of Literature Trust. She is also known as the Associate Programmer for Paisley Book Festival and through project work for Edinburgh International Book Festival and elsewhere. She is also a passionate teacher, and in recent years completed PhD research with the University of St Andrews focusing on the role of the reader in the work of Ali Smith.
The venue
The Portobello Bookshop
46 Portobello High Street
Edinburgh
EH15 1DA
Telephone: 0131 629 6756
Website: www.theportobellobookshop.com
Wheelchair Access
We have a ramp at the front of the shop which has a ratio of 1:10 and loading capacity of 300kg, and so should be able to be used by most wheelchair users or those with mobility vehicles. The front doors are fully automated. Our shop interior is designed to allow access throughout for wheelchair users and prams, though please note there is only 700mm wide clearance to access the staff toilet.
Sound
We use a PA system to enhance the audio at our live events. We also have a hearing loop system installed, if you’d like to use our loop system during an event please let us know and we’ll make sure we have it set up and connected to the live audio feed during the event. If you wish to attend an event and require BSL interpretation, please give us a few weeks notice and we’ll do our best to arrange an interpreter.