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Join Clare English for a feast of books and all things literary

The Book Café: 16/05/2011

16/05/2011

BBC Radio Scotland - The Book Café, 16/05/2011

How the BBC's Afghan Woman's Hour encouraged women to put their life stories into words.

Hear how the Afghan Woman's Hour encouraged women to put into words their hopes, struggles and experiences, despite the legacy of years of conflict.

The BBC radio programme Afghan Woman's Hour was a lifeline for the women of Afghanistan during its five years on air. The most popular part of the programme was the Life Stories slot, where ordinary women put their hopes, struggles and experiences into words, despite the legacy of years of conflict. Presenter and producer of the show, Zarghuna Kargar, joins Clare to explain why, after the programme ended, she was moved to collect their stories into a book.

A portrait of a Victorian city at the cutting edge of creativity and innovation, the 1888 International Exhibition in Kelvingrove and the Glasgow Boys: we review Orange Prize shortlisted author Jane Harris's new novel, Gillespie and I.

It'll be the biggest gathering at Auchinleck House in Ayrshire since biographer James Boswell entertained his subject, Dr. Johnson, there over two hundred years ago. A celebration of the art of writing biography and memoir, we hear about the Boswell Book Festival, the newest addition to Scotland's roster of literary attractions.

Fresh from the success of the BBC adaptation of The Field of Blood, Denise Mina discusses her latest novel, The End of the Wasp Season.

And The F Word: the latest edition of Granta Magazine for new writing focuses on feminism. What does this loaded term mean today? Is it really a dirty word? Zarghuna Kargar, Anne Ellis and Denise Mina join Clare.

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