Tam's Tall Tales

- George RR Martin


The Westeros Wing



Book your Place
The Edinburgh Book Festival, which is held in Edinburgh's gorgeous Charlotte Square in August, is always a big draw for people who are wanting to listen to their favourite authors, or just browse at the various bookish outlets. Billed as The largest festival of its kind in the world, the festival hosts a flurry of cultural and political talks and debates, along with a well-established children's events programme. The first Book Festival took place in a tent in Edinburgh in 1983. Initially a biannual event, it began to be held yearly in 1997. It is now a large and growing international event, central to Edinburgh's acclaimed August arts celebrations.

This year's big draw will be Game of Thrones author, George R R Martin (graphic of George Martin on the right by Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia). "I think the queues for Martin's book signing will be stretching halfway across Edinburgh," said Festival Director Nick Barley.

The public domain graphic at the top of this page is a mock up of U.S. President Barack Obama and other government officials in a meeting in the Oval Office in the White House. The photo has been edited to make Obama appear to sit on the Iron Throne from the TV series Game of Thrones, and props from the series have also been added to the image. Posted on the White House Twitter feed as "The Westeros Wing", in allusion to the TV series The West Wing and the fictional continent in Game of Thrones, Westeros.


Other big names at this year's Edinburgh International Book Festival include Martin Amis, Richard Dawkins and Margaret Drabble who are among the 92 participants from 47 different countries. There are over 700 events for both adults and children in the three weeks that the festival runs.

I will be there. I have enjoyed numerous talks in previous years - I think Garrison Keillor's was a highlight - and the atmosphere is always great.


Please give me whatever feedback comes to mind via tamfromrampant@gmail.com.

Tam O'Ranter
June 2014

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