Comedian, writer, broadcaster and presenter, Griff Rhys Jones spoke at the Book Festival about Britain's rivers, taking the audience on a tour of the most beautiful and extraordinary waterways, exploring their place in the country's soul and their importance in founding major cities.

The irreverent, hilarious and scandalous broadcaster Arthur Smith began his event at the Book Festival in the dark due to a complete power failure but with his booming voice and general good humour he revelled in the novelty of performing in the dark. And anyway, ten minutes in the lights and mics came back on. Here he spills the beans on his alter ego and regales us with tales of a misspent career.

The popular food critic and writer Tom Parker Bowles traveled the country meeting the weird and wonderful people and dishes which make up our culinary heritage and in this event he talks about his discoveries with his customary blend humour and wisdom.

The young men of Scottish literature are growing up and taking us with them! Both talk about their latest books in this event: Alan Bissett about Death of a Ladies? Man where his boy racer discovers a life of work, sex and love; and Ewan Morrison picks apart the complexities of contemporary relationships in his latest, Menage.

A fantastic hour of crime fiction with two leading ladies of the Scottish crime writing world. Alex Gray's third installment from DCI Lorimer sees him searching for missing school girls and Denise Mina's new book involves a kidnapping and dark secrets in a quiet suburban home. They both talk about their work and influences with passion and humour.

Biographer Martin Stannard tackles the grande dame of Scottish literature in his latest work - the late, great Muriel Spark. We were honoured to have her at the Book Festival shortly before she died; her performance sparkled with wit and lit up Charlotte Square. Here Stannard celebrates her life, captures the essence of her writing and marks her place in literary history.

These two superlative writers explore small-town Ireland in their latest novels and we were delighted that they were both able to come to the Book Festival to talk about their work.

Kate Summerscale created a bestseller about the true tale of the murder of a Victorian child. Her novel, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher dazzlingly combines hard-dug research with the best of the crime writer?s craft and in this event she tells all about it.

Following her blockbuster success with Bend it Like Beckham, Narinder Dhami visited the Book Festival to talk to her young fans (this event was for ages 8+) about her new series, which focuses on six friends and their everyday lives: surviving school, enduring their families and, of course, playing their favourite game - footie.

Talking about her new novel Remarkable Creatures, the queen of the historical novel this time tackles Mary Anning, the fossil-obsessed girl who discovered whole plesiosaurs in the Dorset cliffs. Her finds invited people to question the literal truth of the Bible and paved the way for evolutionary theory. Topical, gripping and hugely intelligent stuff.