A fantastic opportunity to gatecrash our 2005 Book Festival event with David Almond, one of today's most respected and acclaimed writers for young people and the author of many novels including the award-winning Skellig and The Fire Eaters. In this recording he engages a young audience with tales about his writing. Suitable for 9-13 year olds.

Co-presenter of Newsnight, one of our foremost commentators, Scottish broadcaster and writer Gavin Esler knows better than most what goes on behind the scenes in politics. In this 2008 event he talks about his new novel A Scandalous Man, which tells the tale of a man hungry for power but undone when his private life is exposed through twenty four hour media.

Bill Paterson, one of Scotland's most renowned and best-loved actors, talks with Ruth Wishart about his much-awaited memoir Tales from the Back Green in this 2008 event. It's a wonderful portrait of growing up in Glasgow's East End in the 1950s.

The teenage criminal mastermind is back. The latest book in the Artemis Fowl series (described as 'Die Hard with fairies' by its creator) sees our hero come face to face with his worst opponent yet - his younger, more evil self! Join energetic author Eoin Colfer for this thrilling 2008 event for 10-14 year olds.

A welcome return to the Book Festival in 2008 by Louis de Bernières, the author of Captain Corelli's Mandolin. Here he speaks engagingly about his humorous and sad new novel, A Partisan's Daughter.

One of the most impassioned and eloquent orators and thinkers of them all, Tariq Ali's events are inspiring and unmissable. In this, his 2008 Book Festival event chaired by Ruth Wishart, you can hear him discuss British politics, South America and much more.

Julian Barnes, one of Britain's most singular and talented novelists, talks to Richard Holloway about his new 2008 book Nothing to Be Frightened Of – it is a deeply personal, moving and exhilarating autobiography-of-sorts: a mediation on death, art, God, his own family and more.

Stunning performer and actor, commander of the stage. Steven Berkoff discusses theatre, travel and world cuisine, focussing on his lastest book, My Life in Food, in this 2008 event.

David Lodge, one of the UK’s pre-eminent novelists and critics, talks about his latest book, Deaf Sentence – a brilliant, elegiac portrait of one man’s attempt to come to terms with his deafness.

Professor Brian Boyd, contributor to the groundbreaking report The Curriculum for Excellence, examines how to improve the effectiveness of schools and learning for all in this inspirational 2008 event.