Literature

Figures of Speech: Big Ideas

with David Farrier, Jessica Gaitán Johannesson & Zebib K. Abraham

(Wed 30 Nov: 7.30pm)

Our Figures of Speech series concludes on St Andrew's Day with a special discussion about some of the influential Big Ideas in Scottish literature, with a particular focus on one the biggest ideas facing the world at the moment: tackling the climate crisis. What can literature and the arts in Scotland offer to help us face current and future climate collapse, and envision a just world? Our hosts David Farrier and Jessica Gaitán Johannesson take us on a tour through texts and writers which explore concepts which could have far reaching and vital impacts on our society. They will also share some of their own work and experiences. We’d love you to join us for our final session!

We are also excited to announce our final Figures of Speech new commission entitled Alien Landing by Zebib K. Abraham, which will combine storytelling, short film and audio narration to explore the idea of identity through the fantastical story of an extra-terrestrial visitor to Scotland.

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David Farrier's books include Footprints: In Search of Future Fossils (4th Estate, 2020) and Anthropocene Poetics (University of Minnesota Press, 2019). Footprints won the Royal Society of Literature’s Giles St Aubyn award and has been translated into nine languages. He is Professor of Literature and the Environment at the University of Edinburgh.

Jessica Gaitán Johannesson is a Swedish/Colombian writer and climate justice activist based in Edinburgh, whose work focuses on the multiplicity of identity and belonging. Her debut novel How We Are Translated (2021) was longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize and her essay collection The Nerves and Their Endings: essays on crisis and response is published in August 2022. She was Wasafiri Magazine’s Writer-in-Residence for 2021-22, delivering workshops on writing and climate justice and works as Digital Campaigns Manager for Lighthouse Books, Edinburgh’s radical bookshop.

Zebib K. Abraham is a writer and psychiatrist. She is currently querying her first novel, Forward, a speculative psychological tale exploring the boundaries between minds and the discovery of a new reality. In addition to her psychiatric work, Zebib has published short fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry. She has developed and run successful mental health & writing workshops, and has been commissioned for storytelling performances and poetry events. She is in the Science Fiction Writers Association and has an MFA in Creative Writing with Distinction from University of Edinburgh.

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Figures of Speech is a series of events bringing together writers and artists to take us on a road trip through Scottish literature for Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022. Covering six universal themes (Music, Friendship, Future, Love, Place, Big Ideas), each event explores literary blockbusters, hidden gems and modern classics.

Our expert guides will take us on a journey through Scotland’s iconic books and stories, navigating the dazzling array of new voices, and presenting newly commissioned work by artists responding to each theme. Let us take you on a journey across the curious contrasts and contradictions that define Scottish literature.

All Figures of Speech events will be filmed and made available online a week later, and both the live and recorded events will feature live BSL interpretation from Yvonne Waddell, who is a Lecturer in Sign Language Interpreting at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. Each live event will be supported by a pop-up bookshop from Lighthouse Books, whose expert booksellers will be on hand to supply the must-read books to match the event.

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Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022 spotlights, celebrates and promotes the wealth of stories inspired by, written, or created in Scotland, and will inspire new stories of Scotland to be shared. Figures of Speech is programmed and developed by Edinburgh City of Literature and the Scottish Storytelling Centre. Supported by EventScotland as part of the Year of Stories 2022.