![\"Nicola](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2.81252022.jpg\")
Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon will be discussing her newly-released memoir, Frankly (Jane Barlow\/PA)<\/p>\nTrainspotting author Irvine Welsh, former first minister Nicola Sturgeon and Del Amitri singer Justin Currie will be among those appearing at the Aye Write book festival as it returns in full this November.<\/p>\n
Broadcaster Sally Magnusson and writers Jeanette Winterson, Denise Mina and Ambrose Parry (comprising Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman) will also appear as the event in Glasgow celebrates its 20th anniversary.<\/p>\n
The festival returns in full this year following its cancellation in 2024 after Creative Scotland turned down its bid for funding.<\/p>\n
However, a series of pop-up events was held last year, boosted by a \u00a365,000 donation from a charitable foundation set up by late EuroMillions winner Colin Weir.<\/p>\n
This year, Glasgow Life was awarded \u00a3262,500 from Creative Scotland\u2019s 2025-28 multi-year fund for the delivery of Aye Write in 2025, 2026 and 2027.<\/p>\n
Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon will be discussing her newly-released memoir, Frankly (Jane Barlow\/PA)<\/p>\n
Around 180 writers from Scotland and around the world will take part in the 2025 event, which will span genres and cover topics ranging from politics and current affairs to history, music and sport.<\/p>\n
Bailie Annette Christie, chairwoman of Glasgow Life and Glasgow City Council\u2019s convener for culture, sport and international relations, said: \u201cIt is fantastic to be looking ahead to the 20th anniversary of Aye Write, which is a crucial part of Glasgow\u2019s cultural events calendar.<\/p>\n
\u201cBook lovers can expect another thrilling celebration of writing, lively discussions and activities, and the chance to hear from the home-grown and international authors behind the many captivating stories, autobiographies and memoirs which fill this year\u2019s programme.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Sturgeon, whose memoir Frankly was published last month, will be in conversation with Josh Smith at the festival for a live recording of his Reign podcast.<\/p>\n
Others taking part include Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora was killed in the Lockerbie bombing. He will appear with Peter Biddulph, fellow author of The Lockerbie Bombing \u2013 A Father\u2019s Search For Justice.<\/p>\n
Currie will reflect on life as a musician with Parkinson\u2019s disease, as described in his book The Tremolo Diaries, while sports broadcaster Dougie Donnelly will talk about some of the highlights of his career.<\/p>\n
![\"Irvine](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2.29828234.jpg\")
Irvine Welsh will appear at the festival (Jane Barlow\/PA)<\/p>\n
Writers A L Kennedy, Quintin Jardine, Louise Welsh and Liz Lochhead, and actor and comedian Greg Hemphill will also appear at the festival.<\/p>\n
Bob McDevitt, Aye Write festival programmer, said: \u201cIt\u2019s great to be back working on Aye Write, during the 20th anniversary of the festival.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe temperature might be a bit colder in November, but we have lots of scorching names in the programme and you can always rely on Aye Write for some fiery debate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Genres at the 2025 Aye Write include memoirs and autobiographies, crime fiction, poetry, true crime, LGBTQI+, science fiction and historical fiction.<\/p>\n
As part of Glasgow\u2019s 850th anniversary celebrations, the festival will also feature the Great Big Glasgow Poem which will be presented for the first time by Glasgow\u2019s poet laureate, Jim Carruth, at the Mitchell Library on Saturday November 15.<\/p>\n
It has been written by Glasgow residents of all ages who have each added a line to express what Glasgow means to them.<\/p>\n
Alan Bett, Creative Scotland\u2019s head of literature, said: \u201cAye Write\u2019s 20th anniversary programme is a testament to the festival\u2019s continued ambition and breadth.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom titles that explore sport and music to those tackling today\u2019s most pressing social and political issues, there\u2019s something for everyone.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s especially encouraging to see the festival act as a platform for new and developing voices.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith Chris McQueer presenting his debut novel to a home crowd, and Chris Kohler and Niamh Ni Mhaoileoin featured in the \u2018ones to watch\u2019 strand, audiences have a unique opportunity to discover the next wave of standout writers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tickets for the festival, which runs from November 6 to 16, go on sale at 11am on Wednesday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh, former first minister Nicola Sturgeon and Del Amitri singer Justin Currie will be among…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":394567,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3938],"tags":[3444,77,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-394566","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-books","8":"tag-books","9":"tag-entertainment","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115140440174308455","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/394566","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=394566"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/394566\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/394567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=394566"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=394566"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=394566"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}