EDINBURGH BOOK FESTIVAL

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Bring your book group to the Festival!
Many of you book lovers are members of book groups, and we want to celebrate the special ritual of gathering over your latest shared read by launching a new special package for book groups!

Make your next meeting a ‘Book Group on Tour’ edition with a visit to the Festival this August. Enjoy money off a visit to our events and some exclusive perks to make your next gathering an extra memorable one.

Get planning with your bookish friends and make the most of:

  • 10% off event tickets* when purchasing five or more tickets (applicable against full price tickets for adult events)
  • access to book our dedicated Book Nook space, where you can chat as a group before or after your event
  • a special on-the-day discount for our Festival Bookshop, brought to you by Waterstones

Read on to discover how to book in and take advantage, with further information including full terms and conditions available on our website here.

How to arrange your book group visit…
Step 1: Pick and book your event(s)
We’ve got SO many writers joining us, that if you need a shortcut to some fun events perfect to enjoy as a collective, we’ve teased out some top recommendations further on in this email.

Or, browse our full programme of events to make your own selection. You know the preferences of your book group best after all!

Once you’ve decided, add your tickets to your basket. Providing your basket meets the offer conditions*, you’ll enjoy a special 10% discount when you apply the code:

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Step 2: Reserve the Book Nook
The Book Nook is a bright and cosy space bookable for 60 minute slots – perfect for a natter before your event, or a stimulating debrief afterwards.

Located on Level 1 of the Edinburgh Futures Institute, the Nook can accommodate up to 12 people and is wheelchair accessible.

The best part? It is free to reserve! But reservations will be allocated on a first come first served basis so don’t delay in grabbing the slot best suited for your group’s day out.
Make your Book Nook booking
Step 3: Check out how to make the most of your Festival visit
The fun doesn’t stop once you’ve enjoyed your event and book group meeting… we’ve got lots to explore around the Festival to make the most out of your time with us.

  • Visit our Festival Bookshop, brought to you by Waterstones, and enjoy a 10% on-the-day discount as Book Nook bookers. Details of how to redeem this discount are shared following confirmation of your Book Nook booking.
  • Grab lunch, coffee, or a few drinks, at our food and drink stalls located out on the Festival Courtyard.
  • Or slow down and relax by spending a little time at one of our calm and cosy indoor spaces. With some gentle activities and writing prompts, our Reading Room is perfect for either diving into your newest book, or carving out a little time for some writing of your own.

Reading inspiration for your group
In case your book group hasn’t picked its next book yet, we’ve pulled together a list of books featured in this year’s programme that we think would make for a great discussion:
If your book group loves gripping novels…

…you might enjoy Butter by Asako Yuzuki (Sat 23 Aug) – the word-of-mouth sensation featuring a serial killer chef who poisons her lovers deliciously. Or, Twist by Colum McCann (Mon 18 Aug), a powerful, dark novel about (dis)connection with echoes of Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Or maybe you’d love Edith Holler by Edward Carey (Tue 19 Aug), which Joanna Quinn has called a ‘richly dark and idiosyncratic fairytale for grown ups’.
If your book group loves fascinating true stories…

…you’ll enjoy Maurice and Maralyn by Sophie Elmhirst (Wed 13 Aug) – the astonishing story of a couple shipwrecked by a whale in the Pacific. Or, Story of a Murder by Hallie Rubenhold (Mon 11 Aug), which retells the infamous historical case of Dr Crippen, giving voice to the women. Or, The Strangers by Ekow Eshun (Sun 24 Aug), a mesmerising work that challenges preconceptions of ‘the Black male as outsider’ by tenderly telling the stories of five incredible men.
If your book group loves YA fiction…

…we think you’ll enjoy I Can’t Even Think Straight by Dean Atta (Sat 23 Aug), a verse novel about navigating the world as a queer teenager. Or, The Nightblood Prince by Molly X Chang (Fri 15 Aug), an epic romantasy inspired by Chinese myth and history. Or, Skipshock by Caroline O’Donoghue (Sun 17 Aug), a new and dazzlingly inventive time-twisting sci-fi page-turner.
We hope to see you and your book group besties in August!
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*Book Group Ticket Discount Terms and Conditions
Applicable to sales of five or more tickets purchased in one transaction to the same event, when promo code is entered. Event must be a part of the Adult or Young Adult Programme. All tickets must be full price tickets.

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