Sir Walter Scott - Celebrating 250 years

There will be a spectacular light show tonight (Saturday 20th March) to launch the international celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the life and works of Sir Walter Scott.

The broadcast will feature well-known Scott enthusiasts, including Outlander author Diana Gabaldon. There will also be the world premiere of a brand-new short film of the Young Scott, created by artist and director, Andy McGregor, which will be projected onto the 15th-century tower. The tower is next door to the farm where Scott lived as a boy, and his early experiences here continued to inspire him throughout his life.

Guest User20 March 2021Sir Walter Scott, Damian Barr, 250th anniversary, Diana Gabaldon

The Stories We Tell

The Stories We Tell is a new monthly series created by Arvon. Leading writers share some of the inspirations, challenges and discoveries that led to the writing of their own stories, novels and poems.

Click here to read Damian’s story!

Guest User20 March 2021Damian Barr, The Stories We Tell, Arvon, Memoir

'Shelf Isolation' was Pick of the Day in the Sunday Times!

Delighted that ‘Shelf Isolation’ was Pick of the Day in the Sunday Times yesterday! Well done to all the crew and thanks to my guests! The next show is Sunday at 10.30pm on BBC Scotland and iPlayer! thanks for watching!

Catch all episodes here on BBC iPlayer.

Guest User18 March 2021Shelf Isolation, BBC iPlayer, BBC Scotland, Damian Barr, Andrew Male, The Sunday Times

David Rockwell in conversation with Damian Barr

Join Damian, as he talks stories and design with David Rockwell, for the launch of Drama!

Acclaimed American architect and designer David Rockwell applies his love for narrative and performance to frame and enhance his built work including the Equinox Hotel and Hayes Theater in New York, and iconic productions Hairspray and The Normal Heart.

'You Will Be Safe Here' is out in the Netherlands today!

‘You Will Be Safe Here’ is out in the Netherlands today! It is published there as ‘Hier ben je veilig’. Thank you to my publishers Uitgeverij Mozaïek for bringing this story to a wider audience, especially given the deep connections between the Dutch and South Africa. And thank you to Roeleke Meijer-Muilwijk for translating with such elan.

Guest User8 March 2021Hier ben je veilig, Uitgeverij Mozaïek, You Will Be Safe Here, Damian Barr

Salon On Demand

Thank you to everybody who came to the Salon LIVE Online with Russell T Davies and Ruth Coker Burks - hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of kind clever people from all around the world. I don’t know where to start with the heroic Ruth or the genius Russell: they were both incredible. What they responded to was all that love and open-ness.

You can still watch the Salon by getting a Salon On Demand ticket HERE and 10% will go to Terrence Higgins Trust. We have so far raised over £750.

GET TICKETS.

Damian interviews Douglas Stuart as Shelf Isolation returns to BBC this weekend!

What a great Shelfie!

The full line up for Damian Barr’s Shelf Isolation is announced – Douglas Stuart, Lorraine Kelly, Iain Stirling, Ian Rankin, Fern Brady & Alex Norton – with great inspiration on what to watch, read or listen to. Sunday nights at BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer from February 28th, 10.30pm.

Click HERE for more info.

Interview with Damian Barr about 'Maggie & Me'

Dr Jonathan Taylor was one of the external examiners for my PhD. He also happens to be a very thoughtful interviewer! I was delighted to try and answer his questions about writing and publishing my memoir Maggie & Me.

Warning: this interview contains spoilers and descriptions of abuse.

Click here to read the full interview.

Guest User28 January 2021maggie & me, Damian Barr, Everybody's Reviewing

BBC Scotland orders new series of Shelf Isolation

BOOKER Prize winner, Douglas Stuart – along with Lorraine Kelly, Fern Brady, Alex Norton and Ian Rankin – is among some of the names lined up to take part in a brand new series of Shelf Isolation on BBC Scotland.

Fronted by Damian Barr, the popular series will return to BBC Scotland screens with six, brand new episodes next month. Using the same format as before, it will feature guests chatting with Damian remotely, from their homes, about the books and box sets, music and movies that are helping them through these troubled times.

Click here for more info.

Salon LIVE Online: Russell T Davies & Ruth Coker Burks with Damian Barr

Get ready for the first Salon of 2021!

Join us online for a powerful evening of stories of fear and hope, loss and survival, becoming and belonging. In the 1980s, HIV-AIDS devastated the LGBTQ+ community - the epidemic is not over. Join Ruth Coker Burks and Russell T Davies as they look back on that time, uncover untold stories and reflect on their relevance now. Ruth is the author of All The Young Men, her memoir of how, as a young, single mother in Arkansas, she found herself at the forefront of the AIDS crisis, risking everything to restore humanity to those the virus and prejudice sought to destroy. Russell revolutionised TV with Queer As Folk - It’s A Sin is another landmark series: the first British show to directly show HIV-AIDS impacting a whole generation of gay and bisexual men and how they respond and resist. It’s as joyful and defiant as it is heart-breaking. February is LGBTQ+ History Month and all are welcome at this online Salon – 10% of ticket revenue from this event goes to support the work of the Terrence Higgins Trust.

Click HERE For full details and to buy tickets.

You Will Be Safe Here shortlisted for The London Magazine Prize for Debut Fiction 2020

You Will Be Safe Here was on the shortlist for The London Magazine Prize for Debut Fiction 2020, sponsored by DeHavilland. "The prize celebrates exceptional literary fiction." Congrats to everybody on the shortlist and thanks judges! This calls for a cocktail!”

Congrats to all the other shortlisted writers and thank you to the judges, The London magazine and the sponsors.

Click here for the full shortlist.

The YCAA Book Club welcomes special guest Damian Barr

Damian will be joining the Yeovil Community Arts Association Book Club on Tuesday 12th January 2021 at midday to talk about his novel You Will Be Safe Here. The meeting will take place remotely via Zoom.

The event is open to everyone. To join contact Somerset Loves to Read via Facebook or Twitter.

We look forward to seeing you there!

One for the record books

Damian Barr talks to Anna Burnside about the success of Scottish writers in 2020 and picks his favourite books of last year and 2021.

Click here to read the full article.

Guest User5 January 2021Sunday Mail, Mail on Sunday, Damian Barr, Scottish authors, Scottish writers

'A bit scary': Gillian Anderson's unnerving portrayal of Thatcher in The Crown

Zoe Williams quotes Damian in her article for The Guardian about Gillian Anderson’s unnerving performance as Margaret Thatcher in The Crown.

Click here to read the quote and full article.

Guest User5 January 2021Damian Barr, Maggie and Me, Margaret Thatcher, Gillian Anderson

Damian announced as Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature

So here’s some news I never imagined sharing. I’ve been made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Some days I still can’t believe I get to be a writer: to have my books on shelves with names who change the world & how I see it. I grew up in a council house - today I’m a Fellow of the RSL. So thank you to them and the board. And thanks to my agent Clare Conville for always inspiring me and to every editor and reader who has taken a punt on my words. And thanks most of all to my Mum for showing me everybody has a story.

Guest User2 December 2020Royal Society of Literature, FRSL, RSL, Damian Barr

Damian Barr featured in The Sun newspaper

In an unlikely turn of events I’m a spread in The Sun. growing up, this was the most homophobic anti-culture paper and today it’s celebrating books and giving me a platform to challenge homophobia. How the world turns.

The article was published on Sunday 1st November 2020.

Guest User3 November 2020The Sun, Damian Barr, Maggie and Me, The Big Scottish Book Club, Shelf Isolation

Damian Barr, Catherine Cho, Frances Wilson to judge Life Writing Prize 2021

Damian Barr, Catherine Cho and Frances Wilson are to judge Spread the Word’s Life Writing Prize 2021, which opens for entries on 2nd November 2020.

The prize, which is in its fifth year, offers the winner £1,500, an Arvon course, a writing mentor, two years’ membership of the Royal Society of Literature, and an optional development meeting with an agent and editor. Two highly commended writers each receive £500 and mentoring. It is for emerging writers who have not yet published full-length works and are not represented by literary agents.

The closing date for entries is 1 February.

For more info on how to enter click HERE.

The Big Scottish Book Club: The SWH! Podcast Talks To Damian Barr…

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali caught up with Damian to talk all about the second series of The Big Scottish Book Club, which airs on BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer.

Click HERE to listen to the podcast.

Guest User25 October 2020BBC Scotland, BBC iPlayer, Damian Barr, Scots Whay Hae! podcast

Books Are Back On Telly! Sunday 25th Oct at 10pm

#BigScottishBookClub returns this Sunday 25th Oct at 10pm on BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer.
We've gone from four episodes to eight and our first show is all about memoir--something very close to my heart!

WATCH IT ON IPLAYER

Big Scottish Book ClubAmy Very23 October 2020BBC, BBC Scotland, The Big Scottish Book Club, Damian Barr

The Big Scottish Book Club is back and this time it’s even bigger!

Following the critical success of the first series, Series Two will have eight episodes. The show will feature writers from across Scotland and around the UK, representing a thrilling spectrum of styles and genres, from fiction to non-fiction and poetry. We’ll hear from some world-famous writers as well as celebrating emerging talents, including world premieres of new books. Here's the full line up for the series:

Big Scottish Book ClubAmy Very30 September 2020BBC, BBC Scotland, The Big Scottish Book Club, Damian Barr

WATCH IT ON IPLAYER

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