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Scotsman
40 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Book Festival round-up David Olusoga Anne Sabba Ta-Nehisi Coates Michelle de Kretser
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The day started with Auschwitz and ended with toxic lesbian vampires and on the way took in racism on at least two continents, Spinoza, the mythical Hindu Saraswati river and an experimental novel that gave a very gentle kicking to Virginia Woolf. Say what you like about the Edinburgh book festival - and its middle Saturday wasn't particularly star-studded - but if you spend a day there, you don't half come out knowing a lot more than when you went in. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad One of the less well known faces in the Celebrity Traitors Castle will be David Olusoga. The British-Nigerian historian is Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester and a BAFTA winning film-maker. He's a 12/1 longshot for the Celebrity Traitors title. | AFP via Getty Images Anne Sabba's book The Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz lifted only a small corner on the horrors of that place, but even that was enough. Anti-semitism ran even within the orchestra itself, its Polish prisoners (for whom the camp was originally built) refusing to share the food parcels their relatives sent them with their Jewish fellow-musicians. Jewish music was banned, but so too was Beethoven, too gloriously German to be sullied by inferior races. The music they did play - cheery marches, mainly - was, as Sabba pointed out, a form of torture. It didn't help the prisoners, who were kicked (or worse) if they fell out of step, didn't soften the hearts of the guards, and the 50 or so musicians it helped keep alive were either shunned by survivors or consumed by guilt. Real music is different. Mahler's niece Alma Rosé, who died in Auschwitz, was lead violinist in the women's orchestra and died there. She only seems to have made one recording, of the Bach Double Violin concerto in D Minor, with her virtuoso father, in 1928. Sabba played an excerpt. It's on YouTube: a bit scratchy, but beautiful and, when you think of everything that Alma's future was to hold, heartbreaking. All the time she was writing the book, Sabba said, she was thinking what she'd have done facing such a cataclysm. That's exactly what I found myself thinking listening to acclaimed African-American cultural commentator Ta-Nehisi Coates, for whom the cataclysm is racism. America was built on it, he said: worse, it still is. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad So is there no hope? asked a woman in the audience. No, he replied. 'There IS a whole African-American tradition of hope and I respect that, but whatever I am, I am the descendant of people who have been enslaved for 250 years... I have debts to pay and that motivates me more than anything.' To Coates, America's racism is systemic and its dominant narratives fundamentally flawed, and he sees echoes of both in Israel's treatment of Palestinians. 'Everyone always told me this is such a complex historical problem, that you'd need a PhD to understand what's happening in Ramallah. No, you don't. Sometimes we hide behind our intellect. If we see someone beating their child, the reasons don't matter, it's nothing to do with right or wrong, you just want them to stop.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad That might sound obvious, even banal, but Coates was brought up in the Black Power/vindicationalist tradition, and in The Message he acknowledges how much of this is echoed in Zionism. So now, charting what he calls the latest genocidal atrocity in Gaza - the 'deliberate' killing of the al-Jazeera journalists - he sees the danger of such dreams. Although he didn't take that thought as far as he does in the book, this was a fascinating event, with a far younger audience than usual and so many hands raised for questions that if they'd all been answered, we'd all still be there. Coates was chaired by David Olusoga, Britain's best TV historian (though he himself would say that the honour belongs to Simon Schama) and who signed off his own event with the news that not only will his excellent BBC Two series A House In Time soon be back on our screens but it will be set in Edinburgh. Olusoga's fascination with history began, he said, when his mother told him that Yoruba soldiers from Nigeria (where he was born but left aged five) had fought in the Second World War. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'At first I almost didn't believe her because I'd never heard anything about that. But I became fascinated with history because I felt there was a story being withheld from me.' It was. Take Captain Yavar Abbas, the 104-year-old who made Queen Camilla (and 'my brave king') cry at the service for the 80th anniversary of VJ Day last week. He was one of 2.5 million Indian soldiers to sign up. We don't hear too much about them. If the teaching of black history faces the kind of limits already being drawn up in America, he said, we might hear a lot less. The attacks on the National Trust 'which have been going on for the last five years by so-called patriots' may be a sign of things to come. Australian writer Michelle de Kretser has won all of her country's most glittering literary prizes, yet has a neat line in self-deprecation. Unlike her friend, novelist Deborah Levy, whose mind leaps like a chess knight, she said her own is predictable and purposeful, like a pawn. 'So here, I tried to do the leap.' 'Here' is her latest novel, Theory and Practice, 'my attempt to write a novel that reads like non-fiction', starting off like a conventional novel and morphing into an intriguing-sounding story of a mashup of memoir, essay, and a meditation on Virginia Woolf (and her casual racism to a Sri Lankan guest). Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Canadian writer Madeleine Thien's The Book of Records, set in a fantastical, crumbling and placeless palace where 17th century Dutch Jewish philosopher Spinoza, eighth century Chinese poet Du Fu and American political theorist Hannah Arendt all help her young girl migrant protagonist. She did try introducing Virginia Woolf to the proceedings, she said, but it didn't work 'because she was double-booked in my friend Michelle's book'. British Indian writer Gurnaik Johal's debut novel Saraswati, which mixes myth, the politics of water and ecological collapse, is similarly ambitious. In it, the Indian government decides to bring a mythic river to life. For that, they to abrogate the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan – which is exactly what happened earlier this year. Prescient or what? Finally, as promised, to toxic lesbian vampires. The genre is new to me but VE Schwab is clearly its queen. Like Thien, she picks her three supernatural stars from across the centuries, but the baddest of them all is the oldest (500 years). Sabine is 'a mix of Lestat [from Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles] Villanelle [from Killing Eve] and Florence Welch from Florence and the Machine'. She dominates every space she enters, is unapologetic about her urges, 'and fulfils all my queer desire for villainy'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad For too long, Schwab said, lesbian fiction has concerned itself with likeability - in itself a form of self-censorship. She'd done that in her own life, when she started off as a young fantasy writer: 'I was a coward for such a long time, downplaying my sexuality because I wanted to succeed.' After 25 books, she's had enough of that: 'I'm in my Sabine era is what I'm saying.' Cue cheers from the audience - mainly female, mainly young, and clearly fans - as they charged off en masse to the signing tent and the mercifully vampire-free Edinburgh night. David Robinson
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Unlikely couple offer to hold new baby before mum realises who they really are
The couple were branded the 'kindest souls' after a video showed them holding and playing with the baby on board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, giving the mum a few minutes to herself A mother was pleasantly surprised when two "kind souls" on a new Royal Caribbean cruise ship offered to help her with her baby, only to discover who they were. American singer and dancer Jojo Siwa and reality star Chris Hughes first crossed paths in the Celebrity Big Brother house earlier this year, initially claiming to be just good friends before later confirming their relationship. Their age difference has sparked controversy, with 32-year-old Chris being a decade older than Jojo, who celebrated her 22nd birthday in May. Jojo, who previously identified as lesbian and queer, surprised fans with her relationship with a man. However, recently, the couple seemed blissfully happy as they enjoyed their time aboard the expansive Star of the Seas cruise ship, spending time with an adorable baby girl. In a video shared on TikTok by the baby's mum, Dance Moms star Jojo can be seen gently patting the baby's back as she cuddles her. The video then switches to Chris holding the child, with both he and Jojo entertaining her by making silly faces. Mum Rach Sullivan overlaid text on the footage to provide more context. She wrote: "When kind souls offer to hold your baby so you can be hands-free for a moment and now your baby won't let you take her back." In the caption accompanying the clip, she wrote: "Rosie found some unexpected babysitters on the cruise." The video resonated with millions, racking up over 7.5 million views and more than 1,400 comments from individuals eager to voice their opinions. Jojo Siwa simply remarked: "Best friends forever." Chris Hughes commented: "She's gorgeous and so is Rosie, what a wonderful happy baby and family." One viewer shared: "Something my mum has always told me: 'Babies and animals can tell who actually loves them'." Another referenced Chris's time on Love Island, saying: "They've clearly never seen Chris with his baby Cash from Love Island." The official Royal Caribbean account posted: "Can't handle the cuteness overload." A different person noted: "The kind soul being Jojo Siwa and not a stranger omg lol," to which someone responded: "It's def a stranger to that baby." Yet another individual joked: "If Chris and Jojo announce they're having a baby in the next couple of months, we know who to blame." Another comment read: "Babies don't cuddle just anyone like that. She knows she's a kind soul." Someone else confessed: "Crying over Jojo Siwa holding a baby wasn't on my bingo card today." Finally, one person added: "I don't care what people say about JoJo Siwa. Anything I ever hear or see about her from a 'regular person' is that she is so kind and always makes time for her fans. I am so happy she's happy."
Edinburgh Live
an hour ago
- Edinburgh Live
Meghan Markle's 'pattern of behaviour' as she faces claims of 'copying Kate'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Meghan Markle is confronting renewed claims she's "mimicking" her sister-in-law, the Princess of Wales, after her latest television agreement with Netflix. The Duke of Sussex, 40, and the Duchess of Sussex, 44, revealed a fresh "first-look" arrangement last week with the American streaming platform. Beyond placing Meghan under additional examination, specialists inform the Mirror that the particulars represent an obvious "reality check" for the pair. The agreement features a fresh festive instalment of Meghan's With Love programme, inviting audiences to "join Meghan in Montecito for a magical holiday celebration". Royal observers were swift to claim Meghan was attempting to hijack the seasonal spotlight from Kate, 43, who presents her own yearly Christmas gathering, reports the Mirror. Kinsey Schofield, a podcaster and Royal specialist in the US, maintains, though, that the Sussexes have demonstrated a "pattern of choosing moments" that threaten to eclipse other Royal events – and Christmas could prove no different. "It's become so noticeable it was reported recently that Harry had offered to share his schedule with the family as an 'olive branch' to avoid competing in the future," she explains. This emerges as Royal couple secretly welcome second baby and reveal tot's adorable name. Previously this year, Harry faced accusations of "stealing the limelight" from his father and stepmother when he turned up at the Royal Courts of Justice in London shortly before King Charles and Queen Camilla commenced their state visit to Italy, which also aligned with their 20th wedding anniversary. The launch of the paperback version of his explosive memoir, Spare, made global headlines, coinciding with the King and Queen's tour of Australia. Back in 2020, Meghan's team faced criticism when a series of fortnight-old photos were posted on her Instagram account on the same day Kate embarked on a UK tour. When Harry and Meghan announced their so-called "Megxit" on the eve of Kate's 38th birthday, they were accused of "overshadowing". However, regarding their Christmas plans, Kinsey suspects that Meghan is unlikely to replicate the feel-good celebration hosted by Kate. The mother-of-three organises an annual Christmas service at Westminster Abbey, which has become one of the most significant and touching events in the family's festive calendar. Kinsey, who presents the To Di For Daily podcast, doubts that Meghan's event will resonate in the same way, stating, "Catherine's carol concert is about unity, love, and hope. She arrives with her family, with a sense of togetherness and faith." In contrast, Meghan's Christmas special feels more like a branding opportunity. She's timed product launches from her lifestyle line, As Ever, to coincide with the release. "Catherine's carol concert is about unity, love, and hope. Kinsey adds. "Without the warmth of family or shared tradition, it comes across less as a holiday celebration and more as a commercial venture. When compared, Catherine's feels authentic and meaningful, while Meghan's risks appearing transactional. "The Sussexes' most recent television announcement arrives five years after they inked a Netflix agreement reportedly valued at over $100m (£74m), shortly after abandoning their roles as senior working fresh arrangement – characterised as a "multi-year, first-look deal" – means Netflix will fund the right to receive initial consideration of the couple's projects, but remains uncommitted to purchasing McNamara, a talent manager and PR crisis specialist, reckons the shift in conditions delivers a powerful signal. "It's not necessarily a humiliation, but it is a reality check for Meghan and Harry and also a reflection of the ever-changing entertainment world," he tells us. Every network and streamers' belts are tightening. Netflix wants to see sharper ideas and stronger delivery before committing to mega-budgets again. The upside is that this could help Meghan and Harry define what they actually stand for, creatively. "The duo's output thus far, including Harry's polo documentary and Meghan's With Love series, weren't precisely record-shattering triumphs, with the latter unable to penetrate Netflix's roster of the 300 most-viewed programmes of the year to also proposes that whilst Meghan won't appreciate the "copying" remarks, she would have been completely conscious that parallels would unavoidably be drawn. "Every broadcaster, charity and celebrity under the sun produces holiday specials. It's a warm, family-friendly format that audiences respond to. That said, Meghan knows the optics. Wanting to be seen in the same aspirational light as Kate isn't the worst strategy, but Meghan's challenge is to make it feel authentic to her own brand, not a re-skin of someone else's."
