Books, Borders & Bikes

Saturday 20 August

09:00 - 11:00:

Storytelling Cycle Ride - Cycle from Neidpath Castle to Traquair with Scottish storyteller John Nichol to enjoy the Border landscape.

10:00 - 11:45:

The Literary Walk - Join local writer Fiona J Houston and Olivia Laing for a literary walk along the River Tweed, as they discuss the relationship between memory and landscape.

10:00 - 11:00:

The Woodland Walk - Traditional stories from the mists of time told amongst the trees and burns in the magical grounds of Traquair House. Meet local storyteller Mary Kenny on the wine-glass lawn, where your journey with stories will begin and return.
Aimed at adults and children over 7 years

11.15 - 11.45:

Perfect Balance - An engaging portrait of the simple joys of bicycling with Bella Bathurst Writer and journalist Bella Bathurst on joys of bicycling as she talks about her Bicycle Book in a celebration the bicycle and its glorious history - providing freedom to the masses.

12:00 - 12:45:

From the Source to the Sea - Olivia Laing, writer and former Observer deputy books editor, talks to James Runcie about her mesmerising new book To The River and the relationship between language, landscape and identity.

13:00 - 13:45:

Tales from Afghanistan - Magnus Linklater talks to William Dalrymple about his life and his forthcoming book about British endeavours in Afghanistan in the 19th century, while Des Browne gives a 21st century perspective. Spend a dazzling afternoon with Dehli based Scots born writer William Dalrymple as he talks about his latest book on the British experience of Afghanistan in the 19th Century, as Magnus Linklater quizzes former Secretary of State for Defence Des Browne on their own experiences of the Afghanistan and Afghans in the 21st Century and the prospects of British success and failure.

14.00 - 14.45:

Crown and Country - David Starkey is welcomed back to Traquair to talk about his latest book and the future of the Royal Family in British life.
British historian and Tudor specialist David Starkey talks about the future of the Royal Family and his latest book Crown and Country: A History of England through the Monarchy.

15.15 - 16.00:

Love and Death in Gaza - Mark Muller Stuart QC talks to Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish about why he refuses to hate following the tragic death of his three daughters during the bombing of Gaza in 2009.
On 16th January 2009, Dr Abuelaish's three daughters were killed during the bombing of Gaza, minutes before he was to speak live on Israeli TV. In response to this tragedy, Dr Abuelaish called for the people in the region to start talking to each other. He has been nominated for the Noble Peace Prize, and received humanitarian awards around the world. I Shall Not Hate is his account of his extraordinary life.

16.15 - 17.00:

How to Win and Keep Hold of Power - Magnus Linklater talks to Jonathan Powell, Tony Blair's Chief of Staff, about the lessons learnt during his time in No.10
Join Tony Blair's former Chief of Staff, Jonathan Powell, as he discusses his new book on Machiavelli, the Blair and Brown years, and his new role as an international mediator, with Magnus Linklater.

17.15 - 18:00:

The Arab Spring and the Power of Democracy - Oscar Guardiola-Rivera talks about the power of democracy with Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, Rashed Rahman, Sir Kieran Prendergast and Marie Colvin.
A panel discussion on the power of democracy in small nations across the world, focusing on the Arab Spring, with Britain’s foremost female war correspondent, Marie Colvin. editor of Pakistan’s Daily Times, Rashed Rahman, Gazan surgeon Dr Izzeldin Abuelaish, witty Columbian philosopher Oscar Guardiola-Rivera and former UN diplomat Sir Kieran Prendergast.

18.30 - 19.15:

'Glimpses of the Middle East' Reception - A reception hosted by Mark Muller Stuart QC and artist Joseph Maxwell-Stuart. Following in the footsteps of Orientalist painter David Roberts, Joseph Maxwell-Stuart exhibits oil paintings from a Roberts-inspired journey across Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon & Syria.
Photojournalist Teun Voeten captured revolutionary graffiti and caricatures in Benghazi, Libya this Spring. These images, which appeared in their hundreds, illustrate how the Arab Spring of 2011 deployed graffiti in its most powerful and political form and how this form of artistic expression was used as a mouthpiece of protest by young men and women willing to risk their lives for an ideal - democracy and freedom.

- Free to those with weekend and day tickets.

Sunday 21 August

09:00 - 11:45:

Storytelling Cycle Ride - Cycle from Abbotsford to Traquair with Scottish storyteller John Nichol and hear the Borders' landscape whisper its enchanting tales.

10:00 - 11:00:

The Woodland Walk - Traditional stories from the mists of time told amongst the trees and burns in the magical grounds of Traquair House. Meet local storyteller Mary Kenny on the wine-glass lawn, where your journey with stories will begin and return.
Aimed at adults and children over 7 years

12:00 - 12.45:

The Stuart Dynasty in the Scottish Borders - Geoffrey Baskerville in conversation with Allan Massie and Catherine Muller Stuart on the legacy of the Stuart dynasty.
Immerse yourself in the stirring tales of the Stuart Dynasty with Scottish Borders' premier historian, Allan Massie, author of The Stuarts and Catherine Muller Stuart as they discuss the Stuart legacy with Geoffrey Baskerville.

13:00 - 13.45:

Zimbabwe at the Crossroads - Allan Little talks with Sir Kieran Prendergast, Mordecai Mahlangu, Petina Gappah and William Burdett-Coutts about the future of Zimbabwe.
Join the BBC's Special Correspondent Allan Little in conversation with former UN Under-Secretary-General Sir Kieran Prendergast, acclaimed novelist and lawyer Petina Gappah, author of Elegy for Easterly, with human rights advocate Mordecai Mahlangu and Assembly Rooms founder William Burdett-Coutts.

14.00 - 14.45:

Pakistan - A Failing State? - William Dalrymple talks to Rashed Rahman, editor of the Daily Times of Pakistan, about the trials and tribulations of Pakistan and recounts a story of Pakistan from his own book, Nine Lives.

15.00 - 15.45:

Healing Shattered Societies - Join Gazan surgeon Dr. Izzeldin Abuslaish, and Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu from the Centre for Policy Alternatives (Sri Lanka’s foremost civil rights NGO) as they discuss how to heal and rebuild shattered societies following conflict or civil war. Chaired by BBC's Special Correspondent, Allan Little.

16.00 - 16.45:

The Future of Scotland & the Union - David Starkey, Sir Menzies Campbell and Allan Massie debate the Union and whether Scotland really is 'a feeble little country'. Lord Steel presides.

17.00 - 17.45:

Dividing Small Nations - Comedian, writer and broadcaster Mark Thomas talk to Oscar Guardiola-Rivera about his recent walk along the wall in Palestine.
Comedian and activist Mark Thomas walked the entire length of the 700km Israeli Separation Barrier in 2010, crossing between the Israeli and Palestinian sides. Thomas talks to Colombian philosopher Oscar Guardiola-Rivera about his extreme rambling along - and inside - this border.

18.00 - 18.45:

GREAT Women - Mariella Frostrup talks to Marie Colvin about her life as Britain's foremost female correspondent and with Petina Gappah about the empowerment of women in Africa.
Mariella Frostrup in conversation with Times war correspondent Marie Colvin about her experience in Libya, Sri Lanka and beyond. Mariella’s foundation, The Gender Rights and Equality Action Trust (The GREAT Initiative) aims at fostering gender equality and raising awareness and funds to support the grass roots gender equality projects in Africa and beyond, and she discusses the aims of her foundation and empowerment of African women with Zimbabwean writer & lawyer Petina Gappah.

Followed by a drinks reception hosted by Mariella Frostrup and human rights lawyer Jason McCue, introducing the GREAT initiative, a foundation set up by Mariella to help women in the developing world.
- Free to those with weekend and day tickets.