2014 Edinburgh int'l book festival stresses dialogue

The 2014 Edinburgh International Book Festival opened on Saturday under the headline "Let's Talk".

Over 900 internationally-renowned writers and thinkers from 47 countries and regions came to Charlotte Square Gardens in the heart of Edinburgh to discuss such diverse topics as the Middle East, two world wars, the Commonwealth, economic migration, society, identity and the future of Scotland.

"The Book Festival provides a crucial forum for dialogue, where we can listen to and learn from one another, particularly in this year of momentous events in Scotland," said Nick Barley, Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

"Our thought-provoking conversations with both authors and audiences will permeate through Charlotte Square Gardens as we welcome writers and thinkers from many countries and cultures to Edinburgh, some for the first time in their careers," said Barley.

"We offer a platform for emerging voices that are set to shape the world's literary stage in years to come and launch some of the most talked-about books of the year," added Barley.

Barley expressed the hope that this year's Book Festival will help readers and writers of all ages to think about and discuss how to act positively upon the understanding generated by dialogue.

The sold-out events include American novelist George Martin, author of the Game of Thrones series, and Japanese writer Haruki Murakami, who makes his first trip to Edinburgh to launch the English edition of his latest novel Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage.

As the Scottish independence referendum was scheduled for Sept. 18, Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond and former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown were also set to discuss the past, present and future of Scotland at the Book Festival.

The Edinburgh International Book Festival began in 1983 and is now a key event in the August Festival season, celebrated annually in Scotland's capital city. Biennial at first, the Book Festival became a yearly celebration in 1997.

Programming over 700 events, the Book Festival attracts around 220,000 visitors each year at gardens transformed into a magical tented village.

This year's Book Festival is to close on Aug. 25.