This year - one of the most momentous for a decade and more - we face a UK wide general election against a backdrop of financial crisis and looming environmental problems. We’ve introduced some longer sessions this year looking at some of these critical issues: the future of money, globalisation, Scottish education, Scotland itself and the Left.

Our authors range from Albie Sachs, the great South African jurist and humanitarian, to Germaine Greer, who looks back on 40 years of feminism. Along the way, you’ll encounter among many others, Tariq Ali, Joanna Trollope, Michael Mansfield, Carol Ann Duffy, William Boyd, Susie Orbach, Jasper Fforde, David Dimbleby, the lives of the Left, food and cooking and sport. We’re delighted to be launching Louise Welsh’s new novel, and to have in the city some of the people involved in making Wallace and Gromit from Aardman Animations. We launch our Summer Read programme as well.

So if you want fictional and true crime, the latest debates in science, and on the existence of God (or not), Wallace and Gromit, new fiction, philosophy, poetry and history and more, The Mitchell is the place for you in March.

We would be nothing without our supporters and sponsors, the publishers who work with us to bring this programme to you each year, the library staff, and you, the audience, who attend in ever increasing numbers each year and join in the passionate debates that take place.

We look forward to seeing you at The Mitchell in March helping to make Aye Write! 2010 bigger and better than ever! Please follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest festival news.

Karen Cunningham, Director, Aye Write! Book Festival
Head of Libraries, Culture and Sport Glasgow
Andrew Kelly, Programme Director

'Take a break with a great Scottish read'
Aye Write! 2010 is proud to host the launch of The Tesco Bank Summer Read, an exciting initiative to promote reading and new Scottish books. Twenty titles, set in Scotland or written by Scottish authors, form the shortlist featured here, that ranges across different reading tastes, levels and formats - fiction and non-fiction; adult, teen and children; English, Scots and Gaelic; spoken word and graphic novel.
An initiative by the Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust, the judging panel for the shortlist included representatives from The Scottish Library and Information Council, Publishing Scotland, Edinburgh International Book Festival, The Herald and Glasgow Libraries.
Following the launch at the Aye Write! festival, the shortlist will be promoted in public libraries across Scotland from March to August 2010. A public vote via www.heraldscotland.com will allow readers to select five winning titles and, ultimately, the “best” book, with one lucky reader winning a top of the range Sony eReader.
To help readers decide, there are a number of events to support the Tesco Bank Summer Read taking place throughout the Aye Write! 2010 festival - just look out for the logo. There will also be a programme of related reading events taking place in libraries across Scotland throughout the summer months, and a series of special features on the shortlisted authors appearing in The Herald, along with a special Tesco Bank Summer Read supplement which will be distributed to libraries across Scotland.
The winning authors (and voter) will be announced at a special closing event in August 2010 (Date TBC) , being held to coincide with the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
To celebrate the launch of the Tesco Bank Summer Read, join some of Scotland’s leading writers, including Karen Campbell - After the Fire, Allan Massie - Surviving, Eleanor Thom - The Tin-Kin and James Robertson - Katie’s Year, for discussion and readings.