The fourth showcase on contemporary Literature – the Bookcase - took place as part of the Edinburgh International Book festival between Thursday 17 – Monday 21 August 2006. The Bookcase this year attracted a record number of 67 participants nominated by British Council offices from places as diverse as Estonia, India, Iraq, Russia, Sudan, Vietnam, the USA. The Bookcase is jointly organised by the Literature Department in London and British Council Scotland and is financially supported by the Scottish Arts Council. This year’s Bookcase featured over 60 individual writers performing their work, including many names in fiction writing: such as Helen Dunmore, David Lodge, Alexander MacCall Smith, Ali Smith, Sarah Waters and Jeanette Winterson and poets including: Ciaran Carson, Menna Elfyn, John Hegley, Robin Robertson, Hugo Williams. Special features were a focus on new Arab literature with a team of four visiting Arab novelists and poets as the culmination of a week-long UK tour; an event featuring leading lights of the performance poetry scene: Patience Agbabi, Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze, Roger Robinson; and three afternoon sessions with writers in conversation, followed by an opportunity to meet the author over tea, featuring the poet Francesca Beard, poet and novelist John Burnside and novelist and broadcaster Kate Mosse.

Special features at Edinburgh Bookcase 2006

Fiction authors: Glen Duncan, Helen Dunmore, Janice Galloway, Kirsty Gunn, Laura Hird, Howard Jacobson, A. L. Kennedy, James Lasdun, David Lodge, Alexander McCall Smith, Bernard MacLaverty, Denise Mina, Ewan Morrison, Kate Mosse, Julie Myerson, Andrew O'Hagan, David Peace, Ian Rankin, Michael Symmons Roberts, Suhayl Saadi, Ali Smith, Alan Spence, Sarah Waters and Jeanette Winterson

A strong selection of poets: John Burnside, Ciaran Carson, Menna Elfyn, Vicki Feaver, Paul Farley, David Harsent, John Hegley, Robin Robertson and Hugo Williams

The playwright Christopher Hampton

Actor and biographer Simon Callow

First fiction: John Aberdein, John Bennett and J. M. Ledgard

International fiction: Aminatta Forna (Africa), Heather McGowan (USA), Kader Abdolah and Yasmin Crowther (Iran)

A specially commissioned event featuring leading lights of the performance poetry scene: Patience Agbabi, Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze, Francesca Beard and Roger Robinson

Literature in translation: Hamid Ismailov with translator Robert Chandler; Ismail Kadare with translator David Bellos

Scottish Arts Council Book of the Year award

Scottish PEN lecture: James Meek

A focus on new Arab literature with a team of four Arab novelists and poets - Mansoura Ez-Eldin, Joumana Hadda, Ala Hlehel and Abed Ismael; Elias Khoury.