The Bookcase, our biennial showcase for contemporary British literature, took place from the 14 - 18 August 2008 at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
As a continuing tradition of writer exchanges and as part of Scotland's participation as the Theme Country at next year's Kolkata Book Fair we invited three Kolkata writers to this year's Bookcase: Rimi B. Chatterjee, Alka Saraogi and Srijato represent Kolkata's new vibrant generation, writing in English, Hindi and Bengali respectively.
Though widely known in their own country, The Bookcase was an opportunity for them to reach a more international audience. Alka Saraogi said: 'To be a part of Edinburgh Bookcase means an opportunity to get to know if there can indeed be a global culture of ideas and expressions. At the same time it is to know how different and unique cultures can speak to each other.'
The programme offered readings, performances and discussion from a wide range of established writers and emerging authors from the UK, with opportunities for interaction among the participants.
The Bookcase's has now finshed for this year but tickets are still available for other events at the Book Festival till the 25 August by following this link, Edinburgh International Festival box office.
In partnership with the Scottish Arts Council and the Edinburgh International Book Festival, The Bookcase aims to create wider recognition of the UK's creative and knowledge economy by developing partnerships with invited participants from countries outside the UK.
We invited 80 international delegates from the international literary community. They were writers, journalists, festival organisers, teachers, academics, publishers and representatives from national arts councils. Thirty five countries were represented including delegates from Argentina, China, India, Nigeria, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Uzbekistan.
The Bookcase is partnering with Edinburgh, the inaugural UNESCO City of Literature, in encouraging other cities to create a global network of creative literary cities, including other Cities of Literature and World Book Capitals.
For more details contact UK-Bookcase@britishcouncil.org.
| 
Srijato is a popular poet and vocalist of the younger generation. He won Ananda Puroskar in 2004 for his book Uronto Shob Joker (The Flying Jokers).
Rimi B. Chatterjee was born and grew up in Belfast and later came to live in India. Besides many transalations has written two novels – Signal Red and City of Love. 
Alka Saraogi primarily writes in Hindi, she shot into fame with her very first novel Kalikatha via Bypass which has been translated into nine languages.