lowercase November
lower case highlights cultural events, new releases, publish short reviews and recommendations for works across all genres. Our focus is on small and micro press, radical publishers, and events from independent bookshops. Readers & bookshop events suggestions welcome.
Remembering Dr Elspeth King
‘Past Glasgow’ posted this saying:
“Everyone should read this article, written on the launch of the film adaptation of Alasdair Gray’s “Poor Things”. She skillfully blends the back story of Gray’s work with an excoriating account of her own experiences with the city hierarchy in the 70s and 80s when trying to curate a collection that truly represented the city.”
Her collaboration with Alasdair Gray was legendary. The Alasdair Gray Archive wrote their own tribute: “We’re deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Elspeth King — a dear friend and great supporter of Alasdair Gray.
As curator at the People’s Palace museum, Elspeth hired Alasdair in 1977 as Glasgow’s “artist recorder” — one of the most stable and formative commissions of his life. This role led to around 33 paintings and drawings capturing the city’s architecture, people, and streetscapes before modernization transformed them. Alasdair also wrote about Elspeth’s dismissal from this role and unfair treatment by civic authorities in Workers City — link in bio to read more.
Working from a bright studio in the People’s Palace store, Alasdair shared the space with Michael Donnelly — Elspeth’s partner and assistant — who salvaged and restored pieces of Glasgow’s past. Michael even appears in Gray’s 1992 novel, Poor Things, as the discoverer of the McCandless manuscript.
November Events
Squashed between Halloween and the Festives, November is a packed month…
Edinburgh Zine Fair
Today and tomorrow, check out the Edinburgh Zine Fair at St Margarets House, London Road, (up past Meadowbank sports centre). Follow them at https://www.instagram.com/edinburghzinefair/
Described as ‘a place for zinesters, small presses, self-publishers and artbook makers to exhibit and sell their work’ its the brainchild of the enigmatic Typewronger Books. It’s open from noon till 5.30 Saturday and noon till 4.30 Sunday.
Typewronger also produce a beautiful poetry scroll which you can post to whoever in your life is most in need of some poetry. The editor says: “This season is appetitive, these poems crave your eyeballs. Some natural, some spiritual – all desperate.”
Edinburgh’s Radical Book Fair
Across the city the irrepressible Lighthouse Bookshop host the 2025 Radical Bookfair ‘Ecosystems of Change’ (5-9 November) at Assembly Roxy.
Lighthouse tell us:
“Lighthouse’ annual 4-day community gathering-meets-festival of ideas features over 20 events, workshops, shared-meals, activist and publisher stalls and much more.
The theme for this year’s Book Fair is ecosystems of change, focusing on how we forge the coalitions vital to meaningful change and to building the world we deserve.
History shows us that when we come together across the boundaries of single issues, in embodied solidarity and with common goals, the most effective victories happen, with consequences far beyond what we imagined.”
Check out the full programme here: Lighthouse | Edinburgh’s Radical Book Fair 2025: Ecosystems of Change
A Write Highland Hoolie
Up west, the Mallaig Book Festival (‘a write highland hoolie’) claims to be “Scotland’s friendliest book festival”. The event kicks off with Malachy Tallack’s novel, That Beautiful Atlantic Waltz, Friday the 7th November.
Check out the full programme here; Mallaig Book Festival | Mallaig | A Write Highland Hoolie
Toppings Literary Festival
Highlights of this years events may be Andrew O’Hagan, Jeanette Winterston, Chloe Gong and Andrew Miller. Check the full programme here: Edinburgh | Events – Topping & Company Booksellers of Bath, Edinburgh, Ely, and St Andrews
If you’ve got events or publications you want us to promote get in touch HERE.
Sorry to hear about Elspeth- I remember the ridicule&rough ride she had from the smug,empowered Old Labour types who ruled the roost pre-snp/Indyref in Glasgow- still to locate her book on Wallyclose tiles, recommended by Dennistoun style.