Edinburgh international book festival 2013 takes a stroll down memory lane

Claire Armitstead: From Jane Gardam's forgetful Old Filth to a misremembered Man Booker, this year's festival is all about the power of the mind

Andrew Marr ‘very worried’ by tone of Scottish independence debate

Broadcaster talks 'toxic' anglophobia at Edinburgh international book festival, in first public appearance since stroke

Patti Smith to pay tribute to poems of Robert Louis Stevenson on stage

Legendary punk singer will read odes that 'spoke to her' as a child, as well as performing Allen Ginsberg's work at Edinburgh

Scottish independence campaign has almost no chance, says Nate Silver

Political polling guru says data on referendum is 'pretty definitive' unless there is a major crisis in England

Open thread: what are your favourite words?

We're compiling an Edinburgh book festival dictionary of authors' favourite words. Tell us yours, and we'll add it to the list

Words’ worth

AL Kennedy: The novelist kicks off a new series, coinciding with the Edinburgh international book festival, where writers consider the words that mean most to them

Edinburgh: the ultimate literary city

John Dugdale: Auld Reekie has writers deep in its bones, so there is no more appropriate city to hold a book festival

Comedy at Edinburgh: when’s best to watch it?

Brian Logan: The assumption that laughter is a dish best served pissed is being challenged as the behemoths move their sets into the middle of the day. Meanwhile, Mark Thomas baits Ian Rankin and Gráinne Maguire elects to go political

Edinburgh international book festival – why does reading matter to you?

Whatever you like best about books and reading, there's no better way to celebrate than with a festival. Is there?

Edinburgh festival 2013: our critics’ picks

Crockery-jugglers, cancer comedy and a church full of comics – plus Richard Burton and Frank Zappa come back from the dead. Our critics select the hottest shows at this year's Edinburgh festival