Axel Scheffler and Philip Ardagh introduce The Grunts to Edinburgh
Gruffalo illustrator and Eddie Dickens' author pair up to launch new children's books series
The real Michael Frayn hits Edinburgh book festival – or does he?
The Noises Off author on hoaxes, identities – and the hidden joke in his new book
Scent of a kitten: the 20 irrefutable theories of book cover design
Jen Bowden: Do you judge a book by its cover? Designers Jon Gray and Jamie Keenan shared their theories on attracting readers – from cute cats to alluring perfume – at the Edinburgh book festival
Alex Preston on The Revelations – paperback Q&A
Alex Preston explains the challenges of writing his latest novel, which saw him step inside the lives of young evangelicals
Edinburgh international book festival: day four bulletin
What to expect, which events still have tickets available and what's coming up on the site
Camille O’Sullivan: From cabaret to chaos
Camille O'Sullivan made her name singing sultry songs in fishnets. Now she's playing a rapist and his victim in a musical version of Shakespeare's Rape of Lucrece, says Charlotte Higgins
Culture coach: the week’s essential arts stories
This week the Government U-turned on charity tax relief, a New England teacher of Latin won the Orange prize, and the Scots rebelled against their new funding regime
The case for celebrities at book festivals
Cheltenham literary director says the word literature 'frightens people' and appeals to book festivals to 'stop knocking each other'
From Booker to Bafta: do arts awards matter?
The awards season, with all its squabbles, is under way. Actor Diana Quick and Poetry Society chief Judith Palmer discuss winning, losing, and marching off in a huff
Russell Kane: ‘What am I going to do when I’m not the next big thing?’
He was the toast of Edinburgh, he's written a novel and he's had a play put on at the RSC. Yet, finds Brian Logan, comedian Russell Kane is prone to rages and plagued by doubt
Arab spring has created ‘intelligence disaster’, warns former CIA boss
Michael Scheuer says rendition should be brought back as lack of intelligence has left UK and US unable to monitor militants
Simon Hoggart’s week: In Kerry Katona’s world, hacking is a help
Staying in the news is vital for celebrities who are only known for being famous
This week’s arts diary
The Dean Martin tribe, Finnegan's mobile and Stella Rimington's 007 gaffe
Kristin Hersh: ‘I hate music’
In the space of a year, Kristin Hersh landed a record deal, attempted suicide, was diagnosed as schizophrenic, and gave birth. The Throwing Muses star talks to Xan Brooks about her memoir