My holiday at home ...............
‘I call the Book Festival my holiday at home, the oxygen and the food for the year. It goes too quick for me!’ Mark McManus
Edinburgh International Book Festival is one of the world’s largest celebrations of the written (and spoken) word. Marking its 40th anniversary, this year’s Festival takes place from 12–28 August in the leafy grounds of Edinburgh College of Art. Discover over 500 events for adults and children in the 2023 programme.
As a charitable, non-profit making organisation, the work of the Book Festival also stretches far beyond the month of August. The Communities Programme Team work closely with local organisations throughout the year to create inspiring and empowering events for people of all ages and backgrounds.
The quote that Zhuojun Liu has beautifully illustrated comes from an interview with Book Festival supporter Mark McManus, conducted as part of the "Four for 40” fundraising campaign. Mark has been attending Edinburgh International Book Festival for over 20 years and is widely known among the team for his generosity, insightful questions to authors during Q&As, and for attending dozens of events each August. As a wheelchair user with significant additional needs, Mark says the Book Festival means so much to him because “it’s a space where I feel appreciated as a whole person, and not just looked at because of my disability”.
Illustrated by Zhuojun Liu
Zhuojun Liu is an illustrator who comes from China and graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2023. She is interested in narrative and image-making, such as making picture books. Zhuojun loves reading books and enjoys participating in various book activities. She was very honored to be invited to create a poster for the Edinburgh International Book Festival. During the poster creation, she wanted to express the diversity and pastoral care of the festival that Mark McManus mentioned in his blog post. In Zhuojun’s illustration, she intends to show the lively atmosphere of summer Edinburgh, and hopes everyone can enjoy the book festival this year!
Visit Zhuojun’s website | @zj.lart
