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The work of acclaimed Scots artist and writer Alasdair Gray is to be celebrated in the first ever Gray Day. It is hoped the event will become an annual commemoration of the life and work of one of Scotland’s most important cultural polymaths, Alasdair Gray. The first will take place on Thursday - marking the 40th anniversary of the publication of his seminal novel Lanark. Known faces including Ali Smith, Yann Martel, Denise Mina, Irvine Welsh, Gemma Cairney and Ewen Bremner are set to be involved for the first Gray Day event, featuring a broadcast at 7.30pm. Alasdair Gray at his d...

BBC News By Giancarlo Rinaldi Published image captionMany book festivals are looking at continuing some digital elements this year Book festivals across Scotland have been busy drawing up plans to cope with an uncertain year ahead. An online format, a change of date or switch of venue are among the options being explored to try to help meet the nation's literary needs. Paisley Book Festival is one of the first into the fray this year, running from 18 to 27 February. Launched last year on the back of its UK City of Culture bid, this time around it will be an online event.

It has been hailed as a bleak masterpiece, but this year’s Booker Prize-winning novel Shuggie Bain faces criticism that its negative depiction of Glasgow could harm the city economically. The poverty-stricken image of Eighties Glasgow – with its alcoholism, domestic violence and unemployment – in Douglas Stuart’s book is a damaging stereotype, say Scottish politicians and business leaders. The semi-autobiographical story of a boy growing up with his alcoholic mother is set in the Sighthill area. This year’s Booker Prize-winning novel Shuggie Bain faces criticism that its negative de...