Origin: JL Williams

Blackwell's Bookshop is Edinburgh's oldest bookshop, selling books on South Bridge since 1878. Follow us onTwitterandInstagramfor announcements and updates on our year-round events programme.Edinburgh's oldest bookshop is situated right in the heart of the Old Town. On our three floors you will find anything from the latest bestseller to university textbooks. Make sure to visit our Scottish Room for the best selection of Scottish books in the city!The majority of our events are held on our First Floor and our event space has level access.There is on-street parking in Infirmary Street, Chamber Street, Drummond Street and Roxburgh Place (paid till 6:30pm), and Blue Badge Holders can park on the single yellow just outside Caffè Nero on Infirmary Street.Our Caffè Nero is open till 7pm on weekdays for pre-event coffee and cake (or tea and panini).

Blackwell's Edinburgh South Bridge

Join JL Williams for the launch of her latest collection of poetry - Origin

Blackwell's Bookshop

We are delighted to welcome you along to the launch of <a href="https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9781848618053" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Origin</a> by J L Williams on Thursday 7th April at 7pm. Jennifer will be reading and discussing her inspiringly powerful, beautiful new collection of poetry with Robyn Marsack, former director of the Scottish Poetry Library. Origin is the story of a baby coming into the world, and of her first year in that world altered beyond recognition by a virus born into our lives at nearly the same time. It is a song of breath, and of light. It is a collection of love poems, and a cry flung into the universe echoing the cry of all babies, a cry of loss and of nearly unbearable love. It is a book not just for pregnant women, or new mums and dads, but for all people who have entered through that small crack into the light of this life, and for all who have parents and have grappled with the joys and challenges of those most intimate of relationships. It is a song of light, and of breath. It is a story of where we come from."This collection not only exalts, is frightened for, and treasures new motherhood, but allows for its complexities and the terrible potential for loss, and especially I like how it doesn't amputate mother-love from just the way we love as humans, sensuously and sometimes messily. It never slips into 'saintly mother' territory - it seems to recognise the burden that particular role has placed on women - for those who chose to have kids and those who didn't." —Lynn DavidsonAbout the AuthorBooks by JL Williams include Condition of Fire (Shearsman, 2011), Locust and Marlin (Shearsman, 2014), House of the Tragic Poet (If A Leaf Falls Press, 2016), After Economy (Shearsman Books, 2017) and Origin (Shearsman Books, 2022). Published widely in journals, her poetry has been translated into numerous languages. She has read at international literature festivals and venues in the UK, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Turkey, Cyprus, Canada, Hungary, Romania, Montenegro and the US.She wrote the libretto for the opera Snow which debuted in London in 2017, was awarded a bursary to develop a new opera with composer Samantha Fernando at the Royal Opera House and was a librettist for the award-winning 2020 covid-response Episodes project by The Opera Story. Williams curates writing events and creates workshops and professional development activities for poets. She is hopeful about the simple and mysterious power of poetry that allows us to know ourselves, each other and the world more deeply.-Doors: 6.30pm, event starts: 7pmThis event is free.There will be complitmentary refreshments at this event.The bookshop has level access, events are seated and speakers use microphones. If you have any concerns about accessibility, please do get in touch and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.Covid 19 Precautions will be adhered to in order to ensure the safety of our attendees, authors and booksellers. Please do not attend the event if you are displaying any symptoms of Covid-19 or if you have been advised to self isolate. We ask that all ticket holders wear a face mask whilst in the shop, medical exemptions will continue to apply. For more information please contact the Blackwell's events team on 0131 622 8222 or matthew.land@blackwell.co.uk

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Origin: JL Williams

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Origin: JL Williams

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