How It All Started

In 2005 our Port Ellen Book Group made national headlines when we received the Penguin/Orange Reading Group Prize for the most imaginative and explorative reading as a group. The judges were impressed by the breadth and quality of the books we had read; and by the way in which our reading had enabled us to explore the experiences of women in other countries. The prize for our nine women members was a VIP trip to The Edinburgh International Book Festival. During this fabulous weekend, besides attending talks, we spent time with Ali Smith, Joan Bakewell and Bill Duncan. The entire experience was so exciting that, following a suggestion by Ali, we decided to hold our own Book Festival.

The photograph shows the original Port Ellen Book Group just before their trip to Edinburgh. The group then joined with members of the Port Ellen Teachers’ Reading Group to form a Festival Committee. Our first Port Ellen Book Festival was held in 2006, and our second in 2007. With growing interest from other areas of the island, and changes in the formation of our committee, we changed our name, in 2008, to the Islay Book Festival.