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Did you know that we host *FIVE* regular book clubs at the shop?

If you’re into fiction, we have you covered with book clubs focused on queer stories, science fiction and writing by women in translation, and if you’d rather read non-fiction, we host a philosophy and hope book club and a reimagining colonised landscapes discussion group.

Book clubs are a brilliant way to build community, make friends and learn new things - if you’re curious about them, our upcoming sessions are just below…see you soon!

✍️Women in Translation Book Club - IN THE SHOP - Monday 25th May, 6.30-8PM - Balkan Rhapsody by Maria Kassimova-Moisset - translator Iliyana Nedkova-Byrne will be joining for part of the session!

⛰️Reimagining Colonised Landscapes Book Club - IN THE SHOP - Sunday 31st May, 5-7PM - Turkey’s Neo-Ottomanist Moment: A Eurasianist Odyssey by Cengiz Çandar.

🌈Other Fruit (Queer Book Club) - ONLINE - Monday 1st June, 7-8PM - Chlorine by Jade Song.

💡Philosophy and Hope Book Club - IN THE SHOP - Monday 8th June, 7-8.30PM - The Disappearance of Rituals by Byung-Chul Han.

🚀Bright Futures (Sci Fi Book Club) - IN THE SHOP - Monday 15th June, 7-8PM - Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel.

Though human rights in Russia have been largely crushed and fair trials are non-existent, one moment of free speech is still allowed - the right of a prisoner to make a statement before verdict and sentencing.

Join us on Tuesday 26th May at 7PM to mark the publication of Voices Against Putin’s War - a compilation of protesters’ defiant speeches in Russian courts. The Russian state has given its verdict. The evening asks: how can we make sure these voices aren’t lost?

Local volunteers led by storytellers Beth Cross and @morna.burdon will be bringing these voices to life, joined by Simon Pirani, the book’s translator and editor.

Tickets still available on our website - get them now!

@uscscotland

Though human rights in Russia have been largely crushed and fair trials are non-existent, one moment of free speech is still allowed - the right of a prisoner to make a statement before verdict and sentencing.

Join us on Tuesday 26th May at 7PM to mark the publication of Voices Against Putin’s War - a compilation of protesters’ defiant speeches in Russian courts. The Russian state has given its verdict. The evening asks: how can we make sure these voices aren’t lost?

Local volunteers led by storytellers Beth Cross and @morna.burdon will be bringing these voices to life, joined by Simon Pirani, the book’s translator and editor.

Tickets still available on our website - get them now!

@uscscotland

The shortlists for 2026’s Indie Book Awards are here!

The Indies are the only book awards curated exclusively by independent bookshops. Focused on paperbacks, they celebrate the role of booksellers in building readerships and reach for the books we love the most.

This year, our Pao was part of the jury for the fiction and non-fiction categories, reading loads of gorgeous summer reads. You can explore the fiction and non-fiction categories on our website and in the comments below!

What are your favourite summer reads and why?

The shortlists for 2026’s Indie Book Awards are here!

The Indies are the only book awards curated exclusively by independent bookshops. Focused on paperbacks, they celebrate the role of booksellers in building readerships and reach for the books we love the most.

This year, our Pao was part of the jury for the fiction and non-fiction categories, reading loads of gorgeous summer reads. You can explore the fiction and non-fiction categories on our website and in the comments below!

What are your favourite summer reads and why?

Just Mairi, telling you you should read the new Jan Carson and join us for the Edinburgh launch of Few & Far Between TONIGHT!

Weds 20th, in person & online, wicked eco-fiction, caustic Irish humour, alternative history, all the good stuff, in conversation between @jancarsonstories & @jessjohannesson!

Why are young people in Britain today turning to faith in our age of uncertainty?

We’ll be springing into summer with a gorgeous paperback launch of @lamornaaash’s critically acclaimed Don’t Forget We’re Here Forever- a New Generation’s Search for Religion. Join us online or in person tomorrow, 19th May at 7pm for a brilliant discussion hosted by @thischarmingham

This event is one of our Lighthouse Social launches, which includes a 1hour discussion with the author & audience Q&A, followed by 30mins to linger and chat, have a drink, be introduced to folk with shared interests. You can come just for the talk, or stick around, its entirely up to you!

Hello! We are OPEN today 10-8pm but CLOSED tomorrow all day for a team strategy day! We’ll be back on Monday 💕

In the meantime, check out how many amazing events we have coming up, including one with @lamornaaash and @thischarmingham on Tuesday and @jancarsonstories on Wednesday next week! Browse events & get your ticket on our website! 🎟️

"Everyone's healing. No-one's happy."

We promised you a very gay summer and now it's time to deliver - we've teamed up with the lovely babes at @wutheringdykesbookclub to offer you another highly anticipated queer lit event!

This time, we have @gabtorrr joining us with their satiritical queer debut - Hard Place - for what promises to be a fantastic discussion on navigating life whilst queer, sad and broke. The incredible team at @scribneruk have sent us copies of the book early ahead of its 4th June publication date, so if you want to read it before everybody else does, come get your copy now.

Join us on Thursday 8th May at 7PM, tickets on our website 🚇

"Everyone's healing. No-one's happy."

We promised you a very gay summer and now it's time to deliver - we've teamed up with the lovely babes at @wutheringdykesbookclub to offer you another highly anticipated queer lit event!

This time, we have @gabtorrr joining us with their satiritical queer debut - Hard Place - for what promises to be a fantastic discussion on navigating life whilst queer, sad and broke. The incredible team at @scribneruk have sent us copies of the book early ahead of its 4th June publication date, so if you want to read it before everybody else does, come get your copy now.

Join us on Thursday 8th May at 7PM, tickets on our website 🚇

🦝🐦SEEKING POSTER DESIGNER FOR THE EDINBURGH RADICAL BOOK FAIR 2026!🐦🦝

Edinburgh’s Radical Book Fair is back in 2026!


Taking place at the Roxy Assembly 5th-8th November, the fair is a yearly meeting point for radical books and radical reading, thinking and feeling, as much as it is an opportunity for community-building and for making connections to facilitate crucial action and organising.

We’re on the lookout for a new poster designer for this year’s fair - is this you?

📖THE FINE PRINT📖
- The poster: An A3 poster, with elements of the design to be used both online and in print.
- The theme: “Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.” @arundhatiroyauthor
- The fee: £150 for the poster design.
- What we need from you: An email to rbf@lighthousebookshop.com with the following:
* A few samples of your (existing) work
* A couple of lines about why you'd be a good fit to create the poster for 2026's Radical Book Fair
* Answers to the following question: If shortlisted, would you be happy for your work to be celebrated in a round-up on the Lighthouse IG and TikTok accounts?
* Please note that we're not asking for drafts or finished designs at this point - just a note of interest.
- The deadline: 1st June by 5PM
- Before applying, please check out our website for further info on the theme!

Though not a requirement to apply, we're especially keen to work with and promote the work of artists based in Scotland or the North of England, who are familiar with the bookshop and share our values and ambitions for the Radical Book Fair.

We’re so excited to see your work and hope you will consider sharing it with us!

Join us on 25 May 2026 at the Lighthouse @lighthousebks - Edinburgh's Radical Bookshop -as part of Women in Translation Book Club to discuss BALKAN RHAPSODY by Maria Kassimova-Moisset @kassimovamoisset in my translation from the Bulgarian into English and Scots.

Reserve your free seat or buy the book by using your book club discount via the link in bio.

Thanks to Annie Rutherford @annie_translates for the kind invitation for me to join the book club discussion in person!

#DYK that BALKAN RHAPSODY is the first Bulgarian book in translation to be published in Scotland. Thanks to the independent small press Tippermuir Books. Here's to all independent bookshops and publishers like @lighthousebks & @tippermuir

#womenintranslation
@womenintranslation
@readwit
@witdatabase
@womeninworldhistory

Join us on 25 May 2026 at the Lighthouse @lighthousebks - Edinburgh's Radical Bookshop -as part of Women in Translation Book Club to discuss BALKAN RHAPSODY by Maria Kassimova-Moisset @kassimovamoisset in my translation from the Bulgarian into English and Scots.

Reserve your free seat or buy the book by using your book club discount via the link in bio.

Thanks to Annie Rutherford @annie_translates for the kind invitation for me to join the book club discussion in person!

#DYK that BALKAN RHAPSODY is the first Bulgarian book in translation to be published in Scotland. Thanks to the independent small press Tippermuir Books. Here's to all independent bookshops and publishers like @lighthousebks & @tippermuir

#womenintranslation
@womenintranslation
@readwit
@witdatabase
@womeninworldhistory

I’m extremely thrilled to be able to share (at last) details of the UK FATHER MATERIAL preorder campaign with you!!

Order your copy from @lighthousebks or @queerlituk to receive three Luc & Oliver vellum overlays + a signed bookplate. (These are the same incentives as the US indie campaign. It’s also while supplies last.) You can find all the l!nks in all the usual places. 💙❤️🥔

An unbelievable amount of finagling and logistics goes on behind the scenes in order for any campaign to happen (let alone several for one book). A big thanks to my publisher for all their hard work. And equally big thanks to everyone who has been patient. We got there in the end! ✊🫶💜

———

Disclaimers:

1. If you ask me a question that is directly answered in the caption or the post itself, I’m afraid I will not able to respond to you.
2. Please do consider visiting my website for further information about my work.
3. In order to make my social media a welcoming and inclusive space for everyone, I filter & actively moderate.

Join us on Wednesday 20th May to celebrate Jan Carson's new, hugely entertaining and moving novel!

In 'Few and Far Between', an archipelago of small islands in Northern Ireland offers a holding space for pain with nowhere to go - secrets are literally swallowed by the ground, people stuck between life and death wander among the trees.

The islands themselves receive the hurt people are unable to carry, as the novel, with lightness, humour and heart, explores difficult truths about peace in the aftermath of collective trauma.

Reading this immensely powerful (and funny!) novel, we got to thinking about other books where a place appears to have agency, even a will, of its own, stories in which cities, forests or houses are fully alive as characters.

Check out our book list and get your tickets on our website!

Join us on Wednesday 20th May to celebrate Jan Carson's new, hugely entertaining and moving novel!

In 'Few and Far Between', an archipelago of small islands in Northern Ireland offers a holding space for pain with nowhere to go - secrets are literally swallowed by the ground, people stuck between life and death wander among the trees.

The islands themselves receive the hurt people are unable to carry, as the novel, with lightness, humour and heart, explores difficult truths about peace in the aftermath of collective trauma.

Reading this immensely powerful (and funny!) novel, we got to thinking about other books where a place appears to have agency, even a will, of its own, stories in which cities, forests or houses are fully alive as characters.

Check out our book list and get your tickets on our website!

📖 BOOK GIVEAWAY 📖

Following our latest podcast episode with human rights lawyer and author Nani Jansen Reventlow (@nanijansenreventlow), we’re excited to announce a giveaway of Nani’s book, ‘Radical Justice’, in collaboration with Lighthouse Bookshop in Edinburgh (@lighthousebks)!

There are five free copies of the book available through Lighthouse Bookshop, on a first come, first served basis. This giveaway is for anyone interested in building a more radical, fairer, and more just world.

You can claim a copy by stopping by the bookshop or by placing an online order, using the code RADICAL-JUSTICE-GIVEAWAY

If you manage to get your hands on a copy, feel free to share a photo on socials! We hope you find the book useful, thought-provoking, and inspiring 🌱

📖 BOOK GIVEAWAY 📖

Following our latest podcast episode with human rights lawyer and author Nani Jansen Reventlow (@nanijansenreventlow), we’re excited to announce a giveaway of Nani’s book, ‘Radical Justice’, in collaboration with Lighthouse Bookshop in Edinburgh (@lighthousebks)!

There are five free copies of the book available through Lighthouse Bookshop, on a first come, first served basis. This giveaway is for anyone interested in building a more radical, fairer, and more just world.

You can claim a copy by stopping by the bookshop or by placing an online order, using the code RADICAL-JUSTICE-GIVEAWAY

If you manage to get your hands on a copy, feel free to share a photo on socials! We hope you find the book useful, thought-provoking, and inspiring 🌱

📖 BOOK GIVEAWAY 📖

Following our latest podcast episode with human rights lawyer and author Nani Jansen Reventlow (@nanijansenreventlow), we’re excited to announce a giveaway of Nani’s book, ‘Radical Justice’, in collaboration with Lighthouse Bookshop in Edinburgh (@lighthousebks)!

There are five free copies of the book available through Lighthouse Bookshop, on a first come, first served basis. This giveaway is for anyone interested in building a more radical, fairer, and more just world.

You can claim a copy by stopping by the bookshop or by placing an online order, using the code RADICAL-JUSTICE-GIVEAWAY

If you manage to get your hands on a copy, feel free to share a photo on socials! We hope you find the book useful, thought-provoking, and inspiring 🌱