The Reading Experiment
‘What an astonishing thing a book is. It’s a flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it and you’re inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people who never knew each other, citizens of distant epochs. Books break the shackles of time. A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic.’ Carl Sagan
Immerse yourself in the world of science writing in all its richly diverse forms with our exciting new initiative. Celebrating the spaces where the worlds of science and words collide, and acknowledging the power of each, The Reading Experiment will encourage you to engage anew with science writing of all sorts – from popular science to poetry, literary fiction to sci-fi; the range is broader than you might think.
We’ll be sharing inspirational reading lists and recommendations from some of our local scientists. What books are on their bedside tables and bookshelves? Did any book really inspire them and if so why? There are author events, writing workshops for all ages, and a book group area where you can sign up to read recommended books and have a discussion with a visiting scientist. Plus get your thinking caps on and start planning your entry in our first ever “Sci-Ku” competition; can you capture a science inspired theory or idea in 3 short lines? Remember to choose your words carefully!
Take part in The Reading Experiment and connect with science through the written and spoken word, celebrating what is good about sharing knowledge.
The Reading Experiment is a collaborative project in partnership with the Edinburgh International Science Festival and Dunbar SciFest. You can find out more about the literary fun and exploits of EISF on their Reading Experiment page.