Beyond Borders day 1

We didn’t get away early enough (it wisnae me) to reach Traquair in time for the talk on Anne Redpath. The heavy rain on the way was a worry as usually we have to park in a field with poor drainage so we were relieved when the young man on car park duty directed us onto the hard car park nearer the house, where the speakers park. (David Steele is shooting past as I write this)

It’s been a wonderful day, full of stimulation and friendliness. Being a small festival where many people, both participants and audience, return each year it feels intimate.

First off we had Jim Naughtie speaking to Flora Frazer about her book on Flora MacDonald. Who knew she lived in America and supported the British Government during the War of Independence after having helped Charlie over the water? It sounded well-researched but she was very inarticulate. The book has the unfortunate title of Pretty Young Rebel and the cover is pink.

Next was Alan Little quizzing the former head of Special Boat Service and Lindsey Hilsum, Channel 4 editor of Foreign Affairs talking about Britain’s interventions in conflicts. She’s wonderful, having been witness to so many wars and their outcomes. Col Graham Cundy was surprisingly even-handed too.

In the garden at lunchtime Barbara Dickson entertained us with her beautiful voice.

We then were back in our reserved seats, 3 rows from the front, to hear something totally different. Kirsty Lang talked to actor David Strathairn and director Derek Goldman about their internationally celebrated play and film “Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski, which tells the true story of the Polish WW2 holocaust witness who risked his life to carry the first reports of the holocaust to USA and UK, where neither FDR or Churchill chose to believe him. He spent 40 years teaching at Georgetown and didn’t tell the story till later. David performed some of the play. It was incredibly moving. They are trying to get it shown to wider audiences than PBS in USA. I bought Sociology teacher daughter the book.

A couple of security people were around for Nicola Sturgeon engaging with Monica McWilliams about her life and new book “Stand up, Speak Out: My life Working for Women’s Rights, Peace and Equality in Northern Ireland and Beyond”. What a wonderful pair of women. They showed resilience, intelligence and humour and left us feeling uplifted with hope for the future - imagine after all those years of Monica still campaigning and not being discouraged. I bought Northern Irish son in law her book. She was lovely when I spoke to her.

Dina Nayeri, an Iranian refugee as a child talked to Oscar Guardiola-Rivera about the complexities of migration and identity.

We flagged a bit during Allan Little with Aleksander Hemon as they talked about his novel and his life after leaving Sarajevo just before the war.

Last was Jack McDonnell having a discussion with Steve Richards on Turning Points in Modern Britain. His book focuses on 10 times he thought were turning points - including Atlee and post war social reforms, the Suez crisis, oil price hikes in 73, Jenkins social changes, Thatcher, 97 election and the resulting changes (devolution, Good Friday Agreement, Sure Start etc), Iraq war, financial crisis 2008, Brexit, Liz Truss. Lots of explanations and contentions.

I had a chat with, among others, a nice woman beside me who’d taught history for 35 years in the school where a friend of mine was the headteacher till he died young.

Now we are back in the van and I’ve cooked Pasta Puttanesca and we are going to have wine, go to bed and get ourselves rested up for another stimulating day tomorrow.