The book consists of a ‘quartet of quartets’ on the theme of the formal garden as metaphor for human civilisation. Each quartet is written by a different writer, who explores the same theme in their own way.

By adopting a four-part structure authored by four different writers, the book echoes the design of a parterre or ‘charbagh’ garden, becoming a geometric literary expression of the inter-relationship between nature and humanity. Lost Eden addresses the challenges the human creature faces in governing itself and its underlying animal nature in relation to what Immanuel Kant meant by “the starry sky above me and the moral law within”.

The metaphor of a ‘remembered’ time when humans lived in harmony with nature is shared by most religions and creation-myths the world over. The specific concept of ‘Eden’ is common to the three major monotheistic religions, Judaism, Islam and Christianity, in the sense of a lost green idyll bisected by four rivers including the Euphrates and the Tigris.

In our current environmental emergency, the practical challenges and changes humanity now face are widely acknowledged. As writers we also consider the philosophical and cultural questions of how our species should relate to our planet in our thoughts and actions. A long history, culminating in the nineteenth century industrial age, set humanity on a path of conflict with nature. We now inhabit a zeitgeist predicated on endless economic ‘growth’ and accumulation of capital which is rapidly leading us to an environmental tipping point.

In Lost Eden four contemporary British writers use the medium of fiction to consider how the children of Adam and Eve have failed, but may yet succeed again, in their potential role as guardians and keepers of the Earth.

This event is rescheduled from last year. Tickets booked still valid. Any questions please email info@scottishwriterscentre.co.uk

Leslie Allin Lewis (1899-1961) wrote only one book, Tales of the Grotesque (1934), but his stories were later recognised and revived by leading anthologists such as Hugh Lamb and Richard Dalby. His ‘The Tower of Moab’ about the demon-haunted headquarters of a strange sect, is now recognised as a classic, but his other stories are also strange and fervent.

In this original anthology, thirteen contemporary writers offer a powerful homage to Lewis’ work. These new stories respond to his troubled visions of other dimensions, cosmic entities and malevolent powers.The book also has specially created new artwork in the Expressionist mode by Eli John.

Why not pick up a copy here.

Jonas Ploeger from Zagava writes of this book: ‘We have all read Aesop’s fables many, many years ago, but did you do so recently? My friend, the incomparable Baby Dee did and found especially their morals to be just a bit on the “dusty” side. What if these universally loved fables would have been written today, what would their moral be nowadays, would they even have a moral? An idea was born and when Dee approached me with the idea to ask a wild bunch of guys and gurls to revisite and revise Aesop. A truly outrageous variety of people loved the idea and so a very unusual book took shape.

The list of contributors, be it with a “new” fable or a visualization is truly extraordinary and eclectic, some are old friends of Zagava some are brand new favourites of ours (and yours, too, I bet!):

Little Annie, Valeria Bianchi, Aurora Buzzetti, Giulia de Canio, Quentin S. Crisp, Dolorosa de la Cruz, Jackie Cummins, Chris Cummings, Joseph Dawson, Michel Faber, Ania Goszczyńska, Jordan Hunt, Andrew Kerton, Will Kirchner, Andrew Liles, Gregory Maguire, Dawn McCarthy, Julia Nau, Alex Neilson, Dee Norris, Mary Norris, Erin K. Orr, Fabrizio Modonese Palumbo, Rosalie Parker, Francesca Puopolo, Quintron and Miss Pussycat, Ray B. Russell, Bertram Rutz, Jane Ruvolo, Florence Sunnen, David Tibet, Iulia O. Toacaci, Christina de Vos, Anh Vu, Daniel P. Watt, J. Kathleen White and Tod Wodicka’

Why not pick up a copy today from here!

An audio version of the story is available here.