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Prolific author Alexander McCall Smith is one of the most popular writers in the world. In 2013, he celebrates the 15th anniversary of the publication of the first No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency novel, a series that has sold 20 million copies worldwide and that kickstarted his full-time career as a writer. The series features Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s leading, and only, female private detective. McCall Smith’s output also includes the 44 Scotland Street novels, the Isabel Dalhousie novels, the Von Igelfeld series and the Corduroy Mansions novels. The novels have been translated into 46 languages and have been global bestsellers.

McCall-Smith’s most recent novel is Trains and Lovers, the story of four strangers who meet on a train journey between Edinburgh and London and of how love touched their lives in different ways. It was described by The Scotsman as ‘the best thing McCall Smith has written so far’.

In 2011 HRH The Princess Royal and poet and novelist Ben Okri launched the festival’s Africa programme as part of the commitment to celebrating that continent’s literature and culture.

This event is being generously supported by the festival’s Global Banking Partner, HSBC Bank plc, in aid
of two African charities, Amani Children’s Home and Patti Boulaye’s support for Africa.

Amani Children’s Home (www.amanikids.org) is dedicated to the protection of Tanzania’s vulnerable street children. It was founded by Tanzanians and, over the last decade, has rescued hundreds of children from a life on the streets, providing them with healthy food, education, counselling and medical care.

Support for Africa (www.pattiboulaye.com/charity) was founded by the singer and actor Patti Boulaye and is now the main focus of her work. The aim of the charity is to inform people in the developed world of the terrible effect AIDS is having on the people of Sub-Saharan-Africa and to raise funds for medical help and to increase awareness in Africa.