Pulitzer Prize winners, Nobel Laureates, politicians and journalists are among the line-up announced today for the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
More than 750 authors from 50 different countries will take part in the event this summer.
Philip Pullman is part of the programme and Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy will be previewing her new collection of poems, to be published next year, in Charlotte Square Gardens in August.
Seamus Heaney, DBC Pierre and Roy Hattersley will also be giving sneak previews of books published in September.
A new audience award for debut writers is also part of this year's festival.
A mini-festival, which includes a mix of readings, music and shows and titled Unbound will also be staged. The programme will be announced next month.
Nick Barley, director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: "I believe that writers are fundamental to our understanding of the world; away from the barrage of instant news, writers give a more subtle perspective on everything from complex economic problems to personal issues in our day to day lives.
"The Book Festival gives us a wonderful opportunity to bring these perspectives into focus as we look at the world we live in today."
A total of 47 authors bringing their first UK published novel or short story collection to the festival are eligible for the Readers' First Book Award, which celebrates new writing.
The award aims to encourage audiences to read the books of new authors, come to the events and vote online for their favourites before the end of October.
A programme of evening debates will also run during the festival, which will reflect discussions held at events earlier each day.
In the first week a debate chaired by Alan Little will look at geo-politics - America, China, the impact of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the shape of Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Mr Barley said: "This year we will be looking at the new world order, and particularly at the US's place in this world, with an ambitious survey of American contemporary writing.
"We welcome acclaimed novelists Joyce Carol Oates, Lionel Shriver and Amy Bloom, controversial cultural theorist David Shields and Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz.
"The American strand includes over 45 authors such as Garry Trudeau, whose Doonesbury strip is one of the most published cartoons in the world."
Festival organisers have also worked with "guest selectors", including Scottish poet Don Paterson, who have brought their own perspective to an area of particular interest to them.