Described as ‘an Olympics of the mind’, the 2012 Edinburgh International Book Festival offered Nobel Prize and Booker winners, bestsellers and up-and-coming writers alongside scientists, philosophers, children’s authors and illustrators, great thinkers, orators and inspirational storytellers. 750 authors from around the world gathered to celebrate the world of words and ideas. You can hear some of the events here in our series of free podcasts – recorded live at the Festival.