The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival 2021

Today, at the last day of The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival 2021, it might be the right moment for me to look back on my own contribution to the festival at The Garden Theatre, only a week ago.

Under the inspiring leadership of Rosie Goldsmith some 200 readers and other interested people took part in a discussion about my book 'The Van Gogh Sisters' published only a few months ago in the UK and US by Thames & Hudson. By asking me specific questions about the lives of Anna, Lies and Wil and their famous brother Vincent van Gogh, Rosie managed to convey the heart of the story to the public.

It was good to be at Cheltenham and meet a happy crowd, both in the theatre and at the book signing but also in the corridors. For many it was a merry occasion to talk about literature but also to finally meet other people, fellow booklovers, in person. The sense of optimism was tangible throughout.

I would like to thank the organisation of the festival for giving these three Van Gogh Sisters a stage. I'd also like to thank Rosie Goldsmith who has shown a genuine intrest in the matter of nineteenth century women and was very well informed in 'The Van Gogh Sisters'. And of course thanks to: New Dutch Writing/ Dutch Foundation of Literature and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in London who supported the event.

Cheltenham 2021, it has been a radiant experience!

#CheltLitFest #GoldRosie #DutchLiterature #NewDutchWriting #NLinUK #thamesandhudson #thevangoghsisters #dezussenvangogh #annavangogh #liesvangogh #wilvangogh

#vincentvangogh

#willemjanverlinden