Join Us July 18-20, 2026

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Live Watch Party Passes Now on Sale

Join us at The Argyros theater in downtown Ketchum July 18-20! Experience select SVWC talks with big-screen viewing, surprise guest appearances, music, drinks, and a community of fellow book lovers. More than a broadcast, it’s a celebration of stories, ideas, and conversation. Passes are on sale now—just $25 per day.

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2026 Writers
& Presenters

See All Presenters

Amy Bowers Cordalis

Amy Bowers Cordalis

Julian Brave NoiseCat

Julian Brave NoiseCat

Barbara Wansbrough

Barbara Wansbrough

Sarabeth Berman

Sarabeth Berman

Sebastian Mallaby

Sebastian Mallaby

Robert Macfarlane

Robert Macfarlane

Gary Shteyngart

Gary Shteyngart

David Gelles book

Amor Towles book

Virginia Evans book

Kiran Desai book

Amy Bowers Cordalis

Amy Bowers Cordalis book

Theo Baker book

Susan Choi book

Julian Brave NoiseCat

Julian Brave NoiseCat book

Barbara Wansbrough

Barbara Wansbrough book

Abby Phillip book

Sarabeth Berman

Sebastian Mallaby

Sebastian Mallaby book

Atul Gawande book

Jill Lepore book

Peter Godwin book

Rick Atkinson book

Shelley Read book

Simon Rich book

Robert Macfarlane

Robert Macfarlane book

David Sanger book

Gary Shteyngart

Gary Shteyngart book

Liaquat Ahamed book

Susan Orlean book

Julia Lovell book

Michael Pollan book

Derek Thompson book

David Gelles book

Amor Towles book

Virginia Evans book

Kiran Desai book

Amy Bowers Cordalis

Amy Bowers Cordalis book

Theo Baker book

Susan Choi book

Julian Brave NoiseCat

Julian Brave NoiseCat book

Barbara Wansbrough

Barbara Wansbrough book

Abby Phillip book

Sarabeth Berman

Sebastian Mallaby

Sebastian Mallaby book

Atul Gawande book

Jill Lepore book

Peter Godwin book

Rick Atkinson book

Shelley Read book

Simon Rich book

Robert Macfarlane

Robert Macfarlane book

David Sanger book

Gary Shteyngart

Gary Shteyngart book

Liaquat Ahamed book

Susan Orlean book

Julia Lovell book

Michael Pollan book

Derek Thompson book

David Gelles book

Amor Towles book

Virginia Evans book

Kiran Desai book

Amy Bowers Cordalis

Amy Bowers Cordalis book

Theo Baker book

Susan Choi book

Julian Brave NoiseCat

Julian Brave NoiseCat book

Barbara Wansbrough

Barbara Wansbrough book

Abby Phillip book

Sarabeth Berman

Sebastian Mallaby

Sebastian Mallaby book

Atul Gawande book

Jill Lepore book

Peter Godwin book

Rick Atkinson book

Shelley Read book

Simon Rich book

Robert Macfarlane

Robert Macfarlane book

David Sanger book

Gary Shteyngart

Gary Shteyngart book

Liaquat Ahamed book

Susan Orlean book

Julia Lovell book

Michael Pollan book

Derek Thompson book

Latest Updates

News

SVWC 2026 FREE Events & Community Programming

Join us for a week of free literary arts July 18-20! We have more ways than ever…

June 25 2026

News

The Live Watch Party Returns to The Argyros This July

June 5 2026

News

Pavilion Passes on Sale June 2

May 21 2026

News

SVWC 2026 FREE Events & Community Programming

June 25 2026

News

The Live Watch Party Returns to The Argyros This July

June 5 2026

News

Pavilion Passes on Sale June 2

May 21 2026

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Our Work in the Community

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Who We Are

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Writer in the World

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All the Ways to Join SVWC 2026

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Free Lawn Talks

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2026 Schedule & Program

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Featured Content

Podcasts

The Paris Novel

Videos

2025 Liz Moore – THE GOD OF THE WOODS

Videos

2025 Wright Thompson – THE BARN

Videos

2025 Erling Kagge – AFTER THE NORTH POLE

Videos

2025 Oren Cass – THE REORIENTATION OF OUR POLITICAL PARTIES

Videos

2025 Evan Osnos – THE HAVES AND THE HAVE-YACHTS

Videos

2025 Theodore H. Schwartz – GRAY MATTERS

Podcasts

What the Middle Ages Has Done for the Modern World

Podcasts

SVWC 2025 Writer in the World

Podcasts

The Haves and Have-Yachts

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Inside the most dangerous job in medicine.

Inside the most dangerous job in medicine.

with Ted Schwartz | July 21, 2025

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Looking for a fun way to experience #SVWC2026 with fellow book lovers?⁠
⁠
We still have passes available to our Live Watch Party at The Argyros! Enjoy select Pavilion Talks on the big screen in the comfort of downtown Ketchum's performing arts center.⁠
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Passes are just $25 per day and are on sale now.⁠
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See the schedule of talks below. You can learn more and buy passes at svwc.com/watchparty.⁠
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Saturday, July 18⁠
12:15 PM “The Rivers of Robert Macfarlane” with Robert Macfarlane⁠
2:00 PM “The Quest for Superintelligence” with Sebastian Mallaby⁠
3:30 PM “New Voices” with Virginia Evans and Shelley Read⁠
4:15 PM SPECIAL EVENT: Typewriter Rodeo will be writing free custom poems in the lobby!⁠
5:00 PM “Writer in the World” with Ken Burns⁠
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Sunday, July 19⁠
9:30 AM “Dirtbag Billionaire” with David Gelles⁠
11:00 AM “The Global Health Crisis” with Atul Gawande⁠
1:30 PM “The President’s Power” with Jill Lepore, David E. Sanger, and Abby Phillip⁠
3:00 PM “A World Appears” with Michael Pollan⁠
4:30 PM "The Consummate Storyteller” with Amor Towles⁠
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Monday, July 20⁠
9:30 AM “The New World Disorder” with Julia Lovell, David E. Sanger, and Evan Osnos⁠
11:00 AM “The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State” with Jill Lepore and Evan Osnos⁠
1:30 PM “A Poetry Reading” with Ada Limon⁠
3:00 PM "Stories from All In: A Performance” with Simon Rich & Company⁠
4:30 PM “The Momentous Fight for American Independence” with Rick Atkinson⁠
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Photos: Tessa Sheehan & Adri Meyer

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15 days... 📕 ⁠
Happy 250th Birthday, America! 🇺🇸 ⁠
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📸: Steve Smith Photography stevesmithphotography

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Some of the best seats at SVWC don't require a ticket.⁠
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At our non-profit, one of our goals is to make world-class literary conversations accessible to our entire community. That's why we're once again offering FREE Pavilion Lawn Talks during #SVWC2026—inviting everyone to experience some of today's most celebrated writers, including Ken Burns, Robert Macfarlane, Ada Limon, Michael Pollan, Jill Lepore, Amor Towles, and more.⁠
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Pack a picnic, bring a blanket or low-back chair, and enjoy some of the most popular talks from the Sun Valley Pavilion Lawn. No registration. No tickets. Just show up!⁠
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New this year: Tent B will feature shaded seating, fans, large screens, and closed captioning—making Lawn Talks more comfortable and accessible than ever.⁠
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We can't wait to welcome our community July 18–20. 📚☀️⁠
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For a complete schedule and more details, visit svwc.com/free-lawn-talks.

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Since the publication of his first novel, writer Amor Towles has been on everyone’s list of their favorite novelists. The world immediately recognized the irresistible new voice of a natural storyteller, someone with an innate instinct for drama and a tenderness for the foibles of his all-too-human characters. His novels, including Rules of Civility, A Gentleman in Moscow, and The Lincoln Highway, have collectively sold more than six million copies and been translated into 30 languages. He will talk with Jeffrey Brown, of the PBS NewsHour, about the genesis of the novels and his latest work of fiction, Table for Two, six stories based in New York City and a novella set in Golden Age Hollywood, all marked by his gift for acute observations of people and places. @amortowles⁠
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Don't miss his talk on Sunday, July 19 in the Sun Valley Pavilion! Here are all the ways to watch:⁠
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Bring your picnic and enjoy free seating on the Pavilion Lawn⁠
Watch from anywhere with our free livestream at svwc.com/livestream⁠
Reserve a seat at our Live Watch Party (passes on sale now)⁠
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See you there! 📚 ✨ ⁠
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📸 : Dmitri Kasterine

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If you want a book (or docuseries) to meet this semiquincentennial moment, look no further! For more book recs from our 2026 Reading List, head to the link in bio.⁠
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#America250⁠
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https://svwc.com/news/what-book-should-you-read-next-2026

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Few writers are as endlessly curious—or as delightfully unpredictable—as Susan Orlean @susanorlean.⁠
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From The Orchid Thief, which inspired the Oscar-winning film Adaptation, to The Library Book and her acclaimed new memoir, Joyride, Orlean has spent decades uncovering extraordinary stories hidden in ordinary places.⁠
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One of America's most beloved nonfiction writers, she's joining us at #SVWC2026 this July—and we can't wait to hear where her curiosity takes us next.⁠
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Our full passes to the Writers' Conference have sold out, but we still have our free Community Speaker Series, free lawn talks, free livestreaming, and tickets to our Live Watch Party and Pavilion talks. Subscribe to receive updates about these events at svwc.com/subscribe.⁠
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📸 : Noah Fecks⁠
#SusanOrlean #SunValley #WritersConference #LiteraryEvents #Nonfiction

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22 days... 📚 ⁠
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📸: @haygilmour

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Registration for our free Community Speaker Series talks, in partnership with The Community Library, filled up quickly this year. But you can livestream both Julian Brave NoiseCat (July 15) and Virginia Evans (July 21) directly from The Community Library website—no registration required (pending author permissions). Visit svwc.com/community-speaker-series for more info (link in bio). And of course, stay tuned for all the other ways to get involved this year by checking out svwc.com/free.⁠
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@jnoisecat @virginia.l.evans ⁠
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📸: © Emily Kassie, © Austin Joffe

22 1

Want to experience Ken Burns at #SVWC2026? Here are three ways to join the conversation this July:⁠
⁠
• Bring your picnic and enjoy free seating on the Pavilion Lawn⁠
• Watch from anywhere with our free livestream at svwc.com/livestream⁠
• Reserve a seat at our Live Watch Party (passes on sale now)⁠
⁠
We are honored to award the 2026 Sun Valley Writers’ Conference Writer in the World Prize to Ken Burns on July 18. For almost half a century, he has told us the story of America through some of the most acclaimed historical documentaries ever made, including The Civil War, Baseball, Jazz, The Roosevelts: An Intimate History, The Vietnam War, Country Music, and The American Buffalo. Each one has entertained and enlightened and often haunted us, none more so than his most recent, The American Revolution. Burns will talk about his passion for the documentary form and, in conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning military historian Rick Atkinson, tell us about his latest project on the Revolution and about how, as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding, the idea of democracy moves him as it did the leaders and foot soldiers who gave their lives fighting and dying for it. @kenlburns⁠
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Subscribe for updates at svwc.com/subscribe.⁠
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Photo Credit: Stephanie Berger

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Passes are ON SALE NOW!⁠
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This July 18-20, select talks will be broadcast to the large theater screen at The Argyros during our Live Watch Party. Join fellow Wood River Valley book lovers for this fun and festive viewing party in downtown Ketchum. Passes are just $25 per day, on sale now at svwc.com/watchparty. Learn more at the link in bio!⁠
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#SVWC #SVWC2026 #SunValleyWritersConference #WritersConference #LiteraryCommunity #BookLovers #ReadersAndWriters

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Need an escape? We got you! Check out all the book recs from our 2026 Reading List at the link in bio.⁠
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#SVWC #SVWC2026 #SunValleyWritersConference #WritersConference #LiteraryCommunity #BookLovers #ReadersAndWriters

431 2

Summer in Sun Valley means world-class culture, stunning scenery, and some of the most celebrated writers of our time—all at the Sun Valley Resort & Pavilion.⁠
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This July 18–20 at the 2026 Sun Valley Writers’ Conference, we're offering free Pavilion lawn talks, free livestreaming, a Live Watch Party, and community programming—creating more opportunities than ever to experience SVWC.⁠
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Join us for iconic voices including Ken Burns, Jill Lepore, Beth Macy, Susan Orlean, Michael Pollan, Amor Towles, and more as we gather for three days of storytelling, inspiration, and unforgettable conversation. Whether you're a lifelong reader or simply looking for a uniquely Sun Valley experience, there's something here for you.⁠
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Learn more at svwc.com/free.⁠
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📸: @halsey.pierce @tessa.sheehan.photography @rayjgadd ⁠
#SVWC2026 #SunValleyWritersConference #SunValleyIdaho #LiteraryEvents #AuthorTalks

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Passes for the Live Watch Party go on sale in less than one week! This July 18-20, select talks will be broadcast to the large theater screen at The Argyros. Join fellow Wood River Valley book lovers for this fun and festive viewing party in downtown Ketchum. Passes are just $25 per day and will go on sale June 23 at 9am MST at svwc.com/watchparty. Learn more and see the lineup at the link in bio! svwc.com/watchparty @theargyros⁠
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📸: @tessa.sheehan.photography

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Few writers have changed the way we think about food, nature, and the human mind quite like Michael Pollan.⁠
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From The Omnivore’s Dilemma to How to Change Your Mind, Pollan’s bestselling books have sparked conversations around dinner tables, in classrooms, and across the culture. For decades, he has been asking some of life's most fascinating questions—and millions of readers have followed along. Now he joins us at #SVWC2026 fresh off the release of his highly anticipated new book, A World Appears, exploring one of humanity’s greatest mysteries: consciousness itself.⁠
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We can't wait to welcome Michael Pollan to Sun Valley this July!⁠
⁠
Few writers have changed the way we think about food, nature, and the human mind quite like Michael Pollan.⁠
⁠
From The Omnivore’s Dilemma to How to Change Your Mind, Pollan’s bestselling books have sparked conversations around dinner tables, in classrooms, and across the culture. For decades, he has been asking some of life's most fascinating questions—and millions of readers have followed along. Now he joins us at #SVWC2026 fresh off the release of his highly anticipated new book, A World Appears, exploring one of humanity’s greatest mysteries: consciousness itself.⁠
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We can't wait to welcome Michael Pollan to Sun Valley this July!⁠
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Pollan's Pavilion Talk will be Sunday, July 19 at 3pm—available for free lawn talk seating, free livestreaming, and at the Live Watch Party. Subscribe to receive updates about these events at svwc.com/subscribe. @michael.pollan⁠
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📸 : Christopher Michel⁠
#SunValleyWritersConference #WritersConference #LiteraryCommunity #BookLovers #ReadersAndWriters

17 1

At SVWC, we’re passionate about supporting literacy and lifelong learning. And since great readers begin with great teachers, we are proud to support The Community Library’s Sun Valley Early Literacy Summit. This program, which happened June 9-12, brings together 120 educators from across southern Idaho to explore the science of reading and evidence-based literacy instruction—equipping them with the tools and knowledge to help every child become a confident reader. Through our partnership, we donated copies of The Correspondent by Virginia Evans to participating teachers, fostering a shared love of reading while strengthening literacy efforts in schools throughout Idaho.⁠
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@thecommunitylibraryketchum #SVWC2026 #EarlyLiteracy #ScienceOfReading #IdahoEducators #LifelongLearning

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Do you know about all the ways you can join #SVWC2026 without a full pass? We have developed even more community programs and expanded our free events to make SVWC as inclusive as possible! ⁠
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Free Events & Community Programming⁠
1. FREE Pavilion Lawn Talks⁠
2. FREE Community Speaker Series (registration is full—livestreaming available)⁠
3. FREE Livestreaming⁠
4. FREE Digital Media Library⁠
5. FREE for Students, Teachers & Library Staff⁠
6. Pavilion Passes ($50-$100—tickets still available)⁠
7. Live Watch Party at The Argyros ($25 per day—on sale June 23)⁠
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Learn more at svwc.com/free. We also recommend signing up for our email newsletter at svwc.com/subscribe to receive important updates about these programs and events.

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We're getting geared up for #SVWC2026... from July 18-20, we've got an incredible lineup of literary arts! Don't miss our free speakers at The Community Library, free lawn talks (picnics encouraged), free livestreaming from the comfort of your own home, and free online content in our digital media library. We've also got a Live Watch Party happening in downtown Ketchum + and Pavilion Passes to select talks inside the Sun Valley Pavilion. Subscribe to our newsletter so you don't miss a thing at svwc.com/subscribe.⁠
⁠
THE 2026 LINE-UP:⁠
Liaquat Ahamed⁠
Rick Atkinson⁠
Theo Baker⁠
Sarabeth Berman⁠
Ken Burns⁠
Susan Choi⁠
Amy Bowers Cordalis⁠
Kiran Desai⁠
Virginia Evans⁠
Atul Gawande⁠
David Gelles⁠
Peter Godwin⁠
Jill Lepore⁠
Ada Limón⁠
Julia Lovell⁠
Robert Macfarlane⁠
Beth Macy⁠
Sebastian Mallaby⁠
Julian Brave NoiseCat⁠
Susan Orlean⁠
Abby Phillip⁠
Michael Pollan⁠
Shelley Read⁠
Simon Rich⁠
David Sanger⁠
Gary Shteyngart⁠
Derek Thompson⁠
Amor Towles⁠
Barbara Wansbrough⁠
Ilyon Woo⁠
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Photos: @halsey.pierce @rayjgadd ⁠
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#SVWC #SVWC2025 #SunValleyWritersConference #WritersConference #LiteraryCommunity #BookLovers #ReadersAndWriters #BeyondThePage #Storytelling #LiteraryLife #AuthorTalks #WritersLife #Bookish #BookCommunity #ReadMoreBooks #CreativeConversations #WritingCommunity

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New #BeyondthePage podcast episode just landed! Ruth Reichl, one of our best-known and most well-loved food writers, is the author of five memoirs, including Tender at the Bone and Save Me the Plums. But she is also a captivating novelist, and, as you might imagine, her fiction is full of sensory pleasures. In Reichl’s “The Paris Novel”, the protagonist Stella is left with an unusual inheritance from her mother: a one-way plane ticket and a note reading simply, “Go to Paris.” But Stella is hardly cut out for adventure; a traumatic childhood has confined her to the strict routines of her comfort zone. In a conversation with fellow food writer Aleksandra Crapanzano, recorded live at the 2025 Writers' Conference, Reichl speaks about her novel that celebrates the city they both adore, and the many reasons for living deliciously, taking chances, and finding your true home. @ruth.reichl⁠
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Listen now at the link in bio.⁠
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To listen to other talks from the Sun Valley Writers’ Conference, subscribe now on iTunes, Spotify, or listen directly on our website. #booksaboutparis #foodwriting #parisbooks #summerfiction

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If it feels like everyone is talking about "The Correspondent" right now, you're not imagining it.⁠
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Virginia Evans's debut novel has become an international bestseller, selling in more than 25 countries and winning over readers with its unforgettable heroine: a sharp-tongued, letter-writing septuagenarian whose wit, wisdom, and hidden heartbreak have made her one of the year's most beloved literary characters. Winner of the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel, this book was also shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction. This July, Evans joins us at #SVWC2026 to talk about her remarkable debut, the whirlwind journey from first novel to global sensation, and what comes next. @virginia.l.evans ⁠
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Stay tuned for all the ways to see this author. Our full passes to the Writers' Conference have sold out, but we still have our free Community Speaker Series, free lawn talks, free livestreaming, and tickets to our Live Watch Party and Pavilion talks. Subscribe to receive updates about these events at svwc.com/subscribe.⁠
⁠
📸 : © Austin Joffe⁠
#VirginiaEvans #TheCorrespondent #WritersConference #BookLovers

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Congratulations to SVWC alum John Lithgow on winning his third Tony Award! @jalithgow 🎭⁠
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Lithgow took home the 2026 Tony for Best Leading Actor in a Play for his acclaimed portrayal of Roald Dahl in Giant, adding another remarkable achievement to an already extraordinary career.⁠
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A beloved guest who has joined us three times—including most recently in 2021—we're thrilled to celebrate this well-deserved honor.⁠
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Congratulations, John! 👏✨⁠
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📸: Steve Dondero @sdondero / Steve Smith Photography stevesmithphotography

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