TOM McCONNELL presents THE WOODEN KING in conversation with ELIZABETH KOSTOVA

It isn't obvious at first. The day-to-day realities of occupation take time to sink in. After losing his job as a history professor, Trn remains optimistic, preserving what little he can of his family's dwindling freedom. In his family's small apartment, the radio brings worsening news as Europe surrenders to Germany. Friends are arrested, men are hanged in the local school. Trn must protect his young son, but understands leaving their homeland could prove too dangerous.

Only when the air raids draw closer is Trn, a soft-spoken pacifist, pressured into making a choice: retreat to his decreasing sphere of familial safety, or join the resistance. Ultimately Trn finds himself caught between two titanic armies--the Nazis and the Soviets--and must decide how to save all that he loves.

In the spirit of Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale and Anthony Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See, The Wooden King explores denial, desire, and family drama against the lyrically rendered backdrop of World War II, deftly navigating "the simple difference between what we do and what we ought to do" in the face of rising totalitarianism.

The Embassy of Bulgaria in Washington, D.C. and the Elizabeth Kostova Foundation cordially invite you to join authors Elizabeth KOSTOVA and James PARDEW as they discuss Kostova’s latest novel, The Shadow Land.

Wine & Cheese followed by Talk/Q&A/Signing

Litchfield Books at Pawleys Plantation

11:00 AM Talk/Q&A
12:00 – 1:00 PM Luncheon/Signing
Speaking followed by lunch and book signing

Litchfield Books

1:00 – 2:30 PM  Signing
If you are unable to attend the luncheon, head to Litchfield Books (1421 Ocean Highway, Fresh Market Commons, Pawleys Island, SC 29585) where Elizabeth will be signing additional books!

Talk/Q&A/Signing

Talk/Q&A/Signing

Program with Brendan Mathews and Martin Seay

Talk/Q&A/Signing

Talk/Q&A/Signing

Talk/Q&A/Signing

Book Presentation

Book presentation

Presentation of The Shadow Land with Kapka Kassabova.

Elizabeth Kostova will be appearing live on BBC Radio Scotland, interviewed by Janice Forsyth

When the mood of your country shifts, how far is too far? Critically acclaimed, Booker Prize shortlisted novelist, Rachel Seiffert, (The Dark Room, Afterwards, The Walk Home) investigates ordinary lives in extraordinary times. Her sparse, deft A Boy in Winter sees a young Ukrainian man choosing between resistance or collaboration under Nazi occupation. Elizabeth Kostova explores similar territory in The Shadow Land, a quietly captivating story, about family, grief, and a nation still coming to terms with itself, spanning the history of Bulgaria. Kostova’s 2005 debut The Historian, was a New York Times No.1 bestseller and a Richard & Judy Summer Read.

Presentation of The Shadow Land.
Moderator Svetlozar Zhelev.

Presentation of The Shadow Land
Moderator Svetlozar Zhelev.

Presentation of The Shadow Land
Moderator Vladimir Levchev.

BULGARIAN LAUNCH presentation of The Shadow Land
Peroto Literary Club at the National Palace of Culture
Moderator Dimiter Kenarov.

From Elizabeth Kostova, the million copy #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Historian, a novel that blends history and the present in a suspenseful journey that spans three generations and reveals the dark secrets of a family’s—and a nation’s—history.

Why is art important to everyday life? Elizabeth Kostova (The Shadow Land) and winner of the 2017 Stella Prize Heather Rose (The Museum of Modern Love) discuss the significance of art in their novels, as well as how the Balkan region informs their work.

$22/$19
Tickets go on sale at 9am Friday 21 July. This session is able to be booked on a Festival Pass.

The Shadow Land takes us to politically-charged Bulgaria, where a mourning sister makes a startling discovery against a historically rich landscape. Join bestselling author Elizabeth Kostova (The Historian) as she discusses finding hope in the aftermath of loss.

$22/$19
Tickets go on sale at 9am Friday 21 July. This session is able to be booked on a Festival Pass.

Supported by The Stella Prize

Elizabeth Kostova’s new novel The Shadow Land delves into the horrors of a century and traverses the culture and landscape of this mysterious country, exploring the power of stories and the hope and meaning in the aftermath of loss.

Tickets: Adult $24.00; Concession $21.95; Junior $11.75

Literary Luncheon with Elizabeth Kostova

Join Elizabeth Kostova at a fabulous literary lunch to discuss her new book The Shadow Land. 

2 Course Lunch includes a glass of wine on arrival. Finish times are a guide. Bookings are required.

Member: $40 / Guests: $45
To book your ticket call: (07) 3884 3000 or email functions@gvh.com.au 

Join Elizabeth Kostova in conversation with Venero Armannno at Brisbane Square Library to discuss her new book The Shadow Land. 

Join Elizabeth Kostova in conversation with Morin Rout at Scorpio Bookshop to discuss her new book The Shadow Land. 

Join Elizabeth Kostova in conversation with Tracy Farr at Unity Bookshop to discuss her new book The Shadow Land. 

Join Elizabeth Kostova in conversation with Paula Morris at Time Out Bookshop to discuss her new book The Shadow Land.