“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” The words were spoken by Indian statesman Mahatma Gandhi in a completely different context, but they fit Vigdis Hjorth’s writing just as well.
With books such as French Opening and If Only, Hjorth was one of only a few Norwegian authors who, 25 years ago, wrote novels in which sex and intimacy played central roles – and she came in for criticism in the media as a result. In this conversation, she reflects on how the literary landscape has changed and how she views the books she wrote during that period today.
The event will feature a conversation and readings from selected books, with a short interval. One of Hjorth’s great passions is embroidery, and we invite everyone to bring their own needlework along to the conversation between Hjorth and Sølvberget’s Tomas Gustafsson.
The event is part of Kapittel – Stavanger International Festival of Literature and Freedom of Expression, taking place from 16–20 September 2026.
More information, the programme and tickets can be found at www.kapittel.no. At some events at Sølvberget and during the Kapittel festival, we take photographs and video for documentation and use on social media.
