Connecting Historical Fiction to the Present: An SB Reads Speculative Futures Writing Workshop

Connecting Historical Fiction to the Present: An SB Reads Speculative Futures Writing Workshop

Isabel Allende is a master of retelling history, of weaving historical events into her stories and using her characters’ lives to help us better understand major world events. A Long Petal of the Sea is no exception – Allende uses Victor and Roser to take us on a multigenerational journey that begins at the Spanish Civil War and moves through key moments of Chilean history, from the rise of Salvador Allende through the military dictatorship. But what would happen if we extended their story to the present? How might we imagine the lives of their descendants in the world today? What pieces of our own history might make it onto the page?

In this workshop, we will use the background provided on the key cultural and political moments to impact the country in the last five years, as well as our own histories and interests, to imagine where the novel could go next!

This event is part of SB Reads. Santa Barbara Reads events will run from late September through mid-November and include book discussions, workshops, musical performances, and more! Santa Barbara Reads is funded through the annual support of the Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation. To learn more about the foundation and how to support SB Reads 2023, visit their website.