What Our Guests Say

“This festival is wonderfully organized, intellectually stimulating and lots of fun. Plus, it’s in beautiful Sonoma. The biggest risk is eating too much!”

“Attending the SVAF is a weekend well-spent! I always come away with new knowledge and optimism for the future.”

“It was an awesome experience. I left excited and hopeful, so many smart balanced insights from true professionals in their respective fields of expertise.”

“This is a must go to event even if you’re not an avid reader. The authors are inspiring, interesting and down to earth. It’s really fun that the authors mingle during breakfast and lunch and are very accessible for conversations. I can’t wait till next year.”

“It’s a weekend filled with intellectual stimulation, thoughtful enjoyment and joyful audiences.”

“The diversity of authors was amazing, covering topics that would seem to have no commonality but which were woven into a tapestry that was stimulating and memorable.”

“The authors were so genuine, insightful and wicked smart!”

“I attended the first Sonoma Valley Authors Festival, and it was incredibly impressive. The founders, David and Ginny Freeman, pulled off a flawless three-day event. However, their eighth year was masterful. Coordinating a multitude of speakers of different genres to appeal to a vast audience was spot on. I could not recommend a more educational and inspiring weekend.”

“Complete escapism to the realms of people who deal with the great issues of our time and give me so much needed hope!”

“A modern experience that challenges your mind in creative ways.”

“SVAF created an incredibly memorable weekend. First, there was the extraordinary line up of authors all in one place! As a librarian, I was fascinated listening to Wright Thompson and Evan Thomas share their first hand accounts of research using primary sources for their books. And then there was Dr. Alex Marson and Dr. Eric Topol with their amazing current research!”

“Wonderful. Thank you, Sonoma! The best authors festival ever — very intellectually rewarding.”

“Doris Kearns Goodwin once again was incredible and inspiring. Admiral Stavridis should run for President. Billy Collins, Dave Barry — both delightful and welcome relief! Andrew Ross Sorkin, Stephen Kotkin and Alex F. all great. Enjoyed and will plan to read Colum McCann and Rick Atkinson. Jeff Rosen was terrific.”

“This festival always sparks your mind and encourages further exploration of new topics and authors. We discovered new journals and enjoy renewal of old friendships!”

“World class event with a range of authors sharing perspectives on life, current events, science and technology.”

“Rewarding experience. Eye opening and appreciating scholarship that enriches our lives.”

“There are many events in the Sonoma area and this is by far the best. We plan our travel so that we will not miss the author’s festival.”

“We enjoyed every moment. The schedule, the speakers, the pace: all were pitch perfect. The venue was outstanding and all interactions with the hotel staff, courteous and professional. We enjoyed meeting the participants who were intellectually curious and charming. The SVAF staff and volunteers were dedicated and lovely. The founders, AMAZING. One of the best experiences we’ve had!”

“The quality of the speakers and the venue are first rate.”

“We’ve attended four consecutive events and never tire of the experience. The exposure to varied authors is outstanding. We value the opportunity to learn about and chat with authors, mingle with other attendees and review the varied books offered for sale. Plus, the setting is excellent — Sonoma is especially lovely at this time of year.”

“The high caliber of the speakers was the best thing about the festival for me. Almost every speaker I heard was outstanding and thought-provoking. Congratulations on another fabulous SVAF! I think it was the best ever.”

“I thought this year was exceptional. I especially appreciated the careful thought and planning it took to curate the variety of speakers and topics presented over the weekend. I left feeling inspired.”

“There was a wide range of informative, entertaining and enlightening speakers. It was uplifting to see that there are still highly intelligent people doing good things.”

“Again Ginny and David pulled off the best writers conference. Love the setting, lecturers, intimacy — well run. Thank you both for making this possible for the lucky attendees.”

“I enjoyed the variety of topics presented by excellent writers and speakers. The weekend was constantly stimulating. You have brightened my life (and filled my bedside table full of books!).”

“What I enjoyed most was just being there. Listening and learning. Not something one gets to do every day. You have done a flawless job building and maintaining your brand.”

“Great lineup of speakers and sophisticated audience who generally asked excellent questions. In short, we most enjoyed the learning experience.”

“The organization, the diversity of authors and speakers, the current nature of the presentations, the fab weather, the inspiration. This was the best literary event I’ve ever attended!”

“The wide range of topics. I especially enjoyed Danielle Feinberg from Pixar, Abraham Verghese and Bonnie Garmus. The evening events with Ada Limón and Alex Filippenko were so enlightening. I am still feeling inspired and so much smarter. Great experience!”

“Diversity of speakers and the fact that not all of them were technically ‘authors.’ They still proved entertaining and a ‘break’ from intensive thinking. Wonderful program. It gets better every year.”

“The incredible talent and provocative talks. We all left wanting to know more. Everyone who sat near me left the festival with smiling faces, having broadened our minds and stimulated curiosity, sending us home with armloads of new books to read.”

“Speakers were exceptional. The programming offered some delightful surprises: Dave Barry, Joan Booth, Alex Filippenko. Ginny and Dave and the team made us feel welcome with their warm hospitality.”

“Everything. The variety of speakers — I would give the overall organization and format a 10. Forty-five minutes is perfect, as was the mix of main vs. break-out sessions. Bravo!”

“The quality and caliber of speakers and the timeliness of the topics discussed. The weekend was stimulating, compelling and exciting and I loved every minute of it.”

“Once again, the opportunity to hear and speak with outstanding authors in person is the heart of the event. Wonderful event. David and Ginny do an outstanding job, and so does the staff.”

“There’s nothing I didn’t enjoy. The speaker line-up was, once again, stellar. You guys knocked it out of the park once again. Wonderful, magical, extraordinary. You have a lifelong fan! Already eager for next April.”

“The wide variety of authors and their interesting subject matter. I attended the Sun Valley Writers Conference and this year the scope of the SVAF and the quality of the presentations exceeded that of the SVWC.”

“Outstanding speakers, the opportunity to exchange views and interact with other attendees. Another outstanding conference. You have established the SVAF as the premiere literary festival in the country.”

“This was our first festival, and both my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend. You chose an excellent variety of subjects and authors who were, for the most part, excellent speakers. It was a stimulating experience, and we will be back in April with several friends in tow!”

“This was my first year attending and I hope to return every year! It was entertaining, enlightening and thought provoking! I loved the variety of authors, the diversity of writing genres, styles, and topics.”

“I enjoyed the broad range of topics — the brain, climate change, material availability for the transition to clean energy. I enjoy the fact that it is more of a ‘thinking festival’ than an authors festival.”

“It’s hard to choose what I enjoyed ‘the most,’ but I very much enjoyed the opportunities to meet and chat with the authors over lunch and at book signings. Marianne and I are wondering how you can live up to the extraordinarily high standards you’ve set this year!”

“I love the fact that the Festival is so well organized and every detail is attended to with such superb attention to detail. The sessions were timed with just the right schedule for holding the interest of the crowd.”

“The insightfulness of the authors about many of the issues that concern us today — cybersecurity, democracy and world affairs, the brain, and technology. Session timing and organization are phenomenal. Your professionalism shows in all elements.”

“The quality of the speakers, the range of topics and the intellectual stimulation. A beautifully organized and orchestrated event. The booklet with comprehensive information about the weekend was excellent and beautifully written.”

“The location at Fairmont, the program that just improved and impressed more for each speaker, the tender loving relationship between David and Ginny as they presented many points of interest in a casual competent way, the selection of authors — one better than the next — the conviviality among attendants. I loved it all!”