Imprisoned writers on the rise and how Van Gogh letters inspire
Couldn’t sleep last night. It was one of those long stretches of tossing back and forth, shoving my husband when he snored too loud, turning over to look at the clock’s glowing digital numbers crawl.
Fits and starts.
I’ve been thinking about my sister authors.
Recently PEN America released a report citing that a record number of non-journalist writers were unjustly jailed last year. There are 339 writers behind bars in 33 countries who are just like you and me.
In the past five years, according to PEN’s Freedom to Write index, there’s a growing global trend of jailing writers. Two categories of writers seeing marked increases in being jailed are female writers and online commentators.
Authors.
Free thinkers.
Putting their words so baldly on the page that threatened authorities shut them up and put them away. As though readers can’t be trusted to think independently and critically about the ideas we entertain. Or, rather, that’s actually the fear: Readers dothink critically and could turn that criticism toward their own society.
Nevertheless, these writers write.
Vincent van Gogh’s Words
You’re a book lover so you know the impact words can have. We cry, we laugh out loud, we wipe sweaty palms on our legs all because of being immersed in story. Words influence.
Inspire.
So, when I was researching my book, I decided to read all of Vincent van Gogh’s letters. Vincent is an absent-yet-central character in my book, Saving Vincent, A Novel of Jo van Gogh (publishing in April 2025). My historical novel is based on the true story about how Jo, the famous artist’s sister-in-law, saved his paintings from obscurity.
Right at the start, I wondered why Jo would dedicate herself to this quest. When I discovered that she had read all of Vincent’s correspondence to her husband, Theo, I was intrigued. Prior to his death, Theo was a packrat and had stuffed his writing desk full of the yellow envelopes.
If Jo read them, I could too. All 902 letters. (I wrote an earlier post about my process with a number of entertaining snippets from his letters.)
But in light of today’s repression against writers, his letters have taken on new relevancy for me. Note how universal the words Vincent wrote over a century ago ring true today:
The greatest and most energetic people of the century have always worked against the grain.
I can take heart to follow my own heart.
The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm fearsome, but could never see that the dangers were a reason to continue strolling on the beach.
Change is hard, but that’s not a reason to avoid its uncertainty.
Pay attention to the end. Work achieved over a lifetime is better than one more quickly. . . Love is true strength. Love is more noble after trials.
My favorite because I do believe love advances humanity. My hope and prayer are that compassionate awareness of these imprisoned authors can help pave the way toward their freedom.
Teacher Love
One final note: Isn’t it intriguing that today, May 7, is Teacher Appreciation Day. Experimental thought, exposure to new ideas, the skill of critical thinking so often comes from those drawn to the calling to teach. I am blessed with a boatload of teachers in my family: My sister, older brother, two nephews and both my parents are teaching or taught.
My heart is more tolerant and discerning by their example. Have any individuals come to your thought who have been wonderful role models of critical thinking for you?
Thanks for being here with me.
Warmly,
Comments