This is the Book of My Life podcast, in which writers talk about their favorite book: the book that inspires or moves them, and that has shaped their artistic, moral, or intellectual compass. In short, the book they would recommend to everyone. This podcast is a rebroadcast of the live program, part of the annual Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival in The Hague. In this series of the Book of My Life podcast, we bring back recent conversations recorded during the Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival 2026 in The Hague. In this episode, Sheena Patel chose Rebecca, most famous novel (1938) by British author Daphne du Maurier and the basis for Alfred Hitchcock's film of the same name, as her favourite book. While travelling in the South of France, a shy young woman falls in love with the handsome, wealthy widower Maxim de Winter. The couple marry and move to Manderley, Maxim's country house on the coast of Cornwall. There, the less desirable aspects of Maxim's character come to the fore and it seems that the ghost of his beautiful first wife, Rebecca, still haunts every room. This podcast is released in connection with the upcoming Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival (21–24 January 2027). Listen to the podcast here or on your favorite podcast platform. About Writers UnlimitedEvery year, more than one hundred authors, poets, spoken word artists, and musicians take part in the Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival, held throughout The Hague during the third week of January in theaters, libraries, and schools. The festival focuses on live performances of poetry, storytelling, and spoken word. Authors also engage in conversations inspired by their recent books and current themes. In addition, Writers Unlimited hosts monthly Writers Series events in The Hague, bringing together writers, journalists, thinkers, poets, artists, and audiences to exchange literary work, experiences, dreams, and ideas across cultural and linguistic boundaries. For more information, visit Writers Unlimited. Credits Host: Anne JonkerGuest: Sheena Patel Cover design: Eindeloos Ontwerp Book of My Life is a program by Writers Unlimited.
