Sarah Dunant: The Marchesa

Meet Isabella d'Este through fiction, biography and art

Sarah Dunant joins The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop at Brimscombe Mill to mark the paperback publication of The Marchesa. The book reimagines Isabella d'Este, the Marchesa of Mantua, as a Renaissance art collector and patron whose influence extended into politics.

Dunant combines historical fiction with biography, scholarship and images of the people and their time. The evening is a chance to hear about a life shaped by art, ambition and court politics, with ticket-and-book options available if you want to take the paperback home.

Brimscombe Mill has a level site with ramps, an accessible toilet and disabled parking beside the Sanctuary. Dress warmly for the November evening: the historic warehouse has no central heating, and room-specific heating arrangements are worth checking with the venue.

Ticketed. Standard, ticket-and-book and pay-what-you-can options are available through The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop.

Thursday 26 November 2026 · Sanctuary Room, Brimscombe Mill, Brimscombe, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 2QN · Starts 7pm