The recipient of the inaugural TILA is Sarah Winman for her novel Still Life, chosen for its humanity, kindness and compassion, felt to be of particular value during the pandemic.
TILA’s creators and funders are life patrons of Cheltenham Festivals. In a statement, they said of the novel: “Still Life has brought joy and pleasure to so many readers in these strange and difficult times.
The novel is an eloquent love letter to Florence, but more than that, it is a testimony to the value of kindness, the bonds of love and friendship among even unlikely combinations of people through vicissitudes great and small, and the timelessness and comfort of beauty and art. It is transcendent, utterly humane and beautifully written. Congratulations, Sarah, and please keep writing.”