[citation needed] The program consists of debates, readings, concerts, films, seminars, theater, interviews and more and the visitors are represented by kids, journalists, publishers, up and coming writers, librarians, students, translators, critics, politicians, local readers and the general public.
J. M. Coetzee, Herta Müller, Amos Oz, Zadie Smith, Per Petterson, Märta Tikkanen, André Brink, Margaret Atwood, John Irving, Ko Un, Sofi Oksanen, Shaun Tan, Adonis, Antony and the Johnsons, Abdulrazak Gurnah are amongst the previous guests at the festival.
Irving has been invited to discuss his concept of truth "in light of his activity as a writer of historical books and the many accusations he has been exposed to as a consequence of this."
Lars Saabye Christensen and Roy Jacobsen were two authors who had threatened to boycott the festival on account of Irving's invitation and Anne B. Ragde stated that Sigrid Undset would have turned around in her grave.
The head of the festival, Randi Skeie, deplored what had taken place, stating "Everything is fine as long as everyone agrees, but things get more difficult when one doesn't like the views being put forward.
[8] Only days after the cancellation David Irving announced that he would go to Lillehammer during the literature festival and deliver his 2-hour lecture from a hotel room.