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These books are banned in Martin County, Florida
Last week, Martin County, Florida, released a list of dozens of books it had removed from school libraries, including 20 books by Jodi Picoult, nine books from James Patterson's… More
Florida Book Bans Are No Hoax: Here Are The Facts
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis set out to "expose the book ban hoax" about Florida classrooms. His claims are false. More
Author Morgan Talty Welcomes New Son and PEN America Literary Award
Author Morgan Talty won the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for a debut short story collection days after his wife gave birth to their first child. More
‘Literature lasts’: Erika Dickerson-Despenza basks in career achievement award
For Erika Dickerson-Despenza, receiving the PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award meant something special – an honor for words on the page. More
Genre-Defying Author Percival Everett Takes Top PEN America Literary Award
Percival Everett’s body of work has been called many things — experimental, idiosyncratic, “gleefully unhinged” — and perhaps most frequently, prolific. “It’s a tasteless thing to do, but I… More
The Most Banned Picture Books of the 2021-2022 School Year
These are the most banned picture books of the 2021-2022 school year. Several are nonfiction, including histories of civil rights and gay pride. Others are lighthearted fiction about animals… More
Florida Book Bans: Why Are There Empty Shelves in Florida Schools?
You may have seen pictures of empty bookshelves in Florida classrooms, or heard about book bans across the state. What’s happening now is that new laws passed last year in… More
PEN America supports challenge to DeSantis’ ‘Stop WOKE’ law
PEN America filed an Amicus brief in Honeyfund v. DeSantis, saying the law had a “profound chilling effect,” not only on employers like Honeyfund, but on educators across the… More
Salman Rushdie’s New Novel Turns a Spotlight On the Enduring Power of Stories
The publication of a new novel by Salman Rushdie is always a high point on the literary calendar and Victory City, due out Feb. 7, brings added celebration, joy,… More
Book Lovers Stage Read-In at State Capitol for ‘Let Utah Read’
PEN America was among the organizers of the protest against a rise in book bans in Utah. More