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2026 Literary Hosts

2026 Literary Hosts

Graphic with PEN America Literary Gala, May 14, 2026, American Museum of Natural History in bold letters on a blue background, surrounded by geometric book icons.
  • A middle-aged man in a blue suit and tie smiles slightly, standing in a well-lit office with artwork and framed photographs in the background.

    Kwame Anthony Appiah

    Kwame Anthony Appiah teaches philosophy at NYU, in New York and Abu Dhabi. He’s written three novels and many works of philosophy. His most recent…

  • A woman with wavy brown hair wearing a green sweater and blue jeans sits on a stool, smiling at the camera with her hands clasped in front of her against a plain white background.

    Zaina Arafat

    Zaina Arafat is a Palestinian American writer and the author of the novel You Exist Too Much, which won a 2021 Lambda Literary Award.

  • A woman with curly dark hair and a few gray strands, wearing a white blouse and a black blazer, looks directly at the camera with a neutral expression against a plain background.

    Rana Ayyub

    Rana Ayyub is an Indian investigative journalist and a global opinions writer at The Washington Post.

  • A man with a shaved head and light stubble is smiling at the camera. He is wearing a white collared shirt and a dark blue blazer, standing in front of a plain white background.

    Christopher Beha

    Christopher Beha is the author of two memoirs, The Whole Five Feet and Why I Am Not an Atheist, and three previous novels.

  • A woman in a silver sequin top and white feathered skirt sits smiling on a chair in front of a hanging American flag. The background is dark and the setting appears to be indoors.

    Nina Burleigh

    Nina Burleigh is a journalist, best-selling author, documentary producer, and publisher of a substack on politics called American Freakshow.

  • Black and white portrait of a man with short curly hair and a beard, wearing a dark jacket over a shirt, looking seriously at the camera against a plain background.

    Thomas Chatterton Williams

    Thomas Chatterton Williams is a staff writer at The Atlantic.

  • An older man with short, gray hair and glasses, wearing a white shirt and dark blazer, looks to the side with a slight smile against a dark, neutral background.

    Ron Chernow

    Ron Chernow is one of the most distinguished commentators on history, politics, and business in America today.

  • A man with a shaved head and gray beard, wearing a brown blazer and tan turtleneck, sits in front of a bookshelf filled with colorful books.

    Jelani Cobb

    Jelani Cobb joined the Columbia Journalism School faculty in 2016 and became Dean in 2022.

  • A man wearing a navy blue CBS News jacket stands outdoors in front of a colorful mural and a blurred building, looking directly at the camera with a slight smile.

    Robert Costa

    Robert Costa is a national correspondent for “CBS News Sunday Morning” and chief Washington analyst for CBS News.

  • A woman with short braided hair, wearing hoop earrings, a black blazer, and a black top, poses against a dark background with a slight smile and red lipstick—her confident gaze evokes the poise of a Nabokov Award winner.

    Edwidge Danticat

    Edwidge Danticat is the author of 18 books including “Breath, Eyes, Memory” and “Krik? Krak!,” a National Book Award finalist.

  • Black and white portrait of an older man with gray hair and glasses, wearing a suit jacket and collared shirt, looking thoughtfully toward the camera with a neutral background.

    Griffin Dunne

    While known for starring in such iconic films as AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON and producing and starring in Martin Scorsese’s AFTER HOURS, Golden Globe…

  • A woman with long blonde hair and a green patterned sleeveless top stands indoors near a window, with natural light illuminating her face and a stone wall visible in the background.

    Jennifer Finney Boylan

    JENNIFER FINNEY BOYLAN is the author of 18 books, including Mad Honey, co-authored with Jodi Picoult. Her memoir, She’s Not There was the first bestselling…

  • A woman with dark hair wearing a navy jacket, jeans, and red striped socks sits on a wooden floor against a white brick wall, resting her hand on her head and looking at the camera.

    Rivka Galchen

    Rivka Galchen is the award-winning author of five books, most recently the novel Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch. She is a staff writer…

  • A person with short, tousled dark hair wearing large round glasses and a black sweater, poses against a plain white background, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression.

    M. Gessen

    M. Gessen is an Opinion columnist at The New York Times and the author of eleven books.

  • A middle-aged man with shoulder-length gray hair and a beard stands in front of a bookshelf filled with books. He wears a dark jacket and looks at the camera with a neutral expression.

    Peter Godwin

    Peter Godwin is an author, and former human rights lawyer and foreign correspondent. He was born and raised in Zimbabwe.

  • A bald person wearing black, round glasses and a black turtleneck sweater, smiling slightly against a plain, light gray background.

    Tom Healy

    Tom Healy is the author of three books of poetry, Velvet, Animal Spirits and What the Right Hand Knows, a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize and the Lambda…

  • Smiling older man with short gray hair wearing a light blue plaid shirt, sitting indoors in front of a light-colored background.

    Carl Hiaasen

    CARL HIAASEN was born and raised in Florida. He is the author of fourteen previous novels, including the bestsellers Squeeze Me, Razor Girl, Bad Monkey,…

  • A woman with long blonde hair wearing a sleeveless black dress stands smiling with her hands clasped in front of her against a plain white background.

    Elin Hilderbrand

    Elin Hilderbrand is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University and the University of Iowa Writers Workshop. The Thoroughbreds is her thirty-second novel, and the…

  • A smiling older man in a gray sweater stands on a balcony with potted plants, overlooking a street with iron railings and brick buildings, possibly in a historic district.

    Walter Isaacson

    Walter Isaacson is the bestselling author of biographies of Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Steve Jobs, Jennifer Doudna, and Elon Musk. He is…

  • A person with short curly hair and glasses, wearing a black turtleneck, sits indoors in front of large windows with a blurred background of trees and neutral-toned furniture.

    Jacqueline Woodson

    Jacqueline Woodson has written more than forty books including Red At The Bone, the National Book Award-winning memoir.

  • A man with short curly dark hair and a beard, wearing a dark suit jacket and light blue shirt, sits at a table with hands folded, looking at the camera with a neutral expression.

    Zachary Karabell

    Zachary Karabell is the founder of the Progress Network at New America, president of River Twice Capital, an investor in Shakespeare & Co. bookstores and…

  • A woman with long black hair sits at a table against a plain background, resting her chin on her left hand. She wears a black top and looks thoughtfully at the camera.

    Katie Kitamura

    Katie Kitamura is a critic and novelist based in New York City. She is the author of The Longshot (2009) and Gone to the Forest…

  • A man with short dark hair and a beard wears a leather jacket over a white shirt, standing outdoors with trees and sunlight in the blurred background.

    Phil Klay

    Phil Klay is a novelist and essayist.

  • A woman with long dark hair wearing a black blazer and a turquoise pendant stands in front of a stone wall, looking slightly to the side with a neutral expression.

    Nicole Krauss

    Nicole Krauss has been called “one of American’s most important novelists and an international literary sensation” by the New York Times, “a contemporary master,” by…

  • Black and white portrait of a person with short curly hair, wearing dark-rimmed glasses, a patterned button-up shirt, and a small earring, standing in front of a light-colored stone wall.

    Amitava Kumar

    Amitava Kumar’s books of nonfiction include Husband of a Fanatic, A Foreigner Carrying in the Crook of His Arm a Tiny Bomb, and A Matter…

  • A bald man with a trimmed beard rests his face on his hand, looking thoughtfully at the camera. He wears a blue jacket over a striped shirt, with a neutral gray background.

    Hari Kunzru

    Hari Kunzru is the author of the novels The Impressionist, Transmission, and My Revolutions, and is the recipient of the Somerset Maugham Award, the Betty…

  • A woman with wavy blonde hair, wearing large gold earrings, a light-colored jacket, and a leopard-print scarf, smiles softly against a dark background.

    Dylan Landis

    Dylan Landis is the author of three works of fiction in the Rainey Royal Cycle, set in 1970s Greenwich Village.

  • A woman with short dark hair and glasses, wearing a black blouse and light pants, sits indoors with her hands clasped around her knees, looking up and smiling softly against a wooden background.

    Yiyun Li

    Yiyun Li is the author of twelve books of fiction and nonfiction, including the most recent, Things in Nature Merely Grow.

  • A woman with long dark hair and glasses stands outdoors against a blurred green background, wearing a black shirt with a colorful floral pattern, looking calmly at the camera.

    Megha Majumdar

    Megha Majumdar is the author of the bestselling novel A Guardian and a Thief, which is an Oprah’s Book Club pick, a finalist for the…

  • A woman with fair skin and brown hair stands outdoors in front of green foliage, wearing a navy blue blouse, circular earrings, and a long necklace with a round pendant. She looks calmly at the camera with her hands clasped.

    Rebecca Makkai

    Rebecca Makkai is the author of the New York Times bestselling I Have Some Questions For You as well as four other works of fiction.…

  • A woman with short curly hair wearing a coral blouse smiles gently, resting her chin on her hand. She has light nail polish, a black ring, and sits against a plain, light background.

    Ayana Mathis

    Ayana Mathis is the New York Times bestselling author of THE TWELVE TRIBES OF HATTIE, and most recently, THE UNSETTLED.

  • A middle-aged man with short gray hair wearing a dark suit jacket and light blue shirt, smiling gently with his arms crossed and leaning forward against a dark background.

    Jay McInerney

    Jay Mcinerney is the author of thirteen books, most recently See You on the Other Side (2026).

  • A woman with wavy brown hair, wearing a tan coat and gold jewelry, sits smiling with her arms crossed in a bright, blurred indoor setting.

    Karen Mehiel

    Karen Mehiel is an activist who believes deeply in giving back. She is the founder of FLOK NYC, a community space rooted in love, kindness,…

  • A man with short curly hair and a receding hairline is wearing a light sweater with black stripes. He is standing in front of a background with vertical black-and-white stripes, smiling softly with his arms crossed.

    Dinaw Mengestu

    Dinaw Mengestu is the award-winning author of two previous novels, The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears (2007) and How to Read the Air (2010). He…

  • A woman with light skin and white hair wears a black beret and black top. She gazes softly at the camera, resting one hand on her shoulder against a neutral background.

    Susan Minot

    Susan Minot is the author of nine books. She writes novels, short stories, poems, films, plays and non-fiction. Her first book Monkeys (1986) received France’s Prix…

  • A woman with long braided hair, wearing gold hoop earrings and a blue and yellow patterned top, stands against a plain gray background, looking confidently at the camera.

    Natalie Y. Moore

    Natalie Y. Moore is a senior lecturer and director of audio journalism programming at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

  • A man wearing a black blazer, red shirt, and a woven fedora hat looks at the camera with a neutral expression. The background is simple, featuring black and white areas.

    Walter Mosley

    Walter Mosley is the author of more than 46 critically acclaimed books. Mosley’s books have been adapted for film and television with new projects in…

  • A woman with curly hair and red lipstick stands in front of bookshelves filled with books. She is wearing a dark top and a distinctive white necklace. The background is softly blurred, focusing attention on her.

    Azar Nafisi

    Azar Nafisi is a critically acclaimed author of Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books and, most recently, Read Dangerously.

  • A woman with medium-dark skin and shoulder-length locs, wearing large hoop earrings and a dark, collared top, looks confidently at the camera against a plain brown background.

    Lynn Nottage

    Lynn Nottage is a playwright and a screenwriter, and the first woman in history to win two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama.

  • An older person with short gray hair and red eyeglasses, wearing a red top and black jacket, poses with a slight smile against a softly blurred, dark background.

    Sigrid Nunez

    Sigrid Nunez has published six novels, including A Feather on the Breath of God, The Last of Her Kind, and most recently Salvation City. She…

  • A middle-aged man with short gray hair and a salt-and-pepper beard looks at the camera with a neutral expression. He is wearing a dark sweater over a gray shirt against a plain, dark background.

    Joseph O’Neill

    Joseph O’Neill is the author of five novels, including Netherland (PEN/Faulkner Prize for Fiction) and, most recently, Godwin (Finalist, National Book Critics Circle Award). He…

  • A middle-aged man with short gray hair and a trimmed beard is smiling gently. He is wearing a green jacket over a collared shirt, standing outdoors with a blurred background.

    George Packer

    George Packer is a US journalist, award winning author, playwright and a staff writer at The Atlantic. He is the author of 10 books, including…

  • A woman with shoulder-length light brown hair smiles at the camera. She is wearing a dark top and a colorful, floral-patterned scarf. The background is softly blurred with arched windows.

    Krystyna Poray Goddu

    Krystyna Poray Goddu is author of the middle-grade biographies Becoming Emily: The Life of Emily Dickinson; A Girl Called Vincent: The Life of Poet Edna…

  • A woman with medium-length brown hair, wearing a black top and a gold necklace, sits indoors in front of a window with white curtains, softly smiling at the camera.

    Victoria Redel

    Victoria Redel has written four books of poetry, most recently Paradise; her last novel, Before Everything, was published in 2017.

  • A person with short curly brown hair, wearing a red sweater, sits at a blue table indoors, resting their head on one hand and smiling softly at the camera. Warm and colorful room background.

    Rachel Reid

    Rachel Reid is the New York Times and international bestselling author of the Game Changers series, which has been adapted into the smash hit television…

  • A middle-aged person with short gray hair and black glasses, wearing a plaid shirt and dark sweater, stands outdoors near grass, rocks, and a pond.

    Patrick Ryan

    Patrick Ryan’s novel, Buckeye, is a New York Times bestseller, a Read with Jenna pick, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, a…

  • A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair wearing a mustard yellow blazer, a white top, and a gold chain necklace, smiling in front of a neutral, wavy-patterned background.

    Susanna Salk

    Susanna Salk is the author of many design books.

  • A woman with shoulder-length dark brown hair and fair skin, wearing a sleeveless black top, looks at the camera with a slight smile. The background is bright and softly blurred.

    Laura Secor

    Laura Secor has written about Iran for The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Foreign Affairs, The New Republic, and other publications.

  • A man with light gray hair and a beard, wearing a dark turtleneck sweater, sits outdoors in front of a tree and a metal fence, smiling slightly at the camera.

    James Thackara

    James Thackara is an American writer who has published three novels – America’s Children, Ahab’s Daughter, and The Book of Kings.

  • A person with a shaved head and glasses is smiling, wearing a light blue checkered shirt. The background is plain gray.

    Ali Velshi

    Ali Velshi is an award winning journalist, host of “Velshi” and Chief Correspondent for MSNBC, and a weekly economics contributor to NPR’s “Here And Now.”