On Banning Barbara Comyns’s Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead
I believe that one of the surest ways to enrage those inclined to censorship is to present a fictional world that requires the reader to provide the fictional world's… More
Sharing Your Truth
Novelist and former PEN staffer Nick Burd kicks off our second annual Banned Books Month with some insight into the banning of his novel, The Vast Fields of Ordinary.… More
2013 Banned Books Month
Staring on Monday, September 23, PEN will begin posting essays from this year’s Banned Books Month, featuring PEN members, supporters, and staff—writers and editors of all backgrounds and genres—who… More
The Banning of Sandpiper
I can write a letter or two and send off copies of the book to interested parties, but, as the arguments rage, I’m here in my office working on… More
Censorship and Power in Iran
As Iran heads towards elections in June, the government is once again engaging in a campaign of arrests, repression and harassment against the media. This evening explores the… More
Censorship and Power in Iran
Maziar Bahari, Jon Stewart, and Joel Simon discuss press freedom in Iran in the run-up to the crucial June presidential election More
PEN Mourns Loss of Free Expression Defender Edward de Grazia
PEN is saddened by the loss of Edward de Grazia, a lawyer, playwright, and longtime PEN member who devoted his life to fighting censorship and promoting free expression. More
PEN Case Studies in Digital Freedom – Censorship
In this series of posts, we demonstrate how we use the PEN Declaration on Digital Freedom to defend writers, bloggers, and activists. We'll look at internet censorship in China… More
PEN Launches New Declaration on Digital Freedom
PEN launched its new Declaration on Digital Freedom at the Istanbul Book Fair, signaling our embrace of free expression challenges in the 21st century. More
Censorship and Writing for Young Adults
I write for children and teenagers—this is my perspective on censorship from within the world of kids’ books. More
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