Romanian PEN Center: “We Are a Country of Poets”
"We also have many good poets; it is said that we are a country of poets. There is a proverb in Romania that says: All Romanians are born poets." More
The PEN Ten with Ian Bassingthwaighte
I can only write what I care about, and what I seek to know. I guess that means my identity and my writing are interchangeable. One so completely bleeds… More
The PEN Ten with Cinelle Barnes
We all already know that it is important to use literary techniques in creative nonfiction for the sole purpose of delivering facts, but I think as a collective, we… More
The PEN Ten with Marwan Hisham
I think misinformation, which we now see can lead to certain misconceptions and stereotypes, is the greatest threat to freedom of expression. People take many things for granted now and leave only… More
The PEN Ten with Leslie Jamison
I’m also actively resisting both hopelessness and complacency—as well as the belief that art is irrelevant in politically troubled times. More
The PEN Ten with Luis Alberto Urrea
Writers are particularly dangerous...writing strikes the heart and mind so profoundly, in such a way that it can overturn prejudice or hidebound beliefs. More
“We Have Not Lived Through the Peak of Our Hardships”: An Interview with Andrey Kurkov
Nowadays, 80 percent of young authors write politically engaged literature, trying to touch upon very painful topics, the topics of refugees, immigrants, the topic of responsibility for the future... More
The PEN Ten with Dani Shapiro
Writers—by the very nature of what we do—are forced to slow down, and perhaps in so doing, we form a counterweight to the culture of instantaneous reaction. More
Four Questions for Tess Lewis, Winner of the 2017 PEN Translation Prize
I always read my drafts out loud when I’m polishing them—I find it easier to hear mistakes or awkward passages than to 'see' them. More
The PEN Ten with Sarah Schulman
The arresting officer testified that I said, 'Ladies should be able to choose.' I think that the idea of a woman's life being a human life was too complex. More
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