Conflagration
"I felt a line of saliva fall out of my numbing mouth while I stared at the bright red bumps of the stings on my ankles. I don't remember… More
On a Railroad (Soo-Line)
"The Soo-Line was not the sole property of youth, though. Others, who had once been young and full of bravado, traveled on occasion down its rusted steel path. They were… More
Solitary Confinement
"The smile I wear is a disguise. It masks my tears. My eyes reveal the deception. This is my 19th year in prison. Year five living in the dungeon.… More
Class Notes: A Protest March
September 2012, they chose to take to the streets, band together, and shout as much as they liked. It fulfilled an inner need for which other people abandoned rationality… More
2017 PEN America Literary Awards Winners
PEN America is thrilled to announce the winners for its 2017 PEN America Literary Awards. This year's awards will confer over $300,000 to writers and translators for their exceptional literary works and careers… More
2017 PEN America Literary Awards Finalists
PEN America is thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2017 PEN America Literary Awards. These shortlists showcase 50 exceptional literary works chosen by our esteemed judging panels. With the… More
The Centaur’s Son
As I lay in my crib, sleeping only three crow miles away in another small sandstone farmhouse was a 15-year-old boy who was dreaming of graduating from high school… More
Dark Corners
As I sat alone at a picnic table eating lunch prepared by a woman in the congregation—chips, BBQ, chicken, corn on the cob, spaghetti, and cake—I was visited by… More
1000 Lashes: Because I Say What I Think
"When I look within, I only see that thin man who miraculously withstood fifty lashes, while a group of people celebrated his pain, repeatedly chanting Allahu Akbar. All for… More
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