National Poetry Month 2019: A Roundup
For National Poetry Month, PEN America has curated a selection of poetry, readings, and more, from our decades-long history with the celebrated art form. More
Hilton Als on James Baldwin
I had wanted to dislike him more than I do in order to have some distance from his influence, but it is an influence I have absorbed. More
Carl Hancock Rux Reads James Baldwin
To celebrate James Baldwin's birthday, here's a 2001 recording of poet, playwright, and novelist Carl Hancock Rux reading Baldwin's work at PEN America's Twentieth-Century Masters Tribute event. More
Christopher Hitchens On George Orwell
In this 2002 recording from the PEN America Digital Archive, Christopher Hitchens offers a critical analysis of Orwell's works from his own intellectual perspective. More
A Literary Activist’s Guide to the PEN America Digital Archive
I find archives strangely comforting…they are reminders of what’s recurred and changed, reminders that others were grappling similarly in the past and theirs are the shoulders we stand on. More
On the Launch of the PEN America Digital Archive
The multimedia materials found in the archives are a testament to the profound impact writers have had on the history of our nation and of our world. More
Sekou Sundiata and Charles Lynch on Influences
Poets Sekou Sundiata and Charles Lynch discuss early memories, adolescent anxieties, and the denouement associated with the future of the city. More
Opening Lines of Lolita
In this archival recording, James Mason reads from one of the most recognizable beginnings of twentieth-century literature. More
Adam Michnik on Revolution
One could say that every revolution has two phases. The first is very beautiful, it is the struggle for freedom. The second is horrible, it’s the struggle for power. More
Wayne Koestenbaum Reads Antonin Artaud
It probably couldn’t be published anywhere in the world today, except the fact that he’s dead makes it possible to be published. More
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