PEN America Town Hall Dec. 13 in NYC: How Can the Publishing Industry be Challenged and Transformed to Represent More Diverse Authors, Readers and Books?
PEN America President Ayad Akhtar will give opening remarks. Writer, editor, and publisher Roxane Gay, author Min Jin Lee, publishing veteran Erroll McDonald, and writer and editor Chris Beha… More
PEN America Rejects Calls to Cancel New Book by Justice Amy Coney Barrett
"It is the role of major publishers to make available a wide array of ideas and perspectives. In so doing, they afford readers, critics, historians, and journalists insight that… More
New PEN America Report: Deep and Persistent Obstacles in Publishing Houses Impede Greater Diversity in Terms of Authors and Stories Told
“Publishers are the curators of America’s stories,” said Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf, chief program officer for PEN America’s Literary Programs. “They are gatekeepers who decide whose stories will be told… More
PEN America Responds to Decision to Take Philip Roth Biography Out of Print
We are concerned about a precedent whereby even egregious misdeeds by an author result in a book being withdrawn, and potentially taken off limits for readers. More
PEN America: Simon & Schuster Should Not Cancel Pence Book Deal
Publishers are free to choose what books to release, but once those decisions are made, there should be a very high bar for reversing them as a result of… More
PEN America Responds to Publisher’s Decision to Pause Philip Roth Biography
(New York, NY) — This week, publisher W. W. Norton said it would pause shipments and promotion of Blake Bailey's anticipated book Philip Roth: The Biography after serious and… More
PEN America Statement on Death of Carolyn Reidy
(New York, NY) – PEN America today mourns the death of Carolyn Reidy, CEO of Simon & Schuster and an awardee of PEN America. The following is attributable to… More
PEN America Responds to ‘American Dirt’ Controversy
(New York, NY) – Following news that the publisher of American Dirt plans to cancel its book tour, PEN America issued the following statement: “We have been closely following the… More
Statement: Reports the National Enquirer Is Trying to Curb Publication of Ronan Farrow Book
"Threatening a libel suit for a book that has not yet been released--and which Howard appears not to have read--is not only absurd but a reprehensible attempt at censorship. That this threat… More
Open Letter to FTC on the Impact of Market Consolidation on Content Creators
“From the publishing realm to the music sector and news media consolidation, reductions in competitive markets risk creating cultural monopolies,” said Nora Benavidez, Director of U.S. Free Expression Programs… More