The U.S. Torture Program in Drama and Dialogue
What is the connection between theater, democracy, and human rights? I’m a playwright who has struggled with these issues for 30 years... I came to feel I had to… More
PEN Deplores Occupy Wall Street Press Freedom Violations
[caption id="attachment_5953" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Photo by Mary Altaffer/AP, via the Guardian"][/caption] In a press release issued on November 15, the PEN American Center deplored the violation of press freedoms in… More
In the North Tower
What happens, after death, is a silent shift. More
Do Women Writers Write “Tosh”
V. S. Naipaul’s pronouncement—that no women writers are his equals—shows him as sexist, of course, as well as arrogant and absurd. More
Famous Authors, at Rest and at Email
Say there’s a room. In the room you have a chair and a desk. On the desk is a computer, with an internet connection. Then there’s another room, identical… More
Garcia Marquez Translator Speaks Out
NEW YORK (AP) ― If you’re a fan of Gabriel Garcia Marquez or have purchased the latest edition of Don Quixote, you might know the name Edith Grossman. You… More
Martín Espada & Bill Moyers in Conversation
Watch the videoBILL MOYERS: In a convergence of events revealing just how conflicted Americans are about immigrants, the debate in Congress over a new immigration bill ended the other… More
Writers Like Me
I am a 46-year-old writer of “literary” fiction. I’ve had three novels published — the first for young people, the last two for adults. All have won minor prizes,… More
The View From Tehran
Most Iranians, I believe, share a broad outlook on American foreign policy: they think that Iran is valued only for its vast energy resources and its role in regional… More
The Novelist and the Curious Cabbie
I was standing on the curb, uptown, my hand raised for a cab. It was evening, and the sky was clear and the air cool. I had plenty of… More
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PEN America On 
“PEN America applauds this bipartisan letter highlighting the egregious attacks on free expression and human rights at the hands of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Bin Salman...." https://raskin.house.gov/press-releases?ID=419D8E6E-0AA9-445B-A4D5-28615C8986BEExpression (1/2)
While notifying “legacy” verified users their blue checks will be taken away unless they pay $8/month and insisting everyone should be treated equally, @elonmusk is boosting a secret list of users including AOC, Ben Shapiro & Catturd, reports @ZoeSchiffer https://www.platformer.news/p/the-secret-list-of-twitter-vips-getting
Saudi judges face death penalty for being 'too soft' on women's rights activists.
According to @DAWNmenaorg, six renowned Saudi judges and four former justices have been accused of "high treason" and now face the death penalty. https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230324-saudi-judges-face-death-penalty-for-being-too-soft-on-womens-rights-activists/