Writing in the Dark
“To our joy or to our misery, the contingencies of reality have a great influence on what we write,” says Natalia Ginzburg in her book “It’s Hard to Talk… More
Vidal Salon
The PEN World Voices festival in New York featured Paul Auster and Guillermo Arriaga, Vikram Chandra and Kiran Desai, Valentino Achak Deng and Dave Eggers, Abdulrazak Gurnah, Caryl Phillips… More
For Writers, a Voice Beyond the Page
Seven years ago, Moniru Ravanipur, a novelist and short-story writer, was put on trial in her native Iran. Her supposed crime: threatening national security while attending a political conference… More
PEN Event Features Rushdie, Steve Martin
NEW YORK -- Nobel laureate Nadine Gordimer, Salman Rushdie and Steve Martin will be among the many writers and performers featured at the third annual PEN World Voices festival,… More
Freedom to Write
To respect the humanity and religious beliefs of minorities is not to suggest that we should limit freedom of thought on their behalf. More
Shriek it, chant it: ‘Howl’ turns 50
On stage in the New School auditorium, moderator and literary biographer Robert Polito described Howl to hundreds in the audience as a "grim but funny effort" that, like much… More
An Enlightenment Fundamentalist
Like an increasing number of immigrants in the West who refuse to have a "victim" label pinned to their lapels, the Dutch-Somalian actress, author, and politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali… More
A literary world out there, but not for U.S.
By both force of numbers and abundant literary talent, however, many of the writers challenged America's stinginess toward other literary cultures, what Italian writer Roberto Calasso called "a lethal… More
A Dark & Powerful Force From Down South
If you haven't heard of Roberto Bolano, you will soon. The Chilean author, who died of liver failure in 2003, was the subject of a major panel discussion at… More
Literary Voices, Loud & Clear
The Argentinean-born author Rodrigo Fresan spoke at a BenettonTalk Young Writers Series on Saturday, as part of the PEN World Voices Festival. His new novel, "Kensington Gardens," is a… More
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