Interviews & Features
PEN America produces a breadth of interviews and features throughout the year.
The PEN Ten with Leslie Jamison
I’m also actively resisting both hopelessness and complacency—as well as the belief that art is irrelevant in politically troubled times. More
The PEN Ten with Alicia Kopf
In Spanish there is an expression—specifically a verb—used to refer to the act of translating, of “pouring” a book from one language into another...It seems to me to be… More
A Conversation on Writing, Disability, and Alexandre Jollien
My life and work continuously function to break apart the typical views of disability. This is partly not my fault nor first choice. I feel that just in order… More
The PEN Ten with Behrouz Boochani
I have been living my whole life under a system that wants to define my identity in a certain way and to dictate “who I am.” More
The M Word Stories: Sana Khan
Being Muslim in America means belonging to a diverse group of people in regard to race, beliefs, careers, and backgrounds. This is a beautiful thing because Muslims contribute to… More
The M Word Stories: Faizan Kothari
The M Word seeks to elevate, amplify, and celebrate the contributions of Muslim Americans to our country’s varied and inspiring cultural landscape. Today, we share Faizan Kothari’s story on being a… More
The PEN Ten with Khadijah Queen
I wanted to say that my identity determines my opportunities to make a living, how much or little time I get to spend writing, and what I write about.… More
The PEN Ten with Luis Alberto Urrea
Writers are particularly dangerous...writing strikes the heart and mind so profoundly, in such a way that it can overturn prejudice or hidebound beliefs. More
The M Word Stories: Nasrin Akter
I grew up in a neighborhood of immigrants, where we all understood each other as multicultural and bilingual. We had questions about each other's cultures and customs, but we… More
The PEN Ten with Marcus Wicker
There will always be a special place in my heart for those of us who find ways to express our beliefs and life obsessions absent of politics and megaphones... More