Interviews & Features
PEN America produces a breadth of interviews and features throughout the year.
The Campaign Against Torture in Algeria
TIMELINEOctober 5, 1988Algeria’s post independence baby boom—two thirds of the country was born after 1962—takes to the streets to protest the corrupt, self serving cliques—known by the French word… More
Sarah White & Yvette Louisell: An Interview
SW: Yvette, you write both poetry and prose. Are there things you feel best able to say in a poem and others that feel more suitable for a prose… More
Hettie Jones & Charles Norman: An Interview
Although much of my “prison” work is dark and tragic, I’m actually the class clown, and my humor is an important part of who I am. I have to… More
Interview: Clifford Barnes
QUESTION: What was the spark that made you begin writing in prison? When did it occur?CLIFFORD BARNES:I didn’t begin writing in prison. I wrote as a youngster, not just… More
Interview: Zachary Redfearne
QUESTION: What was the spark that made you begin writing in prison? When did it occur?ZACHARY REDFEARNE: A writing workshop by Naropa University was a big motivational booster.Q: Can… More
Interview with Patricia Prewitt
QUESTION: What was the spark that made you begin writing in prison? When did it occur? PATRICIA PREWITT: When I was sent to prison in April of 1986, my five… More
Fatou Jaw Manneh: Dame of the Flaming Pen
Q: What motivated or inspired you to write?A: Political stagnation at that time, corruption and nepotism mainly motivated me. I also believe that no human being should sit on… More
Q & A with Larry Siems, Director, Freedom to Write and International Programs
In 1921, two years after the First World War, British writers (C. A. Dawson Scott and John Galsworthy) founded the first PEN (poets, playwrights, essayists, editors, and novelists) center… More
Our Town Downtown: Q & A with Larry Siems, Director of Freedom to Write and International Programs
Our Town Downtown, May 28, 2007—In 1921, two years after the First World War, British writers (C. A. Dawson Scott and John Galsworthy) founded the first PEN (poets, playwrights,… More
Open Destiny of Life
Let me put it this way: I went to school to poetry—that was where I learned how to write. People learn to write by doing various things. I suppose… More
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