The PEN Ten Interview Series
The PEN Ten is on the pulse of literary culture to help you discover your next great read. In this interview series, we ask authors 10 questions about their latest work and art.
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Nathalie Handal
“A poem is the music of mystery, and until we embrace mystery, we can’t fully be.” More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Genevieve Hudson
“At their best, stories reveal the truth. They help us see the impact we have on ourselves, on our society, and on our planet.” More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Ishmael Beah
“I was taught, and know for a fact, that stories are medicine. . . Life will always break all of us in one way or another, and stories will… More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Samanta Schweblin, Translated by Megan McDowell
“There is no other technology as effective as literature to test ourselves, to confront our worst fears and try out reactions, survival methods, and thoughts.” More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Jaime Manrique
“Reinaldo’s autobiography has the urgency of a confession on a deathbed, the confession of a desperate man who does not want to leave unsaid anything important to him.” More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with C Pam Zhang
“If I must live in a world in which I regularly grapple with how my identity shapes me, then the most honest thing I can do is to commit… More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Mahogany L. Browne
“When I think of the stories and people I write about now, I realize my identity is carefully crafted with the wit of my grandmothers and the strength of… More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Chelsea Bieker
“Stories are avenues we can and should take away from our own lives—only to be led back into them with greater compassion, understanding, and vigor.” More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Roya Marsh
“Poetry is a vehicle for delivering truth and possibility. It allows room for the impossible to live.” More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Paul Lisicky
“For me, writing is connected to my looking and curiosity. It isn’t a separate animal.” More