Stay ConnectedAs an organization that’s all about the literary community, PEN America knows that the ongoing health crisis is hitting our Members and friends particularly hard. The PEN Pod is meant to provide regular updates and conversations about literature and free expression, and provide an outlet for literary celebration as in-person events remain few and far between.
Join the conversation online at pen.org and on our social channels @PENAmerica. Thanks for tuning in.
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On this very final episode of The PEN Pod, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel talks about free speech in 2021, from the Capitol Hill insurrection to calls to ban books and entire topics from America's classrooms. Then we reflect on The PEN Pod and PEN America's impact.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, we speak to two experts on the situation for free expression in Myanmar nearly one year since the coup. Then, Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, joins for our latest installment of TOUGH QUESTIONS. This week, we discuss disinformation consumers, texts to Trump amid the insurrection, and what lies ahead for free speech in 2022.
On this week's episode of The PEN Pod, we bring you a conversation about self-censorship among PEN America's own Ayad Akhtar, Suzanne Nossel, and Jennifer Finney Boylan, alongside Wajahat Ali, John McWhorter, and Carmen Maria Machado. Then, Suzanne wades through the tough questions of free speech from the past week, including what it means to be a democracy in 2021 and how best to fight back against book bans,
On this edition of The PEN Pod, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel answers tough questions about a silenced Chinese tennis star; how Disney self-censored in the face of cross-border censorship; and how the utterance of two words -- critical and race -- can draw a crackdown on free speech.
On this episode of The PEN Pod, author, attorney, and activist Natashia Deón on her new book THE PERISHING, as well as themes of redemption and immortality in her work and writing. Then, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel fields tough questions about President Biden's approach to China's government; the freedom of a U.S. journalist detained in Myanmar; and the prospects of establishing a free speech university.
On today's episode of The PEN Pod, award-winning author Anthony Doerr talks to PEN America's Jane Marchant about his latest work CLOUD CUCKOO LAND. George M. Johnson reflects on efforts to ban the author's book ALL BOYS AREN'T BLUE, as well as the broader effort to impose educational gag orders in classrooms. Then, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel on legislative threats to the freedom to learn, plus efforts to get at the truth about Jan. 6.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, PEN America's Jared Jackson interviews The Bronx Is Reading founder Saraciea J. Fennell on her debut anthology Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed: 15 Voices from the Latinx Diaspora. Then, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel tackles tough questions about facial recognition, tech surveillance, and local news.
On this week's episode of The PEN Pod, our own Jared Jackson speaks to poet and podcaster Melissa Lozada-Oliva about her work in verse, Dreaming of You.
On this special edition of The PEN Pod, we hear the voices of three students and a teacher who helped overturn a pernicious book ban in their home town of York, Pennsylvania.
On this episode of The PEN Pod Jared Jackson, PEN America’s manager of literary programs, speaks with Uli Beutter Cohen, creator of Subway Book Review, about her book Between the Lines: Stories from the Underground, which collects over 170 interviews from the acclaimed social media movement that highlights books and the people who cherish them. Then, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel answers our latest round of tough questions about free speech from the past week.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, we explore the legacy of Hurricane Maria, which is subject of a new book called Mi María: Surviving the Storm. We talk to one of the project's editors as well as one of its narrators. Then, Tough Questions with PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel. This week, we talk about our annual gala celebration, a Facebook whistleblower, and the cancellation of a speaker at MIT.
On this week's episode of The PEN Pod, playwright and poet Dan O'Brien is out with a new essay collection and a new collection of poetry, that together weave in accounts of resilience and trauma. Then, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel answers the toughest questions about the past week in free speech.
On this week's episode of The PEN Pod, BBC journalist Sarah Rainsford joins to discuss her abrupt expulsion from Russia, what it means for free expression, and the limits of press freedom in today's Russia. Then, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel joins for our latest installment of TOUGH QUESTIONS. We dive into Texas' restrictive new abortion law, supporting exiles worldwide, and a Texas book ban becomes ever more grave.
This week on The PEN Pod, we catch up with attorney and author Jonathan Rapping, author of GIDEON'S PROMISE and leader of an organization charged with harnessing the voices of public defenders to make change. Then, co-leader of PEN America Dallas/Fort Worth Will Evans comes on to talk about the slow re-emergence of in-person literary events in Texas and nationwide.
On this week's extended edition of The PEN Pod, we get the latest on Hurricane Ida and its impact on the New Orleans literary community from author Maurice Carlos Ruffin. Then, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Spencer Ackerman discusses his new book, Reign of Terror: How the 9/11 Era Destabilized America and Produced Trump, and get his insights on the conclusion of the war in Afghanistan.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, we have an in-depth interview with PEN America's own Matt Bailey, who walks us through the perils facing Afghans who've been sharing details of their lives on social media. Many now face serious threats having spent years posting photos and other details of their lives online. Bailey explores the shortcomings of the social media platforms and what they can do to better protect Afghans and all those facing threats globally.
On this special edition of The PEN Pod, we focus on the fall of the US-backed government in Afghanistan. First, we have a conversation between PEN America president Ayad Akhtar and journalist and author George Packer. They discuss the fate of Afghanistan's writers and translators, reflect on the decline of American power globally, and discuss more broadly the future of defending free expression. Then, we preview a PEN.org conversation with Afghan American author Nadia Hashimi—and outline how you can take action to defend Afghanistan's writers, artists, and free speech defenders.
Former Navy commander and scholar Theodore Johnson's new book When the Stars Begin to Fall lays out the case for how a new form of national solidarity modeled on Black solidarity could help us inch ever-closer to racial justice. Then, PEN America's own Suzanne Nossel takes on the toughest questions this week in free speech, tackling COVID misinformation, a Texas book ban, and the continued attack on free expression in Belarus.
On this week's episode, we bring you a second conversation with one of the contributors to DREAMing Out Loud, our annual anthology of writings from migrant writers who took part in our writing workshop series. Then, Suzanne Nossel joins to wade through the tough questions around the Olympics and protesting on the podium, new laws that threaten demonstrators, and Facebook taking steps to shut down independent research.
This week's PEN Pod focuses on DREAMing Out Loud, the anthology of written works from young migrant writers here in New York City. We talk to one of this year's stellar contributors. Then, we turn to Suzanne Nossel to answer all your tough questions about free speech this week, including the insurrection hearings, Republicans flip flopping on vaccine disinformation, and Russia's efforts to silence independent media.
On this episode of The PEN Pod, we're joined by Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya just as authorities in that country have given notice that they intend to dissolve our sister organization PEN Belarus. PEN America's own Matt Bailey dissects the Pegasus spyware revelations. And then our Summer Lopez covers the threats spyware poses to free expression, as well as tough questions on Olympic protests and vaccine disinformation.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, we talk to writer and cartoonist Amy Kurzweil, who is leading a campaign to free her cousin Danny Fenster, a journalist detained in Myanmar earlier this spring. She discusses his urgent plight and what others can do to demand his freedom. Then, Summer Lopez of PEN America explores the tough questions about free expression this week. We outline how Iran attempted to kidnap an American journalist critical of the regime; and she explores Belarus' crackdown on NGOs and media outlets this week.
On this week's edition of The PEN Pod, New York state Senator Brad Hoylman joins us to discuss his bill that would help track hate crimes in New York. Then, Suzanne Nossel discusses how policymakers are waking up to the censorship threat emanating from the Chinese government; how a tenure decision for Nikole Hannah-Jones is a win for academic freedom; and how hate speech and hate crimes are interrelated. We'll be on break next week but will return with new episodes July 16.
On this episode of The PEN Pod, we talk to podcast hosts Lisa Hiton and Dylan Zavagno who produce Queer Poem a Day, a podcast series of contemporary LGBTQ+ poetry. Then, Suzanne Nossel of PEN America talks about media crackdowns in Belarus and Hong Kong, plus a cheerleader has her First Amendment rights upheld by the Supreme Court.
On this special edition of The PEN Pod, we introduce a weeklong town hall series called The M Word, centering American Muslim voices through live, in-person, and virtual conversations that bring together writers, artists, and thought leaders across a range of genres, expertise, and platforms. Our Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf speaks with our M Word panel of advisors: oral historian Zaheer Ali, artistic director of Performing Arts Mosaic Adam Gagan, organizer Ayah Eldosougi, and director of MPAC’s Hollywood Bureau Sue Obeidi.
Today on The PEN Pod, we discuss the state of free expression in Iran, digital sovereignty and the splintering of a free internet, and the teaching of divisive topics as part of our weekly Tough Questions segment. Then, Ukraine's First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Emine Dzheppar on the state of play on the Crimean peninsula seven years after the Russian occupation.
On this week's edition, we're back with breakout debut novelist Zakiya Dalila Harris discussing her novel THE OTHER BLACK GIRL with PEN America's Jared Jackson. Then, a new installment of tough questions, where we pore through hard questions about free speech and free expression with our CEO Suzanne Nossel. This week, we discuss CNN reporters and the battle over emails, conspiracy theories over the origins of COVID, and critical race theory and laws attempting to ban it.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, we discuss with human rights leader Jeri Laber her new work of fiction, The Russian Key, a Cold War tale of intrigue with lessons for today's global crises. And Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, joins to wade through the week's tough questions about Belarus, internet content takedowns, and CNN and AP's latest personnel moves.
On this final day of the 2021 PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature, our Jared Jackson sits down with Brian Broome to discuss his debut memoir Punch Me Up to the Gods. Plus, we take a look back at the 2021 festival. Learn more at pen.org/festival.
As we enter the penultimate day of the PEN World Voices Festival, we hear from PEN/Hemingway Award winner Kawai Strong Washburn about myth-making, magic, and storytelling. Plus we look at what the Festival has in store for its final days. Tickets on sale at pen.org/festival.
On today's special edition of The PEN Pod, we bring you a conversation with author of Detransition, Baby Torrey Peters—featured in this week's PEN World Voices Festival—on family dynamics through the lens of the lived transgender experience. Plus, we preview the next day of the Festival.
On this special edition of The PEN Pod, our Nancy Vitale talks to Allison Markin Powell and Gabriella Page-Fort about bringing translated literature to a wide audience. And we preview the day ahead of the PEN World Voices Festival. Tickets on sale at pen.org/festival.
As we dive into the first day of the 2021 PEN World Voices Festival, we talk to virtual co-hosts Ayad Akhtar and Masha Gessen, who share their thoughts on a global virtual festival as we still contend with global crises. Then, we preview the week ahead for the festival—tickets are on sale at pen.org/festival.
On this special edition of The PEN Pod, we look ahead to this week's PEN World Voices Festival of International literature, a global convening of writers and readers that will gather to celebrate the written word. Here to walk us through what's up this week, PEN America's own Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf. Tickets are on sale at pen.org/festival.
On this week's edition of The PEN Pod, Leila Hamidi, Jerry Quickly, and Yesika Salgado discuss "Love Letters in Light," a scrolling display of short love letters across the front of Los Angeles libraries. Then, PEN America's CEO Suzanne Nossel talks about the crackdown on protest rights, human rights in Iran, and the ongoing local news crisis.
What does the Oversight Board's decision say about free speech on Facebook? How is adherence to disinformation becoming a litmus test in the Republican Party? Our CEO Suzanne Nossel weighs in on the Tough Questions of the week. Then, Professor Daniel Pollack-Pelzner blew the whistle on misconduct at his university—and was promptly fired. What his case says about academic freedom and free speech on campus.
PEN America's CEO Suzanne Nossel talks about the pressures facing publishing, especially when it comes to a Philip Roth biography and a Mike Pence book deal. Then, a new generation takes up the mantle of protecting a fair, independent, and free press.
On this week's episode, we explore the latest Freedom to Write Index from PEN America, outlining the number of writers imprisoned around the world; we walk through the findings with Veronica Tien and Karin Deutsch Karlekar. Then, PEN America's Suzanne Nossel weighs in on impunity for imprisoning writers, Mike Pence's book deal, and the impact of the George Floyd verdict.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, we talk to New York Times journalist Kevin Roose about his new book FUTUREPROOF. Then, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel fields tough questions about artificial intelligence, protest rights, and the status of free expression in Turkey.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, our Jared Jackson talks to Kaitlyn Greenidge about her second novel, LIBERTIE. Then, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel on the limits of corporate speech, a potential Olympic boycott, and a stunning act of courage in Minneapolis.
This week on The PEN Pod, a special edition focusing on the scourge of online abuse. PEN America is out with a new report on the impacts of online hate—and how platforms like Facebook and Twitter can do more to help blunt its worst effects. Then, on our weekly Tough Questions segment, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel explores why the platforms haven't worked harder to stop online hatred; the ongoing crisis in Myanmar; and anti-trans and anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation moving through state legislatures.
On this week's edition, we get to the bottom of Thursday's big tech CEO hearing on Capitol Hill, discuss the police's mishandling of last summer's demonstrations, and examine a death threat issued by a top Saudi diplomat. Then, PEN America's Jonathan Friedman speaks with children's book author and lawyer Jessica Bohrer whose new book, YOUR VOICE IS YOUR SUPERPOWER, is designed to get kids excited about free speech.
For this week's episode, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel recounts the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia, the global crackdown on protest, and vaccine hesitancy among Republicans. Then, PEN America's Jonathan Friedman speaks to academic Lora Burnett, effectively fired from her job for speaking out.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, our Jared Jackson interviews author Imbolo Mbue, who's new novel HOW BEAUTIFUL WE WERE reckons with big corporations and the fight for a cleaner world. Then, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel on potential antitrust moves against the big tech companies, reforming liability laws, and the Supreme Court's decision about a student handing out religious literature on campus.
On this edition for March 5, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel fields tough questions on Facebook lifting its political ad ban, an inflated controversy around Dr. Seuss, and the ongoing crackdown against free expression in Myanmar. Then, author and PEN America Dallas chapter leader Sanderia Faye talks about a terrifying police encounter that inspired her to put pen to paper, and how her city is becoming a center of literary activism.
On this week's edition of The PEN Pod, we talk to author Fatima Shaik about her latest book Economy Hall, which tells the intricate tale of a free Black community that spanned the 19th and 20th centuries. Then, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel fields tough questions on the continuation of the "big lie," so-called cancel culture in the media, and the case of Alexei Navalny.
On this celebratory edition of The PEN Pod, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel walks us through the organization's legal victory in its settlement with the U.S. government over former President Trump's attacks on the press; she also covers Facebook's decision to disallow the posting of news stories in Australia, and she delves into debates on cancel culture. Then, journalist and critic Abraham Riesman on his new book TRUE BELIEVER: THE RISE AND FALL OF STAN LEE.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, PEN America's Jane Marchant joins award-winning author Sandra Cisneros to talk about the release of our Literary Award Finalists, announced this week. Then in our weekly Tough Questions segment, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel discusses the resignation of a New York Times reporter, the story of the impeachment, and the release of Saudi women's rights activist Loujain Al-Hathloul.
Memoirist Nadia Owusu joins The PEN Pod this week to talk her new memoir AFTERSHOCKS, about her life on the fault lines after a global childhood and her own battles with mental illness. Then we go global with PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel, who talks about the demonstrations in Russia, the blow to democracy in Myanmar, and what to watch in next week's impeachment hearings.
On this week's edition of The PEN Pod, we hear from a pair of debut Brazilian YA authors Lucas Rocha, author of WHERE WE GO FROM HERE and Vitor Martins, author of HERE THE WHOLE TIME, both exploring the experience of young queer people in Brazil. Then, PEN America CEO examines allegations that Sen. Josh Hawley is being silenced, plus the new Facebook oversight body's critical moment.
On this week's PEN Pod, Suzanne Nossel explores how free expression defense will change under a Biden administration and where writers and readers will have to keep up the fight. Then, author and journalist Koa Beck speaks to Gina Chung about her new book, White Feminism: From the Suffragettes to Influencers and Who They Leave Behind.
On this episode of The PEN Pod, bestselling author George Saunders on his new book A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, the art of short fiction, and what we can glean from Russian literature in our current moment. Then, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel fields tough questions on the impeachment, incitement, and social media platforms taking a harder line on disinformation.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, we unpack Wednesday's horrific attack on the Capitol by Trump-led supporters with PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel. In our weekly "Tough Questions" segment, we review the free speech implications, how the social media platforms responded, the cycles of disinformation fueling the attack, and what to do next.
On this last installment of Tough Questions for 2020, Suzanne Nossel reflects on how disinformation about the election may hobble the efforts of the next administration; she explores the outrage over Perez Hilton on TikTok and whether banning him has free speech consequences; and she talks about Iran's brutal execution of a journalist and what it suggests for the extra-territorial reach of governments that seek to quash free expression.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, we explore the impact COVID-19 has had on journalists and journalism, particularly when it comes to local news. In a new project out today, PEN America's own Sandy Mui explores the toll of the pandemic on local reporting and what steps can be taken to shore up an already-battered industry.
We kick off this gala week episode with our weekly TOUGH QUESTIONS segment, where PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel unpacks the tricky free speech questions that came up over the past week; on this episode, we talk about our gala honorees, the impact human rights organizations can have on governments, and how anti-trust actions against Facebook might impact free expression on the platform. Then, in case you missed it, our exclusive author-to-author conversation with Barack Obama. He received our Voice of Influence Award on Tuesday and sat down for a wide-ranging interview with former PEN America president Ron Chernow touching on issues of propaganda, race, conspiracies, and hopes for the future.
On this Friday edition of The PEN Pod, we discuss the vanguard of Black art and creativity with Jenna Wortham and Kimberly Drew, out this month with their new collection BLACK FUTURES. Then, Suzanne Nossel answers some of our tough questions about free speech, the pandemic, and more in our weekly segment.
Micheline Aharonian Marcom discusses her latest novel, The New American, telling the story of a young immigrant forced to leave the home he knows. Then, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel fields tough questions on Trump, hate speech, and this weekend's G20 summit.
Young adult bestselling writers Nova Ren Suma and Emily X.R. Pan join this edition of The PEN Pod to discuss their new YA anthology Foreshadow, as well as the broader landscape of the ever-more-popular YA genre.
As the president continues his campaign of disinformation, our CEO Suzanne Nossel discusses how he's damaging our information infrastructure, but also the heartening steps journalists have taken to explain what's happening. Then, we talk to writer Ruby Hamad about her new book White Tears/Brown Scars on how white feminism has left our women of color.
The United States has long heralded itself as a place where dissenters are welcome. But the country has a long history of ideological exclusion that stretches to present day. We discuss this with historian Julia Rose Kraut who dissects this trend in her new book Threat of Dissent: A History of Ideological Exclusion and Deportation in the United States, and examines how PEN America played a role in fighting against such exclusion.
It's been a heckuva an election week. We turn to free speech expert and PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel to discuss the tough questions this campaign has presented over the past few months; how to fix our broken information infrastructure; and what we can do to address mis- and disinformation in the weeks and months ahead. Then, writer Rhonda Mitchell on her method of writing the now, capturing the immediacy of the moment in writing.
On this special edition for Election Day 2020, we have a conversation with PEN America expert Nora Benavidez on what to expect in the coming hours and days, how to prepare for disinformation, and how voting is an act of free expression. Then poet Natalie Diaz shares an essay on voting and togetherness as part of our We Will Emerge Project. And Alice Randall talks about her latest book Black Bottom Saints.
On this Friday edition of The PEN Pod, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel discusses what to expect as we head into the final stretch of the campaign season; our decision to honor the young woman who documented George Floyd's murder, Darnella Frazier; and how a brazen killing in France reflects our perilous moment. Then, Kevin Young discusses his plans for documenting our current history as the incoming director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and he talks about his new book of African American poetry.
In this special edition of The PEN Pod, we share one in a series of essays from writers across the country sharing their hopes and anxieties in advance of Election Day. Here, novelist Laila Lalami with her piece, "Why Vote?"
In this special edition of The PEN Pod, we share one in a series of essays from writers across the country sharing their hopes and anxieties in advance of Election Day. Here, author and journalist Jean Guerrero with her piece, "Your Mestizaje Is a Superpower."
On this edition of The PEN Pod, our Gina Chung speaks with bestselling children's and young adult writer Tami Charles about her new book, All Because You Matter, providing a starting point for parents to discuss the racial climate in America today.
On this edition for Friday, October 23, we talk tough questions with PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel, focusing on the days of disinformation ahead and how the social media platforms are reacting, as well as her take on the global protest movements that seem to be gathering steam. Then, novelist Yun Ko-eun on her latest novel The Disaster Tourist.
On this Tuesday edition of The PEN Pod, we bring you an interview with debut novelist David Heska Wanbli Weiden, whose new book Winter Counts is a thriller that also explores the tension between justice systems inside and outside Indian Country. Then, PEN America's own Matt Bailey discusses the latest on the social platforms throttling back an unsubstantiated New York Post story.
On this episode, PEN America's Gina Chung talks storytelling, representation, and elevating new voices with writer and editor Michi Trota. Then, CEO Suzanne Nossel explores the free speech controversies of the week, including Facebook's crackdown on Holocaust denial, a New York Post story gone awry, and China's influence on academic freedom.
On this special edition, we bring you a conversation among the top decision desk editors from AP, CNN, and Fox News. Ray Suarez moderates our #WhatToExpect2020 roundtable with Sally Buzbee, Senior Vice President and Executive Editor, The Associated Press; David Scott, Deputy Managing Editor, The Associated Press; Arnon Mishkin, Decision Desk Director, Fox News; Dana Blanton, Head of Public Opinion Research, Fox News; Sam Feist, Washington Bureau Chief and Senior Vice President, CNN; and Jennifer Agiesta, Politics Polling Director, CNN
Author Lisa Jewell joins The PEN Pod today to discuss her latest thriller Invisible Girl, out in the U.S. today. The novel explores the disappearance of a young woman and the dark corners of incel culture. Our Gina Chung has that conversation.
On this episode, our Gina Chung talks to award-winning bestseller Fredrik Backman about his latest book Anxious People and how he blends mystery and comedy. Plus, our Suzanne Nossel fields tough questions about the president's refusal to debate, reticence to talk about his health, and an executive order that's sent government agencies and campuses scrambling.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, our Gina Chung in conversation with young adult author Bill Konigsberg. He reflects on his latest novel, what it means to openly reckon with mental illness, and how this book served as a kind of second coming out for him.
On this Friday episode, our Jonathan Friedman interviews scholar Eddie Cole about his new book exploring the role college presidents have played in shaping and derailing racial equity in America. Then, our CEO Suzanne Nossel on this week's wild debate, disinformation about voting, and our #WhatToExpect2020 campaign. Tune in!
Writer and recently named "Five Under 35" author K-Ming Chang talks about her debut novel BESTIARY with PEN America's Gina Chung. They dive into the book's multi-generational tale of Taiwanese American women, and how myth making and family shape our lives. Plus, a quick listen of a new video from PEN America as part of #WhatToExpect2020.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, we get a sense of the situation on the ground in Minsk with our PEN Belarus colleague Hanna Komar, arrested earlier this month for participating in anti-government demonstrations. Then, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel joins for tough questions about Trump and the press, professors behaving badly, and the Oscars.
Today's episode of The PEN Pod explores movement journalism, which seeks to center the people, places, and ideas often left out of mainstream coverage. Journalist Tina Vasquez explores the pressures of journalism right now with PEN America's Gina Chung.
On this Friday edition of The PEN Pod, we talk to Emily Ramshaw at the new reporting outlet The 19th, reporting on gender and policy at a time when that kind of reporting couldn't be more crucial. Then, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel answers some Tough Questions about disinformation, the criminal inquiry into John Bolton's book, and campus speech under siege.
It's publication day for Pulitzer winner and incoming PEN America president Ayad Akhtar. He talks about his new book, Homeland Elegies, which launches tonight at a special virtual PEN Out Loud conversation with Ben Rhodes. He discusses the blurred lines between fact and fiction, American decay, and the challenges he sees on the horizon. Then, we check in with PEN America's own Polina Sadovskaya about the situation in Belarus, including the condition of a group of our colleagues from PEN Belarus
Jean Guerrero is author of the new book Hatemonger: Stephen Miller, Donald Trump, and the White Nationalist Agenda. She joins us to talk about how Miller's rise has coincided with the rise of hatred in America and the perils she faces as a reporter. Then, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel joins to talk about the controversy surrounding Mulan, hate speech online, and how to stop your friends and family from becoming disinformation spreaders.
We're back for an all-new season and an interview with Maaza Mengiste, whose book The Shadow King is now out in paperback — and has been longlisted for the Booker Prize. We talk about the text, grappling with writing amid and pandemic, and more. Plus we preview some of the great conversation up ahead on the second season of The PEN Pod. Thanks again for listening.
On this encore episode, we talk to film executive and PEN America board member Franklin Leonard on the coronavirus crisis' impact on screenwriters and the dynamic in Hollywood.
Author Yaa Gyasi's new book TRANSCENDENT KINGDOM publishes today, and tonight she joins PEN America for PEN OUT LOUD, our hallmark conversation series, for a talk with acclaimed writer Roxane Gay.
As the national debate over balancing the risks of social isolation heats up, author and clinical psychologist Andrew Solomon discusses the consequences for mental health.
On this edition, we talk to British author Bernardine Evaristo about her latest novel and how she was able to assemble its incredible assortment of characters.
On today's episode, poet and activist Carolyn Forché shares insights on the power of poetry, the concepts of migration and movement during a lockdown, and reads from her new collection.
On this episode, we talk to Hugo Award winning author N.K. Jemisin about reckoning with real themes in a fantasy world.
On this episode, PEN America president Jennifer Egan discusses her own bout with a suspected case of coronavirus and how we can pull together as a literary community.
We speak to author of UNORTHODOX Deborah Feldman, whose hit memoir about leaving an ultra-religious Jewish community in Brooklyn is now the basis of a Netflix series.
In this episode, we speak to PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel about Trump, social media, and news deserts for our weekly TOUGH QUESTIONS segment. Then, Gina Chung talks to award-winning YA author Francisco X. Stork, whose new book ILLEGAL published earlier this week. They discuss how the book was informed by his own experiences as both a lawyer and an immigrant and the importance of highlighting social issues in literature for young people.
On this 100th episode of The PEN Pod, we talk to poet Nikky Finney, an award-winning writer and teacher. She reflects on how literary celebrations have been redefined amid the pandemic, how she's woven together the personal and the political, and how she approaches mentorship.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, we discuss how Chinese government censorship has reached into Hollywood and the U.S. filmmaking industry. PEN America is out with a new report today looking at that issue, and we talk to the lead author James Tager.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, we talk to playwright David Adjmi whose first foray into nonfiction is out now, a memoir called LOT SIX. The book contends with his evolution as a writer, his vulnerabilities, and growing up in a Syrian Jewish community in New York. He talks of moving from playwriting to nonfiction and how theater is evolving amid the pandemic.
Two poets and writers discuss the power of literature at a moment like ours; how writing about diaspora and dislocation are powerful tools in the literary arsenal; and what they're telling their students about writing amid a pandemic. Sholeh Wolpe and Nathalie Handal join us for an extended conversation in this edition of The PEN Pod.
This week, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel is out with her new book Dare to Speak: Defending Free Speech for All. Even so, she makes time to parse through some of the biggest free speech questions of the week in our TOUGH QUESTIONS segment. We talk about the big tech companies and how breaking them up might actually benefit free speech; the drawdown of federal law enforcement in Portland; plus, disinformation on the horizon.
On this extended edition of The PEN Pod, we talk to Pulitzer winner and two-time U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey about her new memoir MEMORIAL DRIVE, a story that honors the life of her mother and how her mother's life shaped her own. Plus, she discusses the changes underway in the American south around historical memory and race.
PEN America is launching a series of webinars teaching you how to support friends or colleagues who are enduring online harassment. PEN America is teaming up with Hollaback, the anti-harassment organization, to lead that series, and in this episode, we talk to Hollaback's co-founder Emily May, as well as PEN America's Viktorya Vilk.
Today is publication day for PEN America's Suzanne Nossel. Her new book DARE TO SPEAK: DEFENDING FREE SPEECH FOR ALL goes on sale today, and her national book tour starts tonight. In this conversation, she discusses why she wrote this book now, and how she hopes it might help us all navigate the tricky terrain of free speech, cancel culture, and free expression.
Today we continue our series of conversations between PEN America Emerging Voices Fellows and their mentors. We speak with Shannon Gatewood and her mentor, novelist Rachel M. Harper, about the experience of virtual mentorship and writing about identity.
It's Friday, which means it's time for our weekly Tough Questions segment with PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel. We discuss the First Amendment implications of the showdowns in Portland, Michael Cohen's return to prison, and Suzanne's new book, DARE TO SPEAK, publishing Tuesday.
On today's edition, we speak with poet and writer Jaswinder Bolina, whose new essay collection OF COLOR just published this summer. He talks about how the text does and doesn't respond to our current moment of racial reckoning, and he offers his guidance for how to put pen to paper.
The entertainment industry is searching for ways out of the lockdown—while it also reckons with systemic racial inequalities. The Hollywood Reporter's Kim Masters walks us through just how Hollywood is changing for writers and creative professionals, and what might happen when we emerge from the pandemic.
How has the far-right movement attracted so many people, in particular women? Reporter Seyward Darby has been documenting how three such individuals came to occupy positions of power within the hate movement in America. We talk about her new book SISTERS IN HATE: American Women on the Front Lines of White Nationalism. Plus, unidentified federal agents swooping in on the streets of Portland.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, we kick off our series of conversations with our Emerging Voices fellows and their mentors, starting with M. Kiguwa and her mentor Antonia Crane. They talk about how mentorship has changed amid the pandemic and what the next generation of writers might bring to the table.
On this Friday edition of The PEN Pod, we put our toughest questions about free speech to PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel, author of the forthcoming book DARE TO SPEAK: DEFENDING FREE SPEECH FOR ALL. We discuss The New York Times' writer Bari Weiss, the renewed hostility of White House press briefings, and the looming threat of election-related disinformation.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, we talk to author Leïla Slimani about her first non-fiction work, Sex and Lies: True Stories of Women's Intimate Lives in the Arab World. She profiles women who share with her the balance between their public and private lives, and discusses prospects for change when it comes to women and sexuality in the Middle East and North Africa. Plus, we preview two new reading lists now available at PEN.org.
On today's edition, we bring you a roundtable conversation with the leaders of the Black committee of writers at the Writers Guild of America West. We discuss how the pipeline for Black talent in Hollywood is broken, ensuring that writers of color are being paid to tell their own stories, and how the major Hollywood players need to do more than just lip service to serve racial justice.
On this episode, PEN America's Gina Chung talks with author Sejal Shah, whose new memoir This Is One Way To Dance: Essays on Race, Place, & Belonging published this June. They discuss how the collection is meant to defy stereotypes and reshape narratives about South Asian identity in the U.S.
On today's edition of The PEN Pod, we speak with poet Roy G. Guzmán about their debut collection of poems, Catrachos. They call it something like a Bildungsroman, a collection that reflects queer identity and resilience.
It's Friday, which means it's time for our weekly "Tough Questions" segment with PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel, author of the forthcoming book Dare to Speak: Defending Free Speech for All. As we near the book's publication date, we discuss how the social platforms are dealing with the crisis in Hong Kong; we dissect the U.S. government's threat to ban the ever-popular Tik Tok; and we delve into the controversy surrounding a letter in Harper's Magazine about free speech.
On this episode of The PEN Pod, we speak with YA author Ed Lin about his forthcoming book David Tung Can't Have a Girlfriend Until He Gets Into an Ivy League College, and on the pressures and universal experiences young people are facing. Plus, our weekly World Voices Festival reading list.
On this Tuesday edition of The PEN Pod, we talk to acclaimed writer Julia Alvarez about her new book AFTERLIFE; what we can learn about empathy from reading; and the parallels in writing books for younger readers and books for adults.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, playwrights Jeremy O. Harris and Lynn Nottage in conversation about the theater, its future, and abolishing the structures of anti-Blackness in the theater world. Plus, how policymakers are rethinking regulation for Facebook and Twitter.
As we head into the Independence Day weekend, we have an extended version of our weekly TOUGH QUESTIONS segment with PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel. In this edition, we talk social media platforms, Mary Trump's book, and the status of free expression in Hong Kong.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, PEN America's Gina Chung talks to science journalist Ed Yong about the missed signals of the COVID-19 pandemic, what we can learn from microbes, and how a splintering of information may have worsened the pandemic. Then, stone soup for our most recent installment of Writers Who Cook.
On today's episode, we talk about playwriting amid the pandemic and how plays might be viewed through a new lens in the wake of a global virus. Then, we hear a conversation about justice and children's literature with authors Fatima Shaik, Amy Nathan, and Sharon Langley.
We talk to author Megan Giddings about her book LAKEWOOD, a novel that navigates dark themes of human experimentation, exploitation, and the lengths we go to when our loved ones' lives are on the line. Then we talk about a disturbing case of retaliation against a Russian theater director.
On today's episode, we speak to debut novelist Gabriel Bump about his book Everywhere You Don't Belong, and how this Chicago story is a coming of age book that also grapples with some of the major issues confronting America right now. Plus, a World Voices Festival reading list.
On today's edition of The PEN Pod, we discuss rescinded college admissions for students who use hate speech; the dismissal of multiple leaders from U.S.-funded broadcasters; and how disinformation might impact the election—that's all part of our Tough Questions segment with PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel. Then, a group of literary organizations petitions the mayor to support writers and the literary community.
On today's edition of The PEN Pod, we talk to curator Tyree Boyd-Pates at Los Angeles' Autry Museum about a new project to collect artifacts from the COVID-19 era. Then, we mark what would have been Octavia Butler's birthday.
Children's' and YA book author Elizabeth Levy shares more on her new book about Nixon, as well as her thoughts on truth and government in a conversation with writer Fatima Shaik. Then we look at a number of new books out around criminal justice.
On today's edition, we dive into the deep dark world of internet disinformation with investigative journalist Alex Kasprak of Snopes.com. Then, a reading list celebrating debuts from Black LGBTQIA+ authors for this pride month.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, we talk to author Lisa Ko about what the current crises demand of writers, and how her work might be read now amid the pandemic. Plus, a federal judge allows the publication of John Bolton's memoir to proceed.
Today, we mark this Juneteenth with a conversation with historian Quraysh Ali Lansana. The Tulsa-based writer discusses the weekend's planned Trump rally, the legacies of anti-Black racism in Oklahoma, and how writers are coming together in solidarity. Then, we turn to free expression threats amid the election, liability for social platforms, and John Bolton's book with our CEO Suzanne Nossel for our Friday TOUGH QUESTIONS segment.
On today's episode, we talk to poet Vincent Bristow, part of the Open Doors arts and justice collaborative here in New York City that works mainly with people impacted by street violence. He speaks about how COVID has impacted his community and shares an original poem. Then, we listen in on a conversation from our These Truths podcast between writers Alexis Okeowo and Ishmael Beah.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, we talk with author of ORDINARY GIRLS: A MEMOIR Jaquira Diaz. She highlights how the stories of Black and Brown girls, especially those of color, were so hard to come by in her childhood, and the erasure of Black Puerto Ricans in the historical memory. Then, John Bolton is sued by the White House.
We talk to writer and scientist Ainissa Ramirez about how eight inventions have shaped humanity, which she explores in her book THE ALCHEMY OF US. We talk about the often unheralded women and people of color who are part of the story of technology in recent centuries and how tech is influenced by our own biases.
Today we open submissions for the 2021 PEN America Literary Awards, one of the most diverse literary award lineups in the country. But how do awards help shape and diversify the literary canon? And how can we view awards in the context of all the crises happening across the country. PEN America's own Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf and poet Ruben Quesada help us understand all of it, plus Quesada shares an original poem
It's Friday, which means it's time to pose tough questions about free speech and free expression to PEN America's CEO Suzanne Nossel. This week, while protesters are making major change, we ask the hard question: Is free expression back on its heels? We talk about The New York Times op-ed debacle, the president's selective affinity for the First Amendment, and how the publishing industry is impacted by this moment.
On this episode of The PEN Pod, we speak to author of THE UNDOCUMENTED AMERICANS Karla Cornejo Villavicencio. She discusses telling a fuller story of the undocumented experience and the need for solidarity amid manifold crises. And just a note: this episode includes discussion of mental health.
Pawan Dhingra's new book explores the hyper-educated child but also how the next generation might cope with the current crises. Then, as summer approaches, we're offering a new program for high school and college students eager to engage on the issues of free speech and free expression.
Nguyen Phan Que Mai weaves together a fictional family saga with the real-life traumas of Vietnam's tumultuous 20th century in her new work THE MOUNTAINS SING. Plus, a reading list for our moment.
In this installment of The PEN Pod, we check in with author and activist Simran Jeet Singh; he's out with a new children's book, and he reflects on the protests he's witnessed in New York City. Then we get an excerpt from our PEN World Voices Festival podcast These Truths with a conversation among three writers.
On today's edition, we talk to our CEO Suzanne Nossel about what literary organizations can do at this moment of crisis as part of our weekly series "Tough Questions." Then, we get insights from general counsel of the Authors Guild, playwright, and TV writer Cheryl L. Davis on how books and literature can help us better understand this difficult moment of unrest.
On today's edition of The PEN Pod, we announce the winner of our 2020 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award, imprisoned Chinese writer and activist Xu Zhiyong. We speak to his friend, scholar and advocate Teng Biao. Then, an excerpt of a conversation between authors Yuri Herrera and Fernanda Melchor, part of our PEN World Voices podcast These Truths
On this episode of The PEN Pod, we check in with Karen Attiah, journalist and global opinions editor at the Washington Post. She reflects on the intersecting political crises of COVID-19 and state-sanctioned violence, and urges us to turn the lens of criticism inward. Then, we want to hear about how we can use this platform to uplift more voices.
Today, we take a break from our normal production schedule alongside others participating in #TheShowMustBePaused.
A weekend of demonstrations and excessive violence by state actors has led to a major reckoning for the First Amendment. On this episode, we hear from a Reuters journalist shot with rubber bullets by police in Minneapolis. And then our own Nora Benavidez examines the implications this weekend may have for protest rights moving forward.
On today's edition of The PEN Pod, we talk to Liberian American author Wayetu Moore about her memoir The Dragons, The Giant, The Women, and how magical thinking helped her and her family persevere through war. Then, Suzanne Nossel walks us through the president's executive order targeting social media companies.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, we explore how protest is increasingly being criminalized on the state level with our own Nora Benavidez. Then, this week would've been poet Joseph Brodsky's 80th birthday. We talk about a new collection of his work and why it still resonates with Ann Kjellberg.
Today, as PEN America and the Asian American Writers' Workshop host a day of solidarity, we talk about the spike in anti-Asian sentiment with longtime activist and author Helen Zia. Also, it's our 50th episode. Let us know how we're doing, what you're reading, and what we can do to make the next 50 episodes even better.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, we connect with Tulsa's Jeff Martin, who runs Magic City Books and leads PEN America's Tulsa chapter. He talks about how he's keeping the community there connected and what might change about bookselling after the crisis. Then we discuss anti-Asian racism amid the pandemic.
On this episode, our CEO Suzanne Nossel addresses questions about government surveillance, White House retaliation against journalism, and imprisoned writers globally in our weekly TOUGH QUESTIONS segment. Then, Will Evans and Cristina Rodriguez from bookseller Deep Vellum in Dallas talk about how they are keeping the literary community in Texas vibrant
On this edition, we speak with poet and author Carmen Boullosa about her new text, The Book of Anna, and urges readers to more fully dive into the books they pick up. Then, we cover the Senate's move to support global journalism.
As part of our ongoing interviews about writers detained globally, today we speak with Jewher Ilham, whose father, Uyghur economist, writer, and professor Ilham Tohti, was sentenced to life in a Chinese prison. She discusses the last day she saw her father and why she and those who support him will never relent until he is released.
Today, a special edition of The PEN Pod, as we launch our global Freedom to Write Index of imprisoned writers and public intellectuals globally. First, we speak with PEN America's own Karin Deutsch Karlekar about the countries that imprisoned the most writers in 2019. And then, an essay from novelist Ahmed Naji about his own time in an Egyptian prison and the global campaign for his freedom.
Today on The PEN Pod, we mark the 76th anniversary of the deportation of Crimean Tatars by speaking with VOA reporter Myroslava Gongadze, who walks us through how Crimea's indigenous people are facing severe repression under Russian occupation. Plus, we check out writers who cook.
On this Friday's edition of The PEN Pod, we talk to acclaimed author Rebecca Makkai about working amid a crisis, parallels between her work and our experience now, and the need for art and literature. Plus, in our weekly TOUGH QUESTIONS segment with Suzanne Nossel, how Plandemic made waves and the president's attacks on journalists.
On this edition of The PEN Pod, we talk all things Mary Shelley with scholar Eileen Hunt Botting, who has called Shelly's text THE LAST MAN the first major modern pandemic novel. She explores how the book was informed by Shelley's own life and how we might interpret it now.
On today's episode, we explore the new book WHY FISH DON'T EXIST with its author Lulu Miller, who manages to weave together a scientific narrative with a personal one. Then, we remember the late Carolyn Reidy, CEO of Simon and Schuster.
On this, our 40th episode of The PEN Pod, we take you to the Zoom classroom, where students have been learning in a total virtual environment for two months now. What are the complications for free speech and expression? We turn to our own Jonathan Friedman to discuss.
In this installment of The PEN Pod, we speak to writer and translator Mark Baczoni, who has just translated Janos Szekely's novel TEMPTATION into English. And then, we preview the new THESE TRUTHS podcast with a conversation between essayist John Freeman and novelist Elif Shafak.
In this edition of The PEN Pod, we talk to Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America and author of the forthcoming book DARE TO SPEAK, about how the social media platforms are taking new governance steps. Then we check in with our colleagues in Ukraine for how the literary community there is weathering the coronavirus.
On this episode, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Jose Antonio Vargas explores how the pandemic response is excluding undocumented people, as well as the unique freedom that is inherent in writing. Then, the PEN World Voices Festival is back.
On today's edition of The PEN Pod, we talk to author and screenwriter Charles Yu about his new book and entertainment stereotypes. We also catch up with PEN America's Polina Sadovskaya about how Russia and former Soviet states have responded to the pandemic.
On today's episode, we talk with author Wallis Wilde-Menozzi, based in Italy, about her experience weathering the pandemic in Parma. Then, the Pulitzer Prizes are announced.
On today's episode of The PEN Pod, we talk to bestselling author Karin Slaughter about writing thrillers, pandemics, and the work she's doing to support local libraries.
On this episode, we speak to author of UNORTHODOX Deborah Feldman, whose hit memoir about leaving an ultra-religious Jewish community in Brooklyn is now the basis of a Netflix series. Plus, if it's Friday, it's time for Tough Questions about free speech with Suzanne Nossel. This week, the virus, online harassment, and YouTube.
On this edition, we talk to novelist and PEN America trustee Dinaw Mengestu for how he's teaching writing amid the pandemic, and what we can learn from his work about uncertainty. Then our own Julie Trebault discusses the challenges facing artists amid a global crackdown against artistic expression.
On today's episode, poet and activist Carolyn Forché shares insights on the power of poetry, the concepts of migration and movement during a lockdown, and reads from her new collection.
On this, our 30th episode, we talk to PEN America Literary Award winner Brandon Shimoda and the epic family tale he tells in The Grave on the Wall. Plus, our efforts to get state governors to support local journalism.
On today's episode for Monday, April 27, we talk to debut novelist Ramiza Koya about her new book THE ROYAL ABDULS; she discusses her own health struggles and how her community in Portland has come to support her. Plus, how small and independent publishing houses are coping with COVID-19.
On this Friday edition of The PEN Pod, we talk to poet Rigoberto Gonzalez about how family history helps define his work and about how he still sees plenty of beauty in our socially isolated world. Then, it's time for Tough Question with PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel.
On this episode, we talk to the editor of the Paris Review Emily Nemens about how the magazine has changed, and about her new book. We also hear from listeners, and discuss ways cities can support the literary arts.
For Wednesday's episode, we talk about belonging, mentorship, and human connections with author Mimi Lok. We also discuss how the coronavirus is impacting the ability to demonstrate in Hong Kong.
On today's edition, we talk to novelist Emily St. John Mandel about her new book and a bit about her own writing on a post-pandemic future. We're also joined by PEN America's own Katie Zanecchia to talk about the organization's work elevating the reporting of local journalists.
On this Monday's episode, we talk to Hugo Award winning author N.K. Jemisin reckoning with real themes in a fantasy world, and then Catalan translator Mary Ann Newman on bringing a translation festival online.
On this Friday, we talk to film executive and PEN America board member Franklin Leonard on the coronavirus crisis' impact on screenwriters and the dynamic in Hollywood. Then, it's our weekly Tough Questions segment with PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel.
On this episode, we discuss translation and uncertainty with debut Iranian novelist Ali Araghi. We also cover a letter from PEN America to the companies that make e-readers for the nation's prisons and jails, insisting they waive all pay-per-access fees for the duration of the coronavirus crisis.
On this edition, we talk to British author Bernardine Evaristo about her latest novel and how she was able to assemble its incredible assortment of characters. Then, we discuss journalism and how reporters are handling White House briefings with Washington Post media reporter Paul Farhi.
In this special edition, we explore how the coronavirus pandemic is raging through the nation's prisons and jails. We talk to our own Caits Meissner for the latest on how the pandemic is impacting the writers we work with on the inside. We discuss reporting on the outbreak with investigative journalist Beth Shelburne. And then we hear a poem from the inside by Justin Rovillos Monson.
Medical examiner Dr. Judy Melinek and her husband/writing partner T.J. Mitchell discuss writing about medicine and science amid a pandemic (and experiencing their own quarantine). Plus, the White House's unfounded attack on Voice of America, and a new musical series from PEN America, Just Press Play.
For this Friday, we talk to PEN/Hemingway Award winner Ruchika Tomar about her debut novel A Prayer for Travelers and on the inequities of the outbreak. And then our weekly segment Tough Questions with our CEO Suzanne Nossel.
In this episode, we talk about the pandemic, poetry, and the inequalities of the outbreak with M. NourbeSe Philip, and she shares an original poem. Also, PEN America and a broad coalition call on Congress to include local news in the next coronavirus stimulus package.
On this episode, 2020 PEN/Jean Stein Book Award winner Yiyun Li talks about her virtual book club, currently working its way through War and Peace. Also, the trend of information lockdown amid the crisis, and how you can help writers in need.
On this episode, PEN America president Jennifer Egan discusses her own bout with a suspected case of coronavirus and how we can pull together as a literary community.
On this episode, we talk with book critic and writer David L. Ulin about books to read amid a pandemic. We also discuss the reaction to the Navy dismissing a captain who spoke out about the outbreak. Plus, a new reading list at PEN.org.
Today, we're launching a new weekly segment called Tough Questions, where we put your questions about free expression and the pandemic to our CEO Suzanne Nossel. Also today, the PEN America Writers' Emergency Fund is here to help. And a book recommendation from one of our listeners.
In today's episode, Parnaz Foroutan joins to talk about how immigrant voices are especially crucial to hear amid this crisis. We also look at two cases of free speech being curtailed under the cover of the virus, and we do a temperature check for the nation's jails and prisons.
On this edition, futurist and author Jamie Metzl talks about the brave new world that the coronavirus pandemic might precede. Also on this episode, we preview a New York Daily News piece from our colleague Summer Lopez about journalists on the front lines of the crisis. And another listener comment.
On this our tenth episode, we catch up with writer Fatima Shaik, who discusses what it was like writing and reporting in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and how it might be similar to our current situation. Plus, protest bills working their way through state legislatures, and a message from one of our listeners.
On this episode, writer and TV host Reza Aslan joins to talk about the norm-busting we've seen in recent weeks amid the coronavirus crisis and how he's focusing on work. We also look at proposals for bailing out the local news industry, plus a reading list from alumni of our Emerging Voices fellowship.
In this special bonus episode of the podcast, Pulitzer-winner Gregory Pardlo reads Carrie Fountain's poem "The Jungle."
On this episode, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Gregory Pardlo on getting reacquainted with his favorite books on the craft of writing, and reflecting on his own past. Also, tips on how to stay mentally fit while working from home. And, we want to hear from you. Record a voice message for us! https://anchor.fm/penamerica/message
As the national debate over balancing the risks of social isolation heats up, author and clinical psychologist Andrew Solomon discusses the consequences for mental health. Then, how student journalists are covering the crisis remotely. And tips on how you can avoid becoming a disinformation disseminator.
In this edition, PEN America celebrates a victory against President Trump's efforts to retaliate against the press in our lawsuit. We'll talk what's next. Then, we speak to New York Times theater critic Jesse Green about the life of playwright Terrence McNally.
For this episode of The PEN Pod, we talk to BuzzFeed senior reporter Jane Lytvynenko, who covers disinformation and security. She discusses the major disinformation that's currently circulating about the coronavirus, where it might be coming from, and what we can do to stop sharing false stories. Plus, books about coronavirus are flooding Amazon, but are they accurate? And a bookseller reflects on his role in the literary community.
On this episode for Monday, March 23, we talk to Chip Rolley, senior director of literary programs at PEN America and director of the World Voices Festival. He discusses what festivals mean to readers and writers and what might come next for the book world. We also discuss the financial hardships hitting alt-weeklies, and preview a poetry reading list over at PEN.org.
In this episode for Friday, March 20, a new Pew survey shows that Americans are paying close attention to the coronavirus, but that misinformation is seeping into the dialogue. Then, an interview with award-winning author Alexander Chee for his thoughts on the craft of writing during a period of social distancing. And finally, a poem read by PEN America's own Michelle Franke.
On this edition for Thursday, March 19, 2020, we explore a good news story out of Cuba where an artist and dissident has been released following dozens of arrests. Then, we turn to Jennifer Finney Boylan, New York Times columnist and author of the forthcoming book Good Boy: My Life in Seven Dogs. Then, journalists covering the coronavirus outbreak and how they're working together.
It's day one for "The PEN POD." On this first edition of our limited-run podcast: a little bit about why we're doing this; an interview with PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel, author of the forthcoming book Dare to Speak; and what should be on your bookshelf this week.
Starting Wednesday, March 18 the literary and free expression group PEN America will bring you "The PEN Pod." With books tours halted and the literary community facing major difficulties, we want to bring daily insights and reader conversations to you. Tune in starting Wednesday, March 18 for our first episode.
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