PEN Transmissions
Articles
Richard Weiner Finds Himself in an Awkward Situation
Benjamin Paloff sheds light on the life and work of Richard Weiner (1884–1937), widely considered to be one of the most important Czech writers of the 20th century even though his writing was suppressed until 1989.
PEN Atlas Q&A: Roberto Saviano
Investigative reporter Roberto Saviano discusses his latest book Zero Zero Zero, the global cocaine trade, and the personal cost of speaking the truth.
Protest as Dance
Ahead of his appearance at Ledbury Poetry Festival, poet and translator George Szirtes writes on the lyricism and wit at the heart of poetic protest.
PEN Atlas Q&A: Margaret Mazzantini
The author of PEN-supported novel Morning Sea discusses links between writing, revolution and dreaming, and Italy's complex relationship with emigration
Pol Pot's engaging smile
Peter Idling writes for PEN Atlas on the man who would be Pol Pot, the darker side of human nature and what drives people to destruction
Wole Soyinka’s poetry: the insistence on liberty
Carmen Bugan on Wole Soyinka's insistence on liberty.
PEN Atlas Q&A: Jenny Erpenbeck
In this special PEN Atlas Q&A, winner of the 2015 Independent Foreign Fiction Prize Jenny Erpenbeck shares thoughts on history, narrative and her relationship with her translator
Lost and Found: Shortlisting for the European Literature Night Translation Pitch 2015
How does the future look for European fiction? Rajendra Chitnis and Rosalind Harvey discuss their experiences of shortlisting for this year's ELN Translation Pitch event
Ayotzinapa
As representatives of the 43 disappeared students of Ayotzinapa arrive in London, Mexico's greatest living writer Elena Poniatowska tells their story.
Hamlet and the Disappeared
Carlos Gamerro explores why so many young Argentinian writers, children of the disappeared, write in the shadow of Shakespeare
Freedom of the press in Ethiopia
As Ethiopia prepares for its general elections this month, journalist and writer Tullu Liban writes on corruption, media censorship and government intimidation