FREEDOM TO WRITE FREEDOM TO READ
English PEN is the founding centre of a global literary network. We work to defend and promote freedom of expression, and to remove barriers to literature.
English PEN is the founding centre of a global literary network. We work to defend and promote freedom of expression, and to remove barriers to literature.
I lay back in the grass among fallen trees and the heat of sun on my palm felt like a knife I could use to bleed myself dry with one swift cut to the jugular. Behind me, against the backdrop of a house somewhere between dilapidated and homely, I could hear the voices of my son and my husband.
Ahmet Altan was imprisoned in Turkey with his brother Mehmet in September 2016. Despite being denied access to receiving and sending written communications, he wrote The Writer’s Paradox for publication on the eve of his trial, which starts on 19 September. We have been campaigning to raise awareness of Ahmet’s plight as part of our Speak Out campaign.
Elena Varvello explores the idea of place as a multitude of characters in her writing.
Andrew McMillan reads the poetry of Ashraf Fayadh, a Palestinian-born writer and artist imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for his work.
It’s Women in Translation month, and naturally we’ve been thinking about why it is that fewer books by women are published in translation: only around 30%. There is no easy answer, but we thought we’d explore the question further. We started with prizes. If we see prizes as a reflection of the literary culture of