Kafka's The Trial in Eritrea
Today, on World Press Freedom Day, the director of PEN Eritrea in Exile shares his experience of life as a journalist in Eritrea.
Archive
Articles
Why storytelling matters
The award-winning writer and folklorist reflects on the comfort and power of family stories.
Bards without borders
Two members of the Bards Without Borders poetry collective reveal their split opinions on Shakespeare in the lead-up to the 400th anniversary of his death.
World literatures and literary worlds
As translators and publishers from around the world gather for the 2016 London Book Fair, Writers in Translation programme manager Erica Jarnes reflects on the theme of ‘reputation’ with respect to non-Anglophone writers.
No-platforming on campus: the student perspective
The Co-Chairs of York Student PEN explore the controversial NUS 'No-platform' policy, and the wider implications for freedom of speech in UK universities.
The peacock and the pen
A short story by Ellen Wiles about a writer from Myanmar reflecting on her country’s new transition, based on several true accounts of Burmese writers’ lives under censorship and beyond.
It’s all in a name
Co-written by Ensaf Haidar and Andrea C. Hoffmann, translated from German by Shaun Whiteside.
The seizure of a book review
On 4 March 2016, Kitap Zamanı, the literary supplement of Turkey’s largest newspaper Zaman, was shut down by the government. Poet Can Bahadır Yüce reflects on the future of press freedom in Turkey.
Amid a sea of red flags
The award-winning writer and artist discusses her life-long relationship with literature and the politics of being a writer in China.
Women writers in translation to read right now
To mark International Women’s Day 2016, the founder of #readwomen gives her top recommendations of women writers in translation.
From the back of the bus: the significance of BAME writers
Poet, performer and educator Anthony Anaxagorou writes on the lack of diversity in UK publishing and why the new Bare Lit festival celebrating writers of colour is so needed.
Letter to Britain
As the UK considers its place in the European Union ahead of a likely referendum in June, the German author sends a personal message.
Prophets and holy warriors
Ahead of his appearance at our first PEN Atlas event on 24 February, Bangladeshi journalist and editor Tasneem Khalil reflects on the death of Avijit Roy and other 'prophets of freethought'.
On the beauty of international crime (fiction)
The publisher of brand-new imprint Point Blank makes the literary case for crime fiction, and explains how it might just open more eyes to the pleasures of reading in translation.
January 25th: from a revolution, to a conspiracy, to a forbidden call
Five years on from the historic events of Tahrir Square, writer and psychiatrist Basma Abdel Aziz reflects on the many names of the Egyptian revolution, and her hopes for the future.
My search for meaning
Femi Martin, founder of Full Circle Projects, discusses the impact of creativity in her own life and in the lives of the people she works with.
Talking about home
Sudanese-American poet Safia Elhillo shares two new poems and comments on the complex relationship between language, identity, family and the concept of home when living in the diaspora.
PEN Atlas Q&A: Ihor Pavlyuk and Steve Komarnyckyj
The author and translator of A Flight Over the Black Sea (Waterloo Press) talk to PEN Atlas about working together, their inspirations and the power of poetry in times of war.