#the nerve of thinking writers would still show up to collect their cereal box prizes. the NERVE of trying to go ahead with World Voices.
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The cancellation of the 2024 World Voices festival reminded me that I meant to make a post about this last week, when PEN America announced that it could not hold its annual literary award ceremony because so many authors and translators had withdrawn their submissions. I don’t doubt that there's another post of this sort making the rounds, but since the ceremony was going to be tomorrow, I wanted to celebrate the literary achievements of every Finalist with a demonstrable backbone.
This is a list of writers who acted with integrity by withdrawing their work from the American subset of PEN International, an organization which has served as a bridge between literature and human rights for over a century. PEN America has largely built its reputation by supporting persecuted writers, and has let down the entire international literary community by failing to take a meaningful public stance against the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people.
The following titles have been withdrawn from consideration at the request of the authors and translators:
PEN/Jean Stein Book Award
To a book-length work of any genre for its originality, merit, and impact, which has broken new ground by reshaping the boundaries of its form and signaling strong potential for lasting influence.
Hangman by Maya Binyam
Biography of X by Catherine Lacey
Poem Bitten by a Man by Brian Teare
Blackouts by Justin Torres
PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection
To an author whose debut collection of short stories represents distinguished literary achievement and suggests great promise for future work.
The Sorrow of Others by Ada Zhang
PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel
To a debut novel of exceptional literary merit.
Promise by Rachel Eliza Griffiths
Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang
PEN/Voelcker Award for Poetry Collection
To a poet whose distinguished collection of poetry represents a notable and accomplished literary presence.
Couplets by Maggie Millner
suddenly we by Evie Shockley
PEN Translation Prize
From From by Monica Youn
For a book-length translation of poetry from any language into English.
Owlish by Dorothy Tse translated from the Chinese by Natascha Bruce
Trash by Sylvia Aguilar-Zéleny translated from the Spanish by J.D. Pluecker
#there's a lot more to it. i can't go into detail but it's been a fucking shitshow these past 4 months. it did NOT have to be this way.#so many people reached out to them with patience and grace but they just kept on keeping on.#the nerve of thinking writers would still show up to collect their cereal box prizes. the NERVE of trying to go ahead with World Voices.#naturally their big gala is still on so do please show up for the cocktail reception at 6PM at the natural history museum on thursday 5/16#resources#gaza
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