And yes, PEN America is in court fighting this absurdity every step of the way.

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Jan 10, 2024


** Our Lawsuit Against the District That Banned the Dictionary
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Today, we are heartened that a federal judge in Florida allowed our first-of-its-kind federal lawsuit against book bans in Escambia County to proceed. Our lawsuit, filed with Penguin Random House, banned authors, and parents and students in the district, claims these bans violate the First Amendment and engage in unlawful viewpoint discrimination. To give you a sense of how bad things have gotten in Escambia, this week we published a list of more than 1,600 of their banned books, including the dictionary. (Actually, five of them.)

See the latest books banned in Escambia County >> ([link removed])
Read more about our lawsuit >> ([link removed])
In Orange County, Jon Stewart and Amy Poehler books joined the pile >> ([link removed])
PEN DEFENDS


** Why 101-Year-Old Grace Linn Fights Book Bans
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Book bans protesters across America typically hold up signs to express their opposition. Grace Linn held up a quilt. In a print interview with author Lisa Fipps and in a video with PEN America, the 101-year-old advocate talked about her husband who died in World War II fighting the Nazis, who burned books.

Learn more >> ([link removed])
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

For this week’s Member Spotlight, we’re highlighting all our members’ publications from 2023 ([link removed]) ! From meditations on birds to a collection of Cuban poems, from an empowering young adult novel to an homage to drag, more than 50 titles written, translated, and illustrated by PEN America Members have been published in the past year. The members of PEN America are a distinguished ensemble of teachers, translators, librarians, and novelists across genres whose works have been lauded in The New York Times, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, and more.

Help us congratulate our members on their accomplishments by checking out their publications! >> ([link removed])

PEN EVENTS


** Online Workshop Series: You Are A Writer
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January 10, January 17, January 24, January 31
5:30 — 6:30 pm PT
ONLINE

Children’s and Young Adult authors are on the frontlines of the educational censorship wave impacting classrooms, libraries, and communities across the country. This year’s YOU ARE A WRITER series is dedicated to centering trailblazing writers who are expanding and navigating the many genres of literature for young readers. Whether you’re thinking about writing your first children’s book or a seasoned children’s author, these workshops will provide insights on the best practices and possibilities of the business of contemporary children’s and young adult literature.
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Monday, January 29, 2024
6:00 pm ET
ONLINE

Join PEN America and the Florida Freedom to Read Project to hear about the state of censorship efforts in K-12 public education and how recent and proposed Florida legislation undermine our public education system. Featuring PEN America's Freedom to Read Program Director Kasey Meehan and PEN America's Florida Director Katie Blankenship.
Learn More ([link removed])
PEN READS


** Dialogue in Divided Times
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Last month, we gathered to discuss one of our foremost - and most difficult - missions: dialogue across difference during times of conflict. Our Annual General Meeting, Conversation Amid Crisis: Sustaining Dialogue in Divided Times, featured writer Zaina Arafat; journalist and translator Yair Rosenberg; journalist, editor, and cultural critic Judith Shulevitz; writer and former Director of the Arab-Israeli Project at the International Crisis Group Nathan Thrall; and author, lawyer, and equity advocate Kenji Yoshino.

See the recap and watch the conversation >> ([link removed])


** The PEN Ten: Hisham Matar
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In this week’s PEN Ten, 2017 PEN/Jean Stein Book Award winner Hisham Matar talks about his third and latest novel about life in exile, My Friends, the figure of the writer, and the “emotional country” that friendship becomes when you cannot return home.

Read the interview >> ([link removed])
PEN SPEAKS
* Omaid Sharifi, senior manager of Protection Programs for the Artists at Risk Connection, wrote that Afghan artists have been categorically persecuted as the Taliban’s brutal oppression has relentlessly sought to eradicate creative expression. (The Hill ([link removed]) )

* Jonathan Friedman, director of Free Expression Programs, spoke about the resignations of Harvard President Claudine Gay and University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill after their appearance before Congress. (SRF television ([link removed]) )

* Ann Patchett shares biting response to Florida ban on two of her novels (The Tennessean ([link removed]) )

* Freedom to Learn Program Director Jeremy C. Young and Jeffrey Adam Sachs write about an emerging legislative agenda from supporters of educational censorship: going after the institutions and practices that make academic freedom possible. (Insider Higher Ed ([link removed] ) )

* Free Expression and Education Manager Kristen Shahverdian was interviewed about the free speech debate after the resignation of Harvard’s Claudine Gay. (Voice of America ([link removed]) )

* PEN America’s Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) shared their vision for developing a culture of safety (ARC Newsletter ([link removed]) )

WHAT WE'RE READING
* Genocide in My Classroom (The Wall Street Journal ([link removed]) )

* The Right is Winning Its War on Schools (The New Republic ([link removed]) )

* Opinion: Universities and corporations should have the right to remain silent (Washington Post ([link removed]) )

* Journalist Masha Gessen discusses the backlash for criticizing Israel (NPR ([link removed]) )

* How Republicans are weaponizing antisemitism to take down DEI (Vox ([link removed]) )

* ‘I’ve been called groomer, pervert, creep’: teachers and banned authors on fighting this year’s ‘ed scare’ (The Guardian ([link removed]) )


** "They have the baby and give the baby up for adoption, just like they tell us to in the state of Florida. I would think this book would be required reading."
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** - Ann Patchett on her book The Patron Saint of Liars, banned in Orange County, Florida
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TRENDING @ PENAMERICA

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Ann Patchett had two books among the nearly 700 banned from schools in Orange County, Florida, and SHE HAD THOUGHTS. It’s another disastrous outcome of Florida’s laws restricting “sexual content.”

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PEN America- Washington, DC:
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PEN America- Los Angeles:
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