Globally, political and cultural forces are aligning to narrowly define national identities. Surging book bans, the outlawing of languages, the erasure of histories from official records, and the censorship of words increasingly limit who belongs and delineate who is other. Literature subverts that.
For the festival’s closing night event, PEN America President Dinaw Mengestu will convene prominent international writers to discuss how literature champions a diversity of cultures and reflects the multiple heritages, customs, and traditions we all carry. Joining Mengestu in this vital conversation are Tash Aw (The South), Susan Choi (Flashlight), Patricia Smith (The Intentions of Thunder), and Madeleine Thien (The Book of Records).
