15 Lafayette Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Ben Okri’s novel, The Freedom Artist, creates a dystopia where books no longer exist, bookstores have been decimated, reading is strictly forbidden, and literacy is an imaginary skill. This allegorical story manages to maintain optimism while observing how gravely freedom and justice are threatened in a post-truth society. Join us for a powerful reading by this Booker Prize-winner, set to live music by the West African kora player Yacouba Sissoko. Okri’s words tell us about the dangers of manipulating national myths to fit present circumstances, the effects of power corrupting narratives of national history at large, and the power of myth to restore reason in spite of apparent political and cultural unease. Hosted by Anderson Tepper.
This event has been cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak. Please stay tuned for updates about future PEN World Voices Festival programming.
Event Sponsors
