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PEN America

@penamerica.bsky.social

15K followers 280 following 1.1K posts

We stand at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect open expression in the U.S. and worldwide. Support and learn more at pen.org.

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · Jan 24

PEN America responds to action taken today by the Department of Education dismissing complaints about book bans and referring to them as a “hoax”:

"All students deserve to see themselves and the world around them reflected in the books shelved within their public schools.“ pen.org/press-releas...

PEN America Criticizes "Alarming" and "Dismissive" Language on Book Bans by U.S. Education Department - PEN America

Kasey Meehan, director, Freedom to Read, at PEN America, said: "For over three years we have countered rhetoric that book bans occurring in public schools are a “hoax.” They are absolutely not. This k...

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PEN International @peninternational.bsky.social · 11h

#USA: We join @penamerica.bsky.social in expressing outrage at the deportation of journalist Mario Guevara to El Salvador, a country he fled 20 years ago because of threats tied to his reporting.

pen.org/press-releas...

@penamericas.bsky.social

Journalist Mario Guevara’s Deportation Signals Growing Threats to Press Freedom

Grave assault on press freedom with deportation of journalist Mario Guevara who has covered immigration issues in the U.S. for twenty years

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 4h

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 4h

We are relieved by news that the Israeli authorities have released photojournalist and writer Shahidul Alam, following his detention alongside other journalists and medics. We continue to call on Israel to allow journalists and writers into Gaza. bsky.app/profile/atri...

ARC – Artists at Risk Connection @atriskartists.bsky.social · 12h

✨ BREAKING: We are deeply relieved to confirm that photographer & writer Shahidul Alam has been released after his unlawful detention by Israeli authorities. We call for the immediate & unconditional release of all others still detained from the #FreedomFlotilla.

#ArtisticFreedom
#FreedomFlotilla

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 4h

SOLD by Patricia McCormick is a powerful bestseller that was a National Book Award Finalist & named one of the Best Books of the Year by PW and NPR.

Yet in the 2024-25 school year it was banned in 20 school districts—second only to A Clockwork Orange. More: pen.org/banned-books... #BannedBooksWeek

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 6h

Tennessee is home to just 2% of the U.S. population. But in the last school year, it accounted for 24% of all the country's school book bans, behind only Florida and Texas.

Read more: https://pen.org/report/the-normalization-of-book-banning/

#bannedbooksweek #censorshipisso1984 #freedomtoread

Infographic discussing Tennessee HB 843, outlining the act's key points, expansion, implications, and how it accelerated book bans in Tennessee, making it the third worst state for book bans, set against a backdrop image of the Tennessee State Capitol.

Infographic displaying the most banned books in Tennessee by district, including titles like 'The Bluest Eye,' 'A Clockwork Orange,' and 'The Hate U Give' among others, according to data from PEN America. All these books were banned in 4+ districts.

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 1d

Book banners say they are only targeting pornography and books with no literary merit.

Since 2021, works by more than a dozen #NobelPrizeForLiterature-winning authors have been banned in U.S. school districts.

https://pen.org/nobel-prize-winners-banned/ #BannedBooksWeek

These Authors Won the Nobel Prize for Literature, but Their Books Have Been Banned in Districts Across the Country

For countless U.S. schoolchildren, works by more than a dozen Nobel-winning authors have been banned and removed from shelves.

pen.org

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 1d

Book censorship in schools has reached a new apex, becoming a routine and expected part of school operations, particularly in states like Texas, which recorded 1,781 total bans in the 2024-25 school year.

Read more at: pen.org/report/the-n... #bannedbooksweek @txfreedomread.bsky.social

Promotional poster for Banned Books Week 2025, featuring a map of Texas filled with book covers, titled 'State of School Book Bans - Texas '25'. Includes logos for PEN America and Texas Freedom to Read.

An informational graphic about Texas House Bill 900, detailing its introduction, focus on restrictive content around sex-related standards in schools, and the vague definition of "sexually-explicit" leading to many books being removed from school libraries. The background features an image of the Texas State Capitol building. Logos for PEN America and Texas Freedom to Read are present in the upper right corner.

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 1d

PEN America: "Rather than overtly censoring reporters, the DoD’s revised policy now includes vague and troubling provisions that allow government officials to label reporters as ‘security risks’ and revoke their credentials simply for seeking information." pen.org/press-releas...

Pentagon's Revised Rules Seek to Intimidate Rather Than Overtly Censor Journalists

PEN America remains deeply concerned today about threatening protocols in place that have the goal of intimidating reporters and even would allow the government to revoke credentials by labelling a re...

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Reposted by PEN America

PEN International @peninternational.bsky.social · 1d

PEN/Opp marks #BannedBooksWeek with their latest publication Against the Grain: Writing Resistance by Shubigi Rao, a Singaporean artist, writer and filmmaker.

Read now ⬇️

penopp.org/articles/aga...

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 1d

#TBT: We were delighted to welcome László Krasznahorkai to the PEN World Voices Festival in 2014 for a master class on writing with the Irish novelist Colm Tóibín.

Hungarian novelist László Krasznahorkai, winner of the 2025 Nobel Prize for Literature, on stage at the PEN World Voices Festival in 2014 with the Irish novelist Colm Toibin.

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 1d

Congratulations as well to Krasznahorkai’s longtime translators into English John Batki, Ottilie Mulzet, & George Szirtes and his publisher New Directions on the Nobel Prize and our thanks for making his works available to American audiences.

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 1d

PEN America congratulates Hungarian novelist László Krasznahorkai on winning the 2025 Nobel Prize for Literature. A master novelist with a singular style, Krasznahorkai’s novels buffet stories of the apocalypse with profound looks at humanity, art and beauty. www.npr.org/2025/10/08/n...

László Krasznahorkai wins 2025 Nobel Prize in literature

The Hungarian writer, known for his apocalyptic works, has won the 2025 Nobel Prize in literature. He joins the ranks of Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck and Toni Morrison.

www.npr.org

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 1d

During the 2024-2025 school year, the works of the ten most commonly banned authors accounted for 13% of all book ban instances. @stephenking.bsky.social was the most banned, with 87 titles banned a total of 206 times.

Read our full report at: pen.org/report/the-n...

#bannedbooksweek #freethebooks

PEN America infographic for Banned Books Week 2025 showing Stephen King as the most banned author during the 2024-2025 school year with 87 unique titles banned, totaling 206 instances. Other authors listed include Sarah J. Maas, Jodi Picoult, Ellen Hopkins, and more, with the number of bans each received. Data from PEN America Index of School Book Bans, July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025.

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 1d

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 2d

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 2d

Speak Out for Books!

Here's How to Testify Against Book Ban Bills https://pen.org/how-to-testify-against-book-ban-bills/ #BannedBooksWeek #CensorshipIsSo1984

How to Testify Against Book Ban Bills: Preparation and a Strong Argument

Be prepared, stay composed, and make an undeniable, bipartisan argument about why book bans in any form are a poor policy choice.

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 2d

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Katarzyna Burzyńska @prof-burzynska.bsky.social · 2d

I added some of these books to my reading lists. #ReadBannedBooks

PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 2d

Anyone who's read George Orwell knows #CensorshipIsSo1984.

This #BannedBooksWeek, we're asking you to do more than #ReadBannedBooks.

Could we suggest a $5 donation to PEN America for every one of the books you've read on our "Banned Books Bingo Card"?

Please donate now at: pen.org/2025-support...

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 2d

We applaud Rep. Raskin, Senator Schatz and all of the co-sponsors for their continued commitment to protecting the freedom to read and access to literature. (2/2)

PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 2d

A #BannedBooksWeek resolution, endorsed by PEN America, highlighting the pervasiveness of book bans across the country was introduced today by @raskin.house.gov (D-MD-8) and Senator Brian @schatz.bsky.social (D-HI). pen.org/press-releas... (1/2)

Banned Books Week Congressional Resolution Calls on Local Governments and School Districts to Protect the Freedom to Read

Congressional resolution today called on local governments and school districts to defend the freedom to read while 35 advocacy organizations signed a joint letter that calls for public action against...

pen.org

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Reposted by PEN America

PEN International @peninternational.bsky.social · 2d

For all those attending Frankfurt Book Fair next week, join PEN International, the Young Writers Committee, and the Tomorrow Club for a panel discussion on the future of writing and free expression.

#fbm25 @youngwriterspen.bsky.social

RSVP link: forms.office.com/pages/respon...

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Richard Blanco @poetrichardblanco.bsky.social · 2d

This #BannedBooksWeek, I’m standing with @penamerica.bsky.social and the American Library Association to protect the stories that shape us. Every book banned is a voice silenced, a perspective lost, a thread cut from our shared tapestry. Join the fight for our FREADOM pen.org/dont-censor-...

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Bucks County Beacon @buckscountybeacon.com · 2d

"Never before has access to so many stories been stolen from so many children." We continue our #BannedBooksWeek coverage with @penamerica.bsky.social's Sabrina Baêta. She joins Editor @cmychalejko.bsky.social to discuss PEN's new report "The Normalization of Book Banning." LISTEN: bit.ly/3KHHVXy

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DrAnnD @drannd.bsky.social · 2d

#BannedBooksWeek, Day 3

@penamerica.bsky.social continues to gather essential data about book bans in public schools. Their newest report: pen.org/report/the-n...

Show up at a school board meeting, insist that teachers and librarians are the experts on book selection. All kids need diverse books.

Four stacks of books with the titles facing out, black bars are through the titles. The words above the stacks: 22,810 instances of books banned in US public schoosl, 2021-2025.

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 2d

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