Facing widespread unhappiness over its response to the Israel-Hamas war, the writers' group PEN America has called off its annual awards ceremony. Dozens of nominees had dropped out of the event, which was to have taken place next week.
PEN, a literary and free expression organization, hands out hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes each year, including $75,000 for the PEN/Jean Stein Award for best book. But with nine of the 10 Jean Stein finalists withdrawing, along with nominees in categories ranging from translation to poetry, continuing with the ceremony at The Town Hall in Manhattan proved unworkable.
Among those dropping out was debut novel finalist Rachel Eliza Griffiths, wife of former PEN president Salman Rushdie.
"This is a beloved event and an enormous amount of work goes into it, so we all regret this outcome but ultimately concluded it was not possible to carry out a celebration in the way we had hoped and planned," PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel said in a statement Monday.
The cancellation comes as tensions over the war have spread throughout the country, from college campuses to political events to roadways, which at times have been blocked by protesters everywhere from Illinois to California.
Controversy Surrounding PEN's Response to Palestinian Writers
Amidst the ongoing conflict, authors associated with PEN have criticized the organization for allegedly showing bias towards Israel and downplaying the struggles of Palestinian writers and journalists. A group of writers, including prominent figures like Naomi Klein and Lorrie Moore, penned an open letter last month accusing PEN of failing to provide significant support to Palestinians and not staying true to its mission of promoting peace and equality.
In response, PEN has highlighted its condemnation of the loss of life in Gaza, its calls for a ceasefire, and the establishment of a $100,000 emergency fund for Palestinian writers. Jennifer Finney Boylan, the President of PEN America, announced the formation of a committee to review the organization's actions over the past decade and ensure alignment with its mission.
However, critics argue that the relief fund is insufficient and question why PEN took five months to endorse a ceasefire since the war's commencement in October.
Noteworthy finalists for the Stein Prize included Justin Torres' "Blackouts," the recipient of the National Book Award for fiction, and Catherine Lacey's "Biography of X." In a gesture honoring the late author and oral historian Jean Stein, the prize money will be donated to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund.
"Jean Stein's legacy lives on through her unwavering support for Palestinian rights and her dedication to uplifting Palestinian writers and artists," stated Katrina Vanden Heuvel, Wendy Vanden Heuvel, and Bill Clegg on behalf of the Stein estate. "Although she initiated the PEN America award to recognize and assist writers of exceptional literary merit, we believe she would have understood and honored the decision of the writers who have withdrawn from consideration this year."
One of the last contenders for the Stein award, Camille T. Dungy's "Soil," is no longer in the running.
PEN revealed on Monday the chosen winners, including Javier Fuentes' "Countries of Origin" for the debut novel category, receiving the PEN/Hemingway award. Tony Kushner, the playwright and screenwriter, will still be honored with the PEN/Mike Nichols Writing for Performance Award. Additionally, the late Maryse Condé will posthumously receive the PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature.
Several authors have demanded the resignation of Nossel and other senior figures. In an Instagram post, Lacey emphasized the need for PEN to "usher in a new era by implementing significant changes in leadership." Over a dozen finalists for the awards supported a recent letter calling for the stepping down of Nossel, Boylan, and others, citing PEN's failure to adhere to their shared principles.
A spokesperson for PEN stated that the organization currently has no intention of addressing the calls for resignations.
PEN's other high-profile spring events — the "World Voices" festivals in New York and Los Angeles, and the gala at the American Museum of Natural History — will go ahead as scheduled. Klein and Moore are among the writers who have said they will not attend the World Voices festival, which Rushdie helped establish 20 years ago. Rushdie and other former PEN presidents, including Jennifer Egan and Andrew Solomon, had recently published a letter urging the literary community to participate in the festival.
"The festival was conceived amid conflict to draw together diverse authors and thinkers at a time of deepening and deadly geopolitical tension after 9/11," the letter reads in part.
"We believe in PEN America and the festival and urge that, even at a time of discord, readers and writers will once again find a way to come together to jointly quest for insight and inspiration."
