J.K. Rowling To Receive PEN Award
PEN America is honoring J.K. Rowling with the 2016 PEN/Allen Foundation Literary Service Award at PEN America's annual Literary Gala at the American Museum of Natural History in New York on May 16. PEN will also honor Hachette Book Group CEO Michael Pietsch.
Rowling is being honored by PEN for her objections of censorship in schools, libraries, and online, and for her effort to help children, incarcerated people, the learning-disabled, women, and girls gain access to literature and the freedom of expression.
Pietsch is receiving a PEN/Allen Foundation Literary Service Award for galvanizing a PEN initiative to resist official censorship in China, for publishing Charlie Hebdo editor Charb's posthumous anti-censorship work, and for adding to the conversation about publishers' roles in the changing landscape for writers, publishers, booksellers, and readers.
PEN America, an association of more than 4,300 U.S. who defend the freedom of expression worldwide, will announce the recipients of two additional awards that will be presented at the gala in the coming weeks.
