The PEN Pod

The PEN Pod

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The PEN Pod episodes

  • Behind the Decision Desk: A Conversation with AP, CNN, and Fox News

    On this special edition, we bring you a conversation among the top decision desk editors from AP, CNN, and Fox News. Ray Suarez moderates our #WhatToExpect2020 roundtable with Sally Buzbee, Senior Vice President and Executive Editor, The Associated Press; David Scott, Deputy Managing Editor, The Associated Press; Arnon Mishkin, Decision Desk Director, Fox News; Dana Blanton, Head of Public Opinion Research, Fox News; Sam Feist, Washington Bureau Chief and Senior Vice President, CNN; and Jennifer Agiesta, Politics Polling Director, CNN

    1 hr 14 min
  • Lisa Jewell and Invisible Girl

    Author Lisa Jewell joins The PEN Pod today to discuss her latest thriller Invisible Girl, out in the U.S. today. The novel explores the disappearance of a young woman and the dark corners of incel culture. Our Gina Chung has that conversation.

    17 min
  • Bill Konigsberg and The Bridge

    On this edition of The PEN Pod, our Gina Chung in conversation with young adult author Bill Konigsberg. He reflects on his latest novel, what it means to openly reckon with mental illness, and how this book served as a kind of second coming out for him.

    15 min
  • K-Ming Chang and Bestiary

    Writer and recently named "Five Under 35" author K-Ming Chang talks about her debut novel BESTIARY with PEN America's Gina Chung. They dive into the book's multi-generational tale of Taiwanese American women, and how myth making and family shape our lives. Plus, a quick listen of a new video from PEN America as part of #WhatToExpect2020.

    19 min
  • Tina Vasquez and Movement Journalism

    Today's episode of The PEN Pod explores movement journalism, which seeks to center the people, places, and ideas often left out of mainstream coverage. Journalist Tina Vasquez explores the pressures of journalism right now with PEN America's Gina Chung.

    16 min
  • Homeland Elegies and Ayad Akhtar; Plus Resistance in Belarus

    It's publication day for Pulitzer winner and incoming PEN America president Ayad Akhtar. He talks about his new book, Homeland Elegies, which launches tonight at a special virtual PEN Out Loud conversation with Ben Rhodes. He discusses the blurred lines between fact and fiction, American decay, and the challenges he sees on the horizon. Then, we check in with PEN America's own Polina Sadovskaya about the situation in Belarus, including the condition of a group of our colleagues from PEN Belarus

    25 min

About The PEN Pod

From the publisher's feed

As an organization that's all about the literary community, PEN America knows that the ongoing health crisis is hitting our Members and friends particularly hard. The PEN Pod is meant to provide regular updates and conversations about literature and free expression, and provide an outlet for literary celebration as in-person events remain few and far between.