2019 PEN World Voices Festival: Desi Lit Rising

PEN America

Against a backdrop of war, religious strife, and post-colonial conflict, Pakistani writers are producing some of the most dramatically potent, humorous, and imaginative stories published today. Mohammed Hanif, who proved himself a master of satire with A Case of Exploding Mangoes, returns this year with Red Birds, laying bare the absurdities wrought by war and the West’s engagement with Pakistan. H.M. Naqvi follows his critically acclaimed debut Home Boy with The Selected Works of Abdullah the Cossack, a wry and inventive novel that channels the cosmopolitan charm and creative energy of Karachi. Join us as these accomplished authors talk to author, critic, and editor John Freeman about Pakistani writing today and the county’s burgeoning literary output.