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An invaluable anthology. . . . The individuals in this anthology . . . tell stories so vital and impassioned that we are moved to become lecteurs engags, moved not merely by their writing but by their courage and conviction of the their lives.
—BookForum

As an act of commemoration, as well as a sobering reminder of the world in which writers are frequently — and all too easily—silenced, this is an exceptional anthology.
—Publishers Weekly

A sobering look at what happens when freedom of speech completely disintegrates.—Feminist Review

Some of the prose is sparse, testifying to the economy of writers hurried by the threat of discovery; other pieces are rich with the care of dazzling minds left with no company but words.
—Utne Reader

The selections make clear that many countries not ordinarily thought of as authoritarian are nevertheless not really safe for free expression. A compelling and worthwhile purchase; recommended for all libraries.
—Library Journal

PEN acts as the voice and conscience of everyone who cares about literature. In telling their stories, the incredible writers in this collection uncover some of the worlds darker corners. This extraordinary book shows us once again why literature matters.
—Antonia Fraser, author of Marie Antoinette: The Journey

I defy readers not to be profoundly moved by this splendid anthology. But I have no doubt they will also be stirred by the extraordinary courage of all these writers to triumph over injustice and cruelty. This book is an inspiration.
—Ronald Harwood, Oscar-winning screenwriter of The Pianist; author of the play The Dresser

Engrossing. Reza Barahenis piece is simply electric and others, such as Ken Saro-Wiwas letters, deeply moving. More than anything the collection stands as a testament of courage and a clarion call to recognize free expression for what it really is — a basic human right.
—Monica Ali, author of Brick Lane

This anthology is essential reading for anyone who has ever been moved by the written word. The authors of these pieces have one thing in common. They have all been coerced into not writing. This means that not only do they have powerful stories to tell, but that when, thanks very often to the work of organizations like PEN, they are eventually allowed to tell them, the result is spare, powerful writing, which jolts and challenges our prejudices and assumptions.
—Michael Palin, author of numerous travel books, including Around the World in 80 Days

The freedom to write is under threat today throughout the world, with more than 1,000 writers, journalists, and publishers known to be imprisoned or persecuted in more than 100 countries. Writers Under Siege bears witness to the power and danger of the pen, and to the powerful longing for the right to use it without fear. Collected here are fifty contributions by writers who have paid dearly for the privilege of writing. Some have been tortured; some have been killed. All understand the cost of speaking up and speaking out.

This book was prepared by PEN, which is both the worlds oldest human rights organization and the oldest international literary organization. It commemorates PENs eighty-fifth anniversary and celebrates PENs work by giving voice to persecuted writers from around the globe. The contributors come from more than twenty countries, from Belarus to Zimbabwe. Many are well-known in the English-speaking world, including Orhan Pamuk, from Turkey, winner of the 2006 Nobel Prize for Literature; Harold Pinter, from England, winner of the 2005 Nobel Prize for Literature; Aung San Suu Kyi, from Burma, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize; and Anna Politkovskaya, from Russia, the noted journalist and author who was murdered in 2006, shortly after writing the piece that appears in this collection. Other contributors are less famous, perhaps, but their contributions are no less compelling. In prose and poetry, in fiction and non-fiction, they reveal the personal consequences of war, conflict, terrorism, and authoritarianism.

While the pieces collected here differ in their settings and their subjects, all are riveting. Grouped into four sections — Prison, Death, Asylum, and The Freedom to Write — they call our attention to the fundamental humanity we share and highlight the inhumanity we can so easily condone.

Contributors include: Chris Abani, Angel Cuadra Landrove, Asiye Guzel, Augusto Ernesto Llosa Giraldo, Mamadali Makhmudov, Orhan Pamuk, Harold Pinter, Anna Politkovskaya, Aung San Suu Kyi, Thich Tue Sy, Gai Tho, and Ken Saro-Wiwa.

Lucy Popescu has worked with PENs Writers in Prison Committee for more than fifteen years. She writes a regular column for Literary Review.

Carole Seymour-Jones is Chair of PENs Writers in Prison Committee. She is the author of Painted Shadow: The Life of Vivienne Eliot, First Wife of T.S. Eliot.

Tom Stoppard is a playwright. Among his many plays are Arcadia and The Real Thing.