Hosted by comedian, author, producer, and actor Murray Hill, known for HBO's Somebody Somewhere, the 2026 PEN America Literary Awards Ceremony honors and celebrates remarkable literature, along with the writers, translators, editors, and publishers who made these stories come to life. The evening features dynamic presenters and performers including Booker Prize-winning novelist Marlon James, MS Now anchor Ali Velshi, actress Emmy Rossum, Tony award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang, and singer, actor, and activist Amber Iman in a show that's as irrepressibly energetic as the writers and writing we're honoring. The evening also pays tribute to prize-winning author Edwidge Danticat with a live performance from her unreleased novel Dèy by Broadway actress Pascale Armand. Join us as we confer nearly $350,000 in prizes and honor 50 finalists with backgrounds as varied as poet laureates, environmental scientists, debut authors, and established literary voices.
