Jennifer Clement

Is perhaps best known for her novels, including Prayers for the Stolen, which was made into an Oscar-nominated film; A True Story Based on Lies; The Poison That Fascinates; and Gun Love; she has also written several poetry books.

Jennifer also wrote the acclaimed memoir Widow Basquiat about the New York City art scene in the early 1980’s and the painter Jean-Michel Basquiat, which NPR named best book of 2015. Her newest book, The Promised Party is a prequel to Widow Basquiat. Her books have been translated into 38 languages and have received numerous international awards.

She is also known for her humanitarian work. She is President Emerita of PEN International, the human rights and freedom of expression organization, and the only woman to hold the office of President since the organization’s founding over 100 years ago. Under her leadership, the groundbreaking PEN International Women’s Manifesto and The Democracy of the Imagination Manifesto were created. In her previous role as President of PEN Mexico (2009-2012), she was instrumental in changing the law to make the killing of journalists a federal crime.  As one reviewer put it, Jennifer Clement has lived “a life like no other, and made of it a shimmering mosaic, a masterpiece, with an artist’s eye and a poet’s pen….”