Six writers withdrew Sunday from hosting next month’s PEN American Center annual gala following the organization’s decision to honor French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. The PEN American Center is giving its Freedom of Expression Courage award to the Paris-based publication, which lost 12 people in an attack on its offices in January. Peter Carey, Michael Ondaatje, Francine Prose, Teju Cole, Rachel Kushner, and Taiye Selasi say they have declined to attend the gala because they were offended by the newspaper’s portrayals of Muslims and “the disenfranchised generally.”
