Baldacci Named PEN/Faulkner Literary Champion
Author David Baldacci has been named the 2024 PEN/Faulkner Literary Champion to recognize “a lifetime of devoted literary advocacy and a commitment to inspiring new generations of readers and writers.”
PEN/Faulkner executive director Gwydion Suilebhan said,
David Baldacci, whose novels have captivated millions of readers worldwide, has been a paragon of service to the literary community… PEN/Faulkner is dedicated to the idea that fiction creates empathy within and among communities and advances civil discourse, and Baldacci’s devoted philanthropic work in promoting literacy has ensured that countless Americans have access to those possibilities.”
Baldacci said,
Like most writers, I was greatly influenced from an early age by books… Books take us out of our comfort zones, and encourage us to see the world from other perspectives. Reading increases empathy—perhaps the finest of all human qualities—and the ability to read is a powerful tool against homelessness, hunger, and poverty. Thus, when someone tells you that books are magical, believe them. I am thrilled and honored to accept this award from PEN/Faulkner, an organization that stands for everything I believe in about the miraculous power of words.
Baldacci will be honored along with the PEN/Faulkner Award winner and finalists at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library in Washington DC on May 2024. For more information, see the PEN/Faulkner website.
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