Novelist Ian McEwan has defended free speech in an address to students at a US college, criticising the authors who pulled out of a PENSupported by eminent writers, this is the English branch of International Pen, which has centres in nearly 100 countries. It fights for freedom of expression and against political censorship. It campaigns for writers harassed, imprisoned and sometimes murdered for their views. http://www.englishpen.org/ event that honoured the Charlie Hebdo journalists.
Speaking at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania earlier this week, McEwan said freedom of expression "sustains all the other freedoms we enjoy".
'I'm very reassuringly honest'
‘My settings of Europe and English visitors weren't really doing it for them, so we decided Scotland would be good. I thought an island would be great, because it's a small community, and it's an opportunity for my main character to get away from it all. The team at HarperCollins have been so supportive and enthusiastic... Read more