Writers who pulled out of gala over Hebdo award quickly replaced

Neil Gaiman, Art Spiegelman, and Alison Bechdel are among writers who have agreed to be table hosts at the PEN American Center gala on Tuesday, replacing those who dropped out to protest the presentation of the group’s “freedom of expression courage award” to the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Last month, six writers, including Peter Carey, Rachel Kushner and Teju Cole withdrew from the gala, citing what they considered Charlie Hebdo’s cultural intolerance and Islamophobia. In an article in The Times on Saturday, PEN’s president, Andrew Solomon, and executive director, Suzanne Nossel, responded, saying that Charlie Hebdo’s valour lies not in the sometimes offensive nature of their cartoons mocking the Prophet Muhammad and other targets, but “in their dauntless fortitude patrolling the outer precincts of free speech.” The New York Times