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Debut Stories Win Major PEN/Faulkner Award
7 Apr
Summary
- Mahreen Sohail's debut collection won the PEN/Faulkner Award.
- The book spans diverse settings from campuses to war zones.
- Sohail worked for a decade to map women's independence.
Mahreen Sohail's debut collection of short stories, "Small Scale Sinners," has been honored with the PEN/Faulkner Award for fiction. The collection features stories set in a wide array of locations, ranging from academic environments to harrowing training camps for child soldiers.
The PEN/Faulkner Awards Committee praised the book's "sharp and striking prose," noting its ability to encompass the breadth of human experience within its pages. The stories delve into desire, rage, love, and loss, revealing the complex inner lives of individuals.
Sohail, who hails from Pakistan and currently resides in Washington, D.C., stated that she dedicated a decade to writing "Small Scale Sinners." Her intention was to explore and map out the potential paths for independent women navigating the world.
As the recipient of this esteemed award, Sohail will receive a $15,000 prize. The PEN/Faulkner Award has a distinguished history, having previously recognized acclaimed authors such as Philip Roth and Ann Patchett.
