Jennifer Clement is a poet and novelist whose books have been translated into 30 languages, and the first woman president of PEN International. She lives in Mexico City. In this exclusive interview with SMA Podcast, Clement talks about her novel Prayers for the Stolen; her memoir Widow Basquiat (chosen by NPR as the best book of 2014); her human rights activism (she led a successful campaign in Mexico to make it a federal crime to murder a journalist, and has been a forceful advocate for women’s rights and free expression); and the special alchemy that a poet brings to the art of novel writing; among other topics.

This interview took place on July 3, 2020, at the San Miguel Playhouse. It was conducted by Fredric Dannen and recorded by Gerardo Charreton.

Doug Robinson provided the theme music.