NEW YORK, NY.- Sixty-one of America’s greatest writers and fourteen world-renowned artists have annotated their own classic works for an auction to benefit PEN American Center, the largest branch of PEN International, the world’s only writers’ association dedicated to protecting free expression.

First Editions/Second Thoughts (FEST), an auction of one-of-a-kind books and works of art to be held December 2 at Christie’s New York, is expected to raise substantial funds to support PEN's mission to defend freedom of expression and to celebrate the literature that such freedom makes possible. The full collection of annotated works will be on public view at Christie’s starting November 17.

The Auction will provide bidders with the opportunity to engage in an intimate and private conversation with some of their favorite authors and artists. Through annotations including notes, essays, drawings, photographs, letters to the reader, and inserted memorabilia, each contributor has transformed a first edition of a classic work into a distinct new artifact for one lucky buyer.

“For the first time in my life, I wrote what I felt was kind of an intimate letter to a stranger,” said Paul Auster, who annotated City of Glass (1985) for the Auction. “I can say that it was probably the most bizarre act of writing I’ve ever been involved in. But I believe in PEN ardently, so any time I have a chance to help, I want to.”

Among the sixty-one authors who have contributed to the collection are Philip Roth, who volunteered to annotate both Portnoy’s Complaint (1969) and American Pastoral (1997); Don DeLillo, who added notes and reflections to nearly half of Underworld’s (1997) 827 pages; Patti Smith, who completed her annotation of Just Kids (2010) on the 25th anniversary of Robert Mapplethorpe’s death with an early, handwritten draft of ‘Wild Leaves’; Robert A. Caro, who revisited The Power Broker (1974) for the first time in forty years; Michael Cunningham, who included a CD of the music he listened to while first drafting The Hours (1998); and Gillian Flynn, who added new insights to Gone Girl (2012), which was released as a major motion picture this fall.

“These annotations are so personal and so revealing – they offer a window into the mind and soul of each writer and artist, and are instant artifacts of this moment in American literary and art history,” said Suzanne Nossel, Executive Director of PEN American Center. “We were incredibly touched by the hours, days, and weeks that so many poured into the task of annotating – going above and beyond in sharing parts of themselves that were kept private until now. Their words and actions will allow PEN to help more writers in more regions of the world who are persecuted for exercising their right to creative expression.”

PEN supporter and acclaimed New York City gallerist Sean Kelly expanded the scope of the FEST Auction by inviting fourteen artists to reimagine a monograph or significant catalogue of their work to benefit PEN. Glenn Ligon imagined a censorship regime by taking a black marker to Glenn Ligon: Neon (2012); Shirin Neshat added elaborate new drawings to Shirin Neshat: Untitled; Alec Soth seamlessly inserted ten never-before-seen c-photographs into Niagara (2006); and Richard Serra added a characteristic oil-stick drawing to the title page of his book Richard Serra 2013. Kiki Smith rendered Her Memory (2009) almost unrecognizable, creating a new work of massive, intricately folded prints and drawings that reveal themselves as the reader pages through the book.

“These seventy-five annotated books comprise a rare anthology of literary treasures,” said Steven Murphy, CEO of Christie’s International. “Each author and artist approached the task of annotation differently, creating, in effect, a brand new extraordinary artifact out of a work that was already a masterpiece. Christie’s is proud to host this historic auction and to join the dedicated community of writers and artists who support PEN American Center.”

Bidding at "First Editions, Second Thoughts: An Auction of Books and Artwork to Benefit PEN American Center" is open to the public through four channels: in person, online, by phone, and by written (absentee) bid. The full catalogue of available lots is available at Christies.com. Prospective bidders should call Christie’s New York at +1-212-636-2437 for more information about bidder preregistration.