Aisha Tyler to host PEN Awards with appearance by Amy Poehler

The PEN literary awards celebrate many things: People who write under threat of danger, West Coast authors of outstanding books, significant screenwriters and longtime literary figures. Held at the Beverly Hills Hotel each fall, the annual awards ceremony is the most glamorous of Los Angeles’ literary events.

And the glamour — and humor — factor has been upped this year, with Aisha Tyler serving as host for the first time. Tyler is an actor (“Archer”), comedian, television host (“Whose Line Is It Anyway?”) and podcaster (“Girl on Guy”); she is the author of an essay collection and the memoir “Self-Inflicted Wounds.”

She’ll get a helping hand on the stage from Amy Poehler, who will present a lifetime achievement award to television writer and producer Norman Lear. Poehler, star of “Parks and Recreation” and “Saturday Night Live,” is an author-to-be: her book “Yes, Please” will be published Oct. 28.

The Pen dinner is a night designed to celebrate writers and their work; the winners of the prizes are announced in advance.

The First Amendment Award goes to Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras; writer and activist Jose Antonio Vargas will receive the Freedom to Write Award.

Creative Nonfiction: Gretel Ehrlich for “Facing The Wave”
Drama: Octavio Solis for “Se Llama Cristina”
Fiction: Lindsay Hill for “Sea Of Hooks”
Journalism: Craig Malisow for “Deadly Charades”
Poetry: Victoria Chang for “The Boss”
Research Nonfiction: Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis for “Dallas 1963”
Screenplay: Ben Coccio for “The Place Beyond the Pines”
Teleplay: Judd Apatow and Lena Dunham for the “Together” episode of “Girls”
Translation: Wayne A. Rebhorn for “The Decameron”
Young Adult/Children: Margarita Engle for “The Lighting Dreamer, Cuba’s Greatest Abolitionist”

Two additional awards to be presented, whose recipients have not yet been announced, are in the Graphic Literature category and the organization’s Award of Honor. Winners of all the awards will get prizes of $1,000.

The Pen Awards will be held Nov. 11. Tickets for members are $225; for the general public, $400 and up.

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