Category: Today In Books

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Flatiron Books.

The Phobics Are Still At It

Vice President Mike Pence’s wife Karen Pence started teaching at Immanuel Christian School, a school that bans LGBTQ+ students and staff. In response, The Trevor Project sent the school 100 copies of A Day In The Life of Marlon Bundo, a children’s book about a boy bunny who loves a boy bunny. In full-circle, A Day In The Life of Marlon Bundo was created by John Oliver in response to the original book Marlon Bundo’s Day in the Life of the Vice President, which was written by Charlotte Pence and illustrated by Karen Pence.

The 2019 Tournament Of Books Brackets Are Here

Look at all these awesome books forced to fight each other! But seriously, if you want to play along here are the brackets and the showdown begins March 6th, so there’s plenty of time to send all the best juju you have to your favorite book.

$2.2 Million!

That’s how much the philanthropic institution, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has given to the Academy of American Poets in two grants. “The funds will enable the work of several poets serving in civic Poets Laureate positions, and of more than 20 poetry organizations who comprise a national Poetry Coalition.”

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo and the Grishaverse.

According To The Free Library of Philadelphia, Ebooks Are Budget Draining

There seems to be a clash brewing between libraries and publishers where library workers feel publishers aren’t pricing eBooks fairly. The options currently are: Metered access, which is based on a short time period or specific number of checkouts before the book must be purchased again, or perpetual license, which is priced significantly higher than the print edition.

A+E Studios Will Be Bringing The YA Adaptations

A+E Studios has partnered with Swoon Reads to adapt its titles to film and TV. Swoon Reads is unique in that they let readers select which books get published and have a say in the process, like voting on the cover and title. And, keeping with that model, it looks like your feedback can help get your favorites adapted! Cool, cool.

In Sad News

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mary Oliver has passed away at 83. Oliver, who had more than 15 poetry/essay collections, was especially celebrated for her love of nature and animals. “One of her favorite adjectives was ‘perfect,’ and rarely did she apply it to people.” May we recommend you read Devotions and shed some tears with us.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by The Red Address Book by Sofia Lundberg.

The Power Of Twitter

The Portland Press Herald was cutting regional book reviews that were locally written. That was until Stephen King tweeted his dismay and the paper challenged that if he could get them 100 subscribers they’d reverse their decision. He did and they did, so for now the book reviews live on another day.

Atria Launches New Imprint

Signal Press, headed by Julia Cheiffetz, will publish books about our current social and political injustices, and has already been busy at work having acquired 11 books. A couple of the forthcoming titles are How to Raise a Boy: Rethinking Gender in America After #Metoo by Emma Brown and Ida B the Queen by Michelle Duster.

Move Over Fifty Shades Of Grey

Literally. Michelle Obama has broken Fifty Shades‘ streak of holding the #1 spot on Amazon’s best-selling books with her memoir Becoming.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by our Unusual Suspects giveaway of $100 to the bookstore of your choice!

The Hunt For Millions Of Books Stolen By Nazis

The millions of books stolen during WWII by Nazis are still being tracked down, albeit quietly. But now, thanks to the internet, newly opened archives, and libraries making the search a priority, there may finally be more headway made. “Given the scope of the looting, the task ahead remains mountainous. In Berlin, for example, at the Central and Regional Library, almost a third of the 3.5 million books are suspected to have been looted by the Nazis, according to Sebastian Finsterwalder, a provenance researcher there.”

The Next Spider-Man Looks AMAZING!

Spider-Man: Far From Home will hit theaters July 5th and, until then, we are just going to be watching this trailer on a loop.

The T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry Goes To

*Drum roll* Hannah Sullivan for Three Poems! This is only the third time in twenty-five years that a debut collection has won. You can click on over here to read more about Sullivan and her poetry.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by No Stone Unturned by Julie Moffett, published by Carina Press.

This Was Not Where I Thought This Newsletter Was Going

The fantasy author Sherrilyn Kenyon emailed out a newsletter to fans that started like a rundown on life events and then took a very dark turn as she revealed she thinks her husband had been trying to poison her, her report to police, and the lawsuit she’s filed.

Libraries Are The Best

If you’re a member of the Los Angeles Public Library and find yourself wanting to learn to play the ukulele you’re in luck! You can check out a kit that includes the case, chord book, tuner, and of course ukulele from 16 branches. Get your ukulele on–or something.

Game Of Thrones Is Coming

If you’re waiting for the final season, it’ll be here soon. HBO just released a teaser and the date that the eighth season will premiere: April 14th.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by our Unusual Suspects giveaway of $100 to the bookstore of your choice!

Samuel Beckett Almost Missed Out on the Nobel

The Swedish Academy keeps their committee notes sealed for fifty years. And that’s how, in 2019, we’re finding out that 1969 Nobel laureate in Literature Samuel Beckett nearly missed the cut.

Choose Your Own Adv—

—nope, not gonna finish that phrase. Because the CYOA people are hella litigious. They’re coming after Netflix in response to the popular Netflix show Bandersnatch.

Name That Animal

Buzzfeed says it takes a genius to fill in the animal blanks in this book title quiz. How soon can I expect my Mensa card in the mail?

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by our Unusual Suspects giveaway of $100 to the bookstore of your choice!

You Can Thank Young Chinese Readers For The Reading Rise In 2018

A new report from Alibaba, Chinese e-commerce, used data from its platforms and found that the number of Chinese readers increased by close to 30 million–whoa! It also found that the majority of readers were born in the 1990s and 2000s. The children are the future, of course. Read on here for reading habit insights.

Audio Clips Being Added To PW Reviews

Want to read a review for a book and hear a sample of the audiobook at the same time? Looks like Publishers Weekly will be doing just that, starting with titles from Penguin Random House since they gave PW access to more than 8,000 audiobook samples.

This Pennsylvania Coffee Shop Is All About Harry Potter

Muggles Mug Coffee Shop offers HP-themed drinks, vegan, gluten-free, and traditional pastries, and you can enjoy your treats while watching a Harry Potter film. If you’re planning a trip you can find this magical coffee shop at 79 Broadway, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by The NOVL.

You’ve Probably Seen One Of His Book Sculptures Uncredited On Social Media

Mike Stilkey is the artist behind the stacks of books painted with scenes of people or animals with a bit of whimsy. The books are donated by libraries that would otherwise be throwing away or destroying the books. Click over for lots of gorgeous book sculptures and a link to his Instagram where you can follow his work and find out if he’ll ever be creating in a library near you.

Look At These Helpers

Here’s a nice piece about NYC Books Through Bars, a NY base collective that reads inmates’ requests for books, via letters, and sends them the books. If you’re in or near New York City click through, they’re always looking for volunteers.

More Favorites Getting Adapted

It feels like every day we get to shout joy for another book or series we love getting adapted and this time it’s Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. It’ll be an eight-episode series on Netflix. Yes, we muppet-armed.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by our Unusual Suspects giveaway of $100 to the bookstore of your choice!

Exhibit Of Extensive Public Display Of Original Tolkien Material

From January 25th to May 12th New York’s Morgan Library and Museum will use “the collections of the Tolkien Archive at the Bodleian Library (Oxford), Marquette University Libraries (Milwaukee), the Morgan, and private lenders” to exhibit the most extensive public showing of original Tolkien work. Click here for a nice video, pretty pictures, and a listing of items that will be exhibited.

Europa Launches A New Nonfiction Imprint

If you’re looking to read more translated nonfiction keep an eye on Compass, Europa’s new imprint. With the goal of 6-8 books publishing a year by 2020, they want to translate works from all over the world. Check out the first three books releasing this year here.

Sarah Michelle Gellar To Star In Psychological Thriller

Alice Feeney’s thriller Sometimes I Lie is getting the limited series treatment and Sarah Michelle Gellar just boarded as executive producer and lead. Also interesting is A Very Good Production, Ellen Degeneres’ production company, is executive producing, which is the first thriller and limited series for her company.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by our Unusual Suspects giveaway of $100 to the bookstore of your choice!

Game Of Thrones Prequel Gets Cast And Director

So we still don’t have a title but we do have the cast and the director–SJ Clarkson, who you may know for her work on Orange Is the New Black, Dexter, Bates Motel, and the pilot for Jessica Jones. Click here to look at a lot of beautiful faces.

Nebraska Governor Refuses To Sign A Proclamation Honoring Author

The Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts is refusing to honor Ted Genoways, whose novel This Blessed Earth was selected for this year’s One Book, One Nebraska honor. Ricketts reason is Genoways has been outspoken against our current administration. Here’s Genoways Facebook post.

More Smooching Coming

Harlequin has a new agreement with Brain Power Studio, which ultimately means there will be more romance film adaptations. While you wait for those, here are the movies they’ve already created: A Very Country Christmas, My Perfect Romance, A Very Country Wedding, and the upcoming After the Storm. *Gets lip balm ready*