Category: Today In Books

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by After the Fire by Will Hill.

Gather Round Fans Of Thrillers With Unlikable Women

We’re getting a podcast! Crime writers Kristen Lepionka, Layne Fargo, and Wendy Heard have created Unlikeable Female Characters: “A new podcast where feminist thriller writers talk about female characters who don’t give a damn if you like them.” It’s set to launch in a few weeks and you can follow on Twitter for more information.

Does It Feel Like You’ve Been Waiting For-EV-er For The Good Omens Adaptation?

I can’t hurry up the upcoming Amazon show, based on Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s novel, but I can give you a little nibble with a trailer!

The Swedish Academy Elects New Members

Hopefully making it functional again and bringing them closer to selecting winners for the Nobel Prize for Literature. Congrats to Eric Runesson, a Swedish supreme court judge, and Jila Mossaed, an Iranian-born novelist and poet.

And don’t forget to enter our giveaway for a custom book stamp for your personal library. Stamp all the books!

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Twisting Fate: My Journey with BRCA—from Breast Cancer Doctor to Patient and Back by Pamela N. Munster, MD.

How Much Does An 84 Year Overdue Book Cost In Library Fees?

$1,542.55. At least that’s how much it would cost at the Shreve Memorial Library in Louisiana who charges a $.05 a day late fee. Lucky for one patron they have a $3 cap because while cleaning out his mom’s house he found and returned Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters. It was checked out in 1934 and is a first edition. You can read more and find out who holds the Guinness Book Of World Records for longest overdue book.

Netflix docuseries Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat Is Almost Here!

Based on the James Beard Award-winning book by Samin Nosrat the docuseries will follow Nosrat around the world as she investigates the four elements that, “can make or break a dish.” Watch the trailer and impatiently wait until the 11th with me!

Maxine Shaw Joins Black Lightning Season 2!

Okay, the actress’ name is Erika Alexander but if you grew up loving Living Single then one of your all time favorite characters is probably Max Shaw and you’re probably as excited as me that she (the actress) will be on Black Lightning! If you’re reading this having no clue what the show is you can watch the first season, based on the superhero graphic novel, now on Netflix. It’s awesome. And season 2 starts on the CW on October 9th!

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway for a custom book stamp for your personal library stamping needs!

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by The Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke.

Jay-Z Is Adapting A YA Novel For TV

Malorie Blackman’s Noughts & Crosses is being adapted into a TV series by Jay-Z’s entertainment company Roc Nation. The novel is set in an alternative world where “the dark-skinned ruling class of the Crosses looks down on the white Noughts.” The BBC is creating the show and Roc Nation will be creating the soundtrack. So it already sounds top-notch!

The Winners Of The 2018 MacArthur ‘Genius’ Grants

Are in and it include poets, playwrights, and authors who have, “shown creativity, potential for future achievements — and the likelihood that $625,000, meted out over five years, will help them complete their grand designs.” Congrats to Natalie Diaz, John Keene, Kelly Link, Dominique Morisseau, and all the new “geniuses!”

And In Polarizing Book News

An art installation in Ann Arbor, Michigan will cover a portion of Liberty Street with 10,000 books that guests are welcome to walk on or take home. The University of Michigan’s Institute for the Humanities teamed up with Luzinterruptus, an anonymous Spain-based art collective, to create the one-night installation. Fingers crossed it doesn’t rain on October 23!

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway for a custom book stamp for your personal library stamping needs!

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by The Reckless Club by Beth Vrabel, Running Press Kids.

Barnes & Noble May Be For Sale

In the latest times-are-tough-for-B&N news, the company has said that there have been, “Expressions of interest from multiple parties in making an offer to acquire the company.” So they’ve created a formal review process. Read more about it–including how to prevent a possible hostage takeover–here.

The Hate U Give Is Offering Free Screenings

Underserved and underrepresented young adults have the opportunity to see the film adaptation of Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give Saturday, Oct. 6 at 11 a.m. The 9 participating cities are Atlanta, Ga., Baltimore, Md., Dallas, Texas, Houston, Texas, Los Angeles, Calif., Miami, Fla., New York, N.Y., Philadelphia, Pa., and Washington, DC. Schools, community groups and nonprofit organizations can apply for free screenings at screenings.thehateugive.com.

Circe Has Been Optioned For A TV Show

Madeline Miller, the author of Circe, announced on Instagram that she was returning from a meeting where the rights to her Greek mythology novel have been sold. As a Rioter favorite novel, we all cheered and look forward to hearing more!

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway for a custom book stamp for your personal library!

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Kensington Publishing Corp.

Guacamole Ruined A Michael Jackson Meeting

According to celebrity agent Michael Ovitz’s memoir Michael Jackson once requested a meeting to pitch himself as the next James Bond. But then there was a guacamole incident. And laughter. And, well, that’s probably not the reason he didn’t play Bond, but it’s still a fun story.

Incoming: Daily Poetry Podcast!

Library of Congress, American Public Media, and the Poetry Foundation have come together to create a daily poetry podcast. U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith will host The Slowdown starting November 26th. “Poetry isn’t an escape or even a luxury,” Smith said. “I’d argue it’s a necessity, a means of living more deeply with reality.”

The 2019 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence Longlist

If you scan awards’ longlists to find great books to add to your TBR have I got a list for you! Tons of favorite fiction and nonfiction we’re rooting for: An American Marriage, There There, The Incendiaries, I’ll Be Gone In The Dark, The Feather Thief, How To Write An Autobiographical Novel–seriously, so many excellent books! On October 24th we’ll find out which 3 fiction and which 3 nonfiction made the shortlist!

Don’t forget to enter to win a custom book stamp so you can stamp all your books!

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Epic Reads.

Mara Wilson On Sharing Her Life With Matilda

For those who grew up loving Matilda Wormwood, you probably associate her with Mara Wilson, the actress who played her in the excellent film adaptation. For Matilda’s 30th anniversary, Wilson wrote about sharing her life with a beloved character and who Matilda would have grown up to be. Maybe grab a tissue.

R.L Stine Has A New Graphic Novel Series!

Master of giving goosebumps, R.L Stine will be offering spooks through a new comic book. And today in trivia I didn’t know: before he wrote the Goosebumps books he was a comic book creator. Guess this is full circle for him. Check out his original graphic novel series, Just Beyond, for Boom! Studios– Goosebumps fans should enjoy the cover!

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse New Trailer!

Need something purdy to watch today to help you escape *waves at everything*? Here’s the 2nd trailer for the upcoming animated Spider-Man starring Miles Morales. It’ll be in theaters on December 14th and till then we’ll just be watching this on a loop and eating all the popcorn!

And if you’ve always fancied having a custom bookplate stamp have we got a giveaway for you!

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by I’ll Be There For You: The One About Friends by Kelsey Miller.

Dr. Seuss Books Finally Delivered 20 Years Later

What’s the longest you’d wait for an order of books to show up? Vera Walker didn’t intend the answer to be 20 years when she ordered Dr. Seuss books for her granddaughter in 1998, but the package just arrived–1998 shipping label and all!–just in time for Walker to give them to her great-grandson.

The Next Agatha Christie Adaptation Will Star Wonder Woman

Okay, it’ll star Gal Gadot and not have an invisible plane. The next 20th Century Fox Agatha Christie adaptation is Death On The Nile, set on a luxurious cruise with Poirot investigating a murder. Gadot will play Linnet Ridgeway Doyle, and back after the Murder On The Orient Express adaptation are Michael Green as screenwriter and Kenneth Branagh directing.

Millions Raised To Renovate The August Wilson House

First, Denzel Washington adapted to film August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fences. Now he’s helped raise millions, along with other celebrities, to restore the playwright’s childhood home in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. The renovations should be completed by 2020 so the house can become a center for art and culture.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Swoon Reads — publishing the latest and greatest in YA fiction recommended by readers like you.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Joins Veronica Mars Writers’ Room

Basketball legend turned author Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will be writing for our favorite smart-mouthed sleuth in the upcoming Veronica Mars Hulu limited series. My excitement continues to grow. And while we wait, there are two great continuation books for the series that start after the movie ended: The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line and Mr. Kiss and Tell.

House Of Cards Season 6 Teaser Trailer Is Here

And Claire Underwood did not come to play! The final season of the series, based on Michael Dobbs’s British novel, will premiere November 2nd on Netflix.

Stranger Things 1st Novel Will Be Eleven’s Mother’s Origin Story

YA author Gwenda Bond is writing the first official Stranger Things novel: Suspicious Minds. It’s a prequel to the show following Eleven’s mother when she was the MKUltra program’s test subject. And you can read the first chapter now and see the cover!

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Fierce Reads.

It’s A Neighborly Day In This Beauty Wood

Take a first look at Tom Hanks as Mister Rogers in Marielle Heller’s forthcoming (untitled, for now) biographical drama inspired by the life of Fred Rogers. The film will focus on the real-life friendship between Rogers and journalist Tom Junod, played by Matthew Rhys. Side part on point.

Europe’s Oldest Intact Book Found Preserved In Coffin of A Saint

If you’re planning a trip to London next month, you might decide to stop by the British Library for its exhibition, “Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms: Art, Word, War,” opening October 19th. Why, you ask? Because Europe’s oldest intact book, St. Cuthbert Gospel, will be on display. The book, dated to between 700 and 730, was found intact, preserved in the coffin of St. Cuthbert. Read more about it here.

What If It’s Us Will Be Adapted

Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli’s What If It’s Us isn’t out until October 9, but it has already been scooped up for an adaptation. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Brian Yorkey will adapt the buzzy, queer YA collaboration between the author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (Albertalli) and the author of They Both Die at the End (Silvera). I hear the squees of a thousand fans.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Flatiron Books, publishers of Unstoppable Moses by Tyler James Smith.

Library Of Congress Launches Screening Room

The Library of Congress has digitized hundreds of films and made them available to the public. The National Screening Room website hosts home movies of Liza Minnelli, Thomas Edison footage, and more from the Library of Congress’s collection of more than 1.6 million items. The website has launched with 281 titles covering fiction, non-fiction, newsreels, and home movies from 1890 to 1999. More will be added each month.

Carnegie Medal Promises Action Over Lack Of Diversity

The UK’s oldest prize for children’s books has promised to make some changes in light of a review of its lack of diversity. The statement from the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education arrives in the wake of outrage at the all-white, 20-author longlist for the 2017 Carnegie. The Carnegie prize is judged by the UK’s librarians, 97% of whom self-identified as white in a 2015 survey. The prize, established in 1935, has never been won by a black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) writer.

Goodnight, Sweet Elf

After 40 years, ElfQuest is coming to an end. One of the longest-running fantasy series ever, creators Wendy and Richard Pini began their passion project in 1978 and haven’t quit since. Now, they’re stepping back to allow other creators to tell stories from the world of ElfQuest. The last storyline, The Final Quest, wrapped up on the 40th anniversary of the publication of the first issue.