The Disaster Is the System
The essay revisits Maurice Blanchot’s 1980 treatise “The Writing of the Disaster” to argue that contemporary catastrophes—from Gaza bombings to mass deportations—are not anomalies but manifestations of a totalizing “System” that absorbs and normalizes violence. Blanchot’s notion of disaster as an unassimilable residue is linked to Carl Schmitt’s sovereign‑exception theory, suggesting that figures like Trump expose the System’s hidden reliance on a will beyond law. The author warns that future authoritarian leaders could wield the sovereign exception with technocratic precision, turning AI‑driven bureaucratic control into an even more efficient conduit for catastrophe. Ultimately, the piece contends that recognizing the System’s capacity to process its own disaster is essential for preserving democratic accountability.
Jersey Girl
Patti Smith, once heralded as a punk rock poet, has reinvented herself as a prolific memoirist. Over the past decade she published five prose works, culminating in 2023’s 'Bread of Angels', which stitches together her fragmented autobiographies. The books trace...
How to Curate a Personal Library That Reflects Who You Are
The post urges readers to intentionally curate their personal library so it becomes a reflection of identity rather than a random assortment. It argues that books act as a mirror to the soul, revealing how one sees the world. By...
Walt Whitman
The blog post positions Walt Whitman as the imaginative parent of every American, even those who never write poetry. It highlights Whitman's enduring cultural imprint through his seminal work, Leaves of Grass, and his celebration of democratic individuality. By invoking...
Stacey Lee’s Heiress of Nowhere Is Page-Turning YA Mystery
Stacey Lee’s *Heiress of Nowhere* is a gothic YA mystery set on 1918 Orcas Island, where orphan Lucy Nowhere inherits a shipbuilder’s estate and must solve his murder before becoming the next victim. The novel blends atmospheric Pacific Northwest scenery...
Escape with Amy and Hamish for 0.99
Julia Kent’s romance novella *Shopping for a Highlander’s Elopement* is on sale for $0.99, highlighted in Bookbub’s Featured Deal email series. The promotion tees up the next installment, *Shopping for a Highlander’s Baby*, slated for release on March 30. The...
Charlie Munger: 7 Books Smart People Read That Quietly Change How You Think About Money
Charlie Munger’s recommended reading list of seven books focuses on mental models, psychology, and long‑term wealth rather than direct investing tactics. The titles range from *Poor Charlie’s Almanack* and *The Intelligent Investor* to *Influence*, *Thinking, Fast and Slow*, *The Selfish...
Peter Kennard’s STOP Published as War Returns to the Global Stage
Peter Kennard’s anti‑war book STOP, originally conceived in 1968 during the Vietnam conflict, has finally been published as global wars dominate headlines again. The visual-only volume marks Kennard’s shift from painting to photomontage, using cut‑up press images to portray war...
Book Briefing: ‘Genius at Scale’ by Linda A. Hill, Emily Tedards, and Jason Wild
‘Genius at Scale’ argues that large firms achieve innovation by fostering collaborative, experimental cultures rather than relying on lone geniuses. The authors, Linda Hill, Emily Tedards, and Jason Wild, illustrate this through case studies at Mastercard, Delta Air Lines, Procter...
Writer Kelly Krumrie on Taking Language Seriously
Kelly Krumrie describes a writing process that never truly begins, likening it to a constantly turning hamster wheel of ideas, notes, and sentences. Form emerges simultaneously with content, shaping and being shaped by each other, especially in her minimalist style...
3ook.com – Give Books a Voice
3ook.com launches a third‑generation bookstore that merges reading and listening into a single, AI‑driven experience. By synthesizing voice talent for any title, the platform turns the 95% of e‑books without audiobooks into instantly audible works. Authors can upload custom voice...
The Sun and the Starmaker by Rachel Griffin
Rachel Griffin’s new YA romantic fantasy, The Sun and the Starmaker, follows Aurora Finch, a village girl chosen to sustain her northern community with the Starmaker’s light. The novel blends mythic world‑building with a slow‑burn romance that finally blossoms amid...
The Scrapbook — No. 12
The Scrapbook — No. 12 is the latest weekly compilation from The Humanities Library, a subscription‑based reading room that curates short notes, images, and curiosities drawn from members’ recent scholarly consumption. The post serves as a free teaser, inviting readers to either claim...
The Talk Show: ‘The Pogue Feature’
David Pogue, noted technology journalist, appears on The Talk Show to promote his new book *Apple: The First 50 Years*. The volume offers an exhaustive chronicle of Apple’s evolution, from its garage‑startup roots in 1976 through its latest product ecosystems...
Wayne Koestenbaum’s Book Notes Music Playlist for His Novel My Lover, the Rabbi
Wayne Koestenbaum’s latest novel, My Lover, the Rabbi, is accompanied by a curated “Book Notes” music playlist that reflects the work’s musical structure and queer themes. In the playlist, Koestenbaum cites pieces ranging from Messiaen’s bird‑song piano to Sondheim’s Company,...
Be Not Conformed—René Girard at the Crossroads
René Girard’s centennial conference spurred the upcoming edited volume "Be Not Conformed—René Girard at the Crossroads," slated for April 10 release by Catholic University of America Press. The book compiles 17 interdisciplinary essays linking Girard’s mimetic theory to philosophy, theology,...
Announcing ‘Intelligence: AI and Humanity’
Bloomsbury Academic is launching a new book series, *Intelligence: AI and Humanity*, with Jeff Jarvis as series editor. The non‑technical collection will examine AI’s cultural, ethical, and societal implications rather than its engineering. The inaugural titles feature Dr. Rumman Chowdhury...
NEW POSTS AT BLOG.UNRULYCORP.COM NOT HERE
After publishing 68 GeoLegal Notes and a book on AI‑driven rule‑of‑law erosion, the founder of The Unruly Corporation announces a new blog at blog.unrulycorp.com. The site will chronicle how AI is being used to track, anticipate, and mitigate geopolitical risk...
On the List: Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet
Dallas‑based writer Katie Bernet’s debut novel finally hit shelves after a decade‑long effort, spanning ten years and six separate manuscript drafts. The prolonged development underscores the arduous path many first‑time authors face before securing a publishing contract. Bernet’s experience was...
New UK Bestseller List: BookTok Charts
A new UK bestseller list, dubbed the BookTok Charts, has been launched through a partnership between NielsenIQ and Media Control. The chart uniquely blends verified retail sales figures with engagement data from the BookTok community on TikTok. By integrating social...
Theo of Golden Book Club Questions
Allen Levi’s novel *Theo of Golden* is gaining traction among book clubs. Jackie Robins posted a detailed guide with 18 spoiler‑free discussion questions and a downloadable PDF. The guide highlights themes of kindness, generosity, art, and human connection, and suggests...
R.I.P. Len Deighton (1929-2026)
Renowned British author and former illustrator Len Deighton died at 97, leaving a legacy anchored by his groundbreaking spy novels. His debut, The IPCRESS File (1962), introduced the pragmatic anti‑hero Harry Palmer and set a new standard for realistic espionage...
Julia Alexandra’s Midnight at the Celestial Is Immersive YA Fantasy
Julia Alexandra's debut YA fantasy "Midnight on the Celestial" arrives from Wednesday Books as a hardcover priced at $21. The novel follows Roe Damarcus, a gifted spirit‑summoner who, after failing a magical trial, is sentenced to work as a concierge...
Belle Burden's Strangers Is the Book Club Final Boss
Belle Burden’s novel Strangers captivated the reviewer, who listened to the entire audiobook in a single seven‑hour sitting. The author’s legal background shines through a controlled, precise prose that makes the story of a wealthy New York divorce feel devastatingly real....
The Rushford Times - A Weekly Newsletter From Jodi Taylor
Jodi Taylor’s "The Rushford Times" is a weekly newsletter that reaches paid subscribers on Wednesdays and free readers on Fridays. This edition teases a culinary experiment—whether a failed cottage pie or a new invention—and recommends Eva’s debut novel "Flint in...
Review: Clown Town by Mick Herron
Mick Herron’s latest espionage novel, *Clown Town*, released on March 18 2026, earns a 4.5‑out‑of‑5 rating. The story intertwines a missing library book from former MI‑5 chief David Cartwright with current head Diana Taverner’s fallout from the Troubles, delivering sharp humor and...
You Did Nothing Wrong by C.G. Drews
‘You Did Nothing Wrong’ by C.G. Drews is a psychological Gothic thriller that follows Elodie, a mother whose unreliable narration blurs reality as her Victorian home seems to breathe. The novel intertwines toxic motherhood, meticulous control games, and a haunting...
1985, A Novel (2025) by Dominic Hoey
Dominic Hoey’s third novel, *1985, a Novel*, has been longlisted for the 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. Set in a multicultural, pre‑gentrification Auckland of 1985, the story follows eleven‑year‑old Obi as he navigates poverty, family dysfunction and a treasure‑hunt...
He Said, “I’m on My Way.” And Started Walking.
The post promotes AR Shaw’s new ebook bundle “On My Way,” which compiles the complete trilogy of his apocalyptic series. It showcases the striking cover art of a man and a girl walking toward a burning city and links to...
A Sneak Peek at Upcoming and New Releases
The author celebrates St. Patrick’s Day by showcasing a green‑themed shelf of upcoming and newly released children’s books. The curated list spans hilarious graphic novels, dual‑language titles, a consent‑focused story, interactive board books, and a multicultural identity narrative. A playful...
The 12 Books Every Cultured Person Should Have Read by 30
The blog post outlines a curated list of twelve seminal books that anyone aiming to be culturally literate should read before turning thirty. It argues that being “cultured” means possessing a mental map of ideas that shape modern discourse, from...
Get My Complete Reading Order...
Jeanette James announced that the complete reading order for her Dirty Angels MC: Next Gen series is now available on her website. The page provides a chronological list of all interconnected books and series, making it easier for readers to...
The Trials of Fatherhood
Joshua Doležal reviews Aymann Ismail’s memoir *Becoming Baba*, a candid account of navigating fatherhood, faith, and immigrant identity in America. The book traces Ismail’s childhood in Newark, his struggle between Islamic traditions and urban rebellion, and his evolving relationship with...
The Divorce Revolution Comes to Suburbia
Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s new novel *Lake Effect* dramatizes the 1970s suburban divorce wave, using a tech‑savvy “universal undo” metaphor to explore collapsing marriages. The story follows two Rochester families as feminist ideas, the Kinsey Report, and emerging personal computers destabilize...
GOOD WRITING IS NOW ON SALE
The new book "Good Writing: 36 Ways to Improve Your Sentences" launches today, co‑written by Neal Allen and Anne Lamott. It delivers a concise, sentence‑by‑sentence toolkit for writers of memoirs, novels, emails, and grant proposals. The authors frame each tip...
Jamie Sumner’s Glory Be Is Thoughtful Contemporary MG
Jamie Sumner’s *Glory Be* (Atheneum, March 2026) is a middle‑grade verse novel about a New Orleans girl searching for her missing dog while uncovering family secrets. The story unfolds over a few days, blending themes of unconditional love, fractured parental relationships, and...
Notes on Being a Man: Review
The article reviews Scott Galloway’s "protector, provider, procreator" model of masculinity, noting its emphasis on personal discipline, financial success, and competition. It argues that this narrow framework overlooks the broader ecological and social systems that sustain individual prosperity. By linking...
12 Books Self-Taught Geniuses Read to Build Their Minds
A new roundup highlights twelve books that self‑taught geniuses—from Benjamin Franklin to Elon Musk—have relied on to sharpen their minds. The list spans ancient biographies, philosophy, economics, and modern psychology, illustrating how disciplined reading builds mental models, character, and cross‑domain...
Culture, Digested: Imaginative Solidarity
The blog critiques the recurring MFA debate, arguing it overlooks the program’s role in reinforcing class divisions within American higher education. It contends that MFA programs act as gatekeepers, privileging those with economic and cultural capital while marginalizing lower‑income writers....
The Fox Hunt by Caitlin Breeze
The Fox Hunt, Caitlin Breeze’s debut, is a dark‑academia fantasy set in an imagined English university that conceals a magical Night City. The story follows science‑focused student Emma Curran, whose research fellowship drags her into a secret society and a...
Hiking Through History by Kirk Ward Robinson
Kirk Ward Robinson’s *Hiking Through History* returns in a 20th Anniversary Edition that fuses rigorous historical scholarship with a solo‑hiker’s memoir. The book is divided into four movements—Transatlantic, Hannibal ad Portas, Scotland Wha Hae, and Jehanne—each tracing iconic battlefields from...
The Bluebird of Happiness
Joyce Vance announced a bookstore event in Maine with New York Times reporter Katie Benner to discuss Benner’s new book *Miracle Children*. The book investigates T.M. Landry College Prep, a Louisiana private school that boasted near‑100% college acceptance rates for...
Book Review: We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
The review positions Shirley Jackson’s 1962 gothic novel *We Have Always Lived in the Castle* as an ideal first read for a new book club, praising its eerie atmosphere and layered storytelling. It highlights the story’s core elements—Merricat’s ritualistic “magic,”...
Immersion Series: What Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas Sets in Motion (Part 1)
The Immersion Series post dissects the opening stretch of Sarah J. Maas’s Crown of Midnight, highlighting how the narrative pivots from the survival‑competition of Throne of Glass to a deeper interrogation of freedom versus obedience. It notes that Celaena Sardothien,...
Colm Tóibín, the Neuroscience of Time, and More
The post juxtaposes three cultural pieces: an interview with novelist Colm Tóibín that reveals his lively personality behind a stark literary style; a review of a book exploring how Schrödinger’s cat, Bayesian inference, and neuroscience explain our perception of the...
A Good Read
Victoria Pile, a comedy writer and director, joins philosopher Julian Baggini on BBC Radio Four’s "A Good Read" to discuss their favourite books with host Harriett Gilbert. The trio examines a darkly comic feminist revenge novel, Hemingway’s sea‑bound novella, and a haunting short...
Silence Speaks in Egana Djabbarova’s “My Dreadful Body,” Translated From Russian by Lisa C. Hayden
Egana Djabbarova’s autobiographical novel *My Dreadful Body*—translated from Russian by Lisa C. Hayden—examines how an Azerbaijani‑Russian woman’s body becomes a canvas for cultural expectations, gendered silence, and a debilitating dystonia. Structured around eleven body parts, the memoir juxtaposes inherited symbols—eyebrows,...
Who Is Maud Dixon? – Alexandra Andrews
Alexandra Andrews’ debut novel *Who Is Maud Dixon?* follows aspiring writer Florence Darrow, who becomes the personal assistant to the reclusive, bestselling author Maud Dixon. The arrangement forces Florence into a secretive, isolated life that culminates in a research trip...
Planting Hope Celebrates Power of Optimism
Frederick Joseph and Paul Kellam’s new picture book *Planting Hope* (Candlewick, March 2026) tells the story of Henry, a young boy who discovers that hope can nurture both plants and a sick mother. The narrative pairs gardening metaphors with emotional...
Half His Age – Jennette McCurdy
Jennette McCurdy, bestselling memoirist behind *I’m Glad My Mom Died*, launched her first novel *Half His Age* on January 20 2026. The 288‑page story follows 17‑year‑old Waldo, a high‑school senior who becomes fixated on her married creative‑writing teacher. McCurdy delivers graphic, unsettling...