Indie Booksellers Award the Best Books of 2025
Independent booksellers revived the Indies Choice Book Awards in 2025 after a seven‑year hiatus, honoring titles that appeared on the ABA’s Indie Next, Kids’ Indie Next and Indies Introduce lists. Winners include Virginia Evans’ novel *The Correspondent*—soon to be a Jane Fonda movie—Omar El Akkad’s nonfiction work that also captured the National Book Award, and Char Adams’ debut *Black‑Owned*, which spotlights over 100 Black‑owned bookstores. The ceremony also introduced the James Patterson + Bookshop.org Prize, granting $15,000 to Evans and $10,000 to runner‑up Milo Todd. The awards underscore the growing influence of indie retailers in shaping literary trends.
Q&A with Noah Walker-Crawford, Author of The Climate Trial
Noah Walker‑Crawford, a research fellow at LSE and Imperial College, blends anthropology with climate law in his new book *The Climate Trial*. He spent twenty months living in the Peruvian Andes, documenting the landmark lawsuit that links a local mountain...
One Great Poem to Read Today: Michael Ondaatje’s “To a Sad Daughter”
Literary Hub marks the 30th National Poetry Month by publishing a daily poem series. For April 1 it recommends Michael Ondaatje’s “To a Sad Daughter,” a piece that juxtaposes hockey metaphors with a parent’s reflections on teenage growth. The article shares...
U.S. Appeals Court Deals a Blow to the Freedom to Read
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit revived Iowa's S.F. 496 law, allowing schools to remove books deemed sexually explicit or related to gender identity. The decision overturns a lower‑court injunction that had blocked the ban, sending the case...
They Came to See Us Suffer
A wave of recent novels—*Yesteryear*, *Made You Look*, *I Could Be Famous*, *Just Watch Me*—use influencer culture as their central subject, portraying digital fame as a nonstop performance that blurs work and spectacle. The books contrast Hollywood’s traditional star system...
Windham-Campbell Prizes Announces This Year’s Recipients
The Windham‑Campbell Prizes announced their 2026 recipients across fiction, nonfiction, poetry and drama, awarding each winner a $175,000 grant. Winners include Gwendoline Riley (UK), Adam Ehrlich Sachs (US), Lucy Sante (US/Belgium), Kei Miller (Jamaica), Christina Anderson (US), S. Shakthidharan (Australia/Sri Lanka), Joyelle McSweeney (US)...
The Frieda McFadden Books to Read as She Reveals Her True Identity
Frieda McFadden’s thriller catalog has expanded rapidly, beginning with the 2023 bestseller *The Housemaid* and its three sequels, followed by the feminist‑driven *Dear Debbie*, the prison‑set standalone *The Inmate*, and the school‑yard suspense of *The Teacher*. Each novel blends high‑stakes plot...
If You Love ‘The Pitt,’ You’ll Love These Memoirs by Real E.R. Doctors
The Times Book Review highlights a wave of emergency‑room memoirs that echo the fast‑paced drama of HBO’s series “The Pitt.” It spotlights Frank Huyler’s poetry‑infused collection “The Blood of Strangers” and mentions Farzon Nahvi’s forthcoming “Code Gray.” Both books aim...
We Were Too Young to Understand What Happened With the Man in the White Van
Angela Pelster’s excerpt “Metamorphosis” from *The Evolution of Fire* recounts a childhood encounter with a mysterious white‑van that hints at sexual abuse, set in a sweltering rural Alberta landscape. The narrator links the natural metamorphosis of tadpoles to a personal...
Where to Start With: Muriel Spark
The article marks the 20‑year anniversary of Scottish novelist Muriel Spark’s death and offers a guided tour of her 22‑book oeuvre. It highlights entry points for newcomers, such as the darkly comic *Memento Mori*, and revisits Spark’s groundbreaking debut *The Comforters*,...
Book Review: Robert Bird’s Legal Knowledge in Organizations: A Source of Strategic and Competitive Advantage
Robert C. Bird’s new book, *Legal Knowledge in Organizations*, argues that legal expertise can be a strategic competitive advantage rather than merely a compliance cost. The 261‑page volume presents a five‑stage framework—avoidance, conformance, prevention, value, and transformation—to help firms embed...
‘Transcription’ by Ben Lerner Review: No Phones
Ben Lerner’s latest novel, *Transcription*, unfolds over three single‑conversation chapters set during the COVID‑19 pandemic, using a broken phone as a metaphor for fragmented memory. The narrative follows a narrator interviewing his aging mentor Thomas, then confronting a curator, and...
Lit Hub Daily: April 9, 2026
Lit Hub Daily’s April 9, 2026 edition delivers a curated mix of literary content, ranging from a revisit of Basil Bunting’s poem on bio‑acoustic loss to Emma Straub’s nostalgic interview about her 1990 New Kids on the Block fanny pack, and the...
Namwali Serpell on Toni Morrison, Criticism, and Narrative Empathy
Namwali Serpell, Harvard professor and novelist, released *On Morrison*, a collection of essays dissecting Toni Morrison’s five landmark novels. In a *Private Life* podcast interview, she and host Jarrett Earnest explore Morrison’s literary techniques, public‑intellectual role, and lasting cultural impact....
Author Spotlight: J.R. Dawson
J.R. Dawson discusses his flash fiction "Hell is Empty," written in 45 minutes while Minneapolis was under ICE’s Operation Metro Surge following the murder of Renee Good. The piece uses demonic attackers as a metaphor for the real‑world violence and...
Sex Work Is Real Work, Even in Romance
The article examines the persistent stigma surrounding sex work—even in its modern, consensual forms like cam work and adult entertainment—and how romance novels have traditionally depicted sex workers as victims. It traces the genre’s evolution from rescue‑oriented tropes to more...
5 of the Best Poetry Picture Books for Kids
National Poetry Month, celebrated each April since 1996, renews focus on poetry across schools, libraries, and homes. The article highlights five picture‑book selections that introduce poetry to children, beginning with two standout titles: Exquisite, a biography of Pulitzer‑winning poet Gwendolyn Brooks,...
Why This Octavia Butler Page-Turner Is the Ultimate Book Club Pick
Octavia E. Butler’s 1993 novel *Parable of the Sower* topped the latest 101 Best Book Club List, earning the most votes for 2026 selections. Founder Nikki High of Octavia’s Bookshelf in Pasadena explains the novel’s renewed appeal, citing its themes...
There's a Thomas Pynchon Book for Everyone. Here's Which One to Read Next
The LA Times Festival of Books article pairs each of Thomas Pynchon's novels with a specific book‑club theme, from travel to romance, showing his work can serve any niche discussion. It lists titles such as *Gravity’s Rainbow* for travel, *Slow...
Essay: Book Club Skeptic? So Was Roxane Gay. Here's What Converted Her
Roxane Gay entered the book‑club world as a skeptic but a 2018 Midwest brunch turned her into a vocal advocate. The intimate setting let her discuss her debut novel, receive enthusiastic questions, and receive a quirky Michigan‑themed gift basket, illustrating...
These Are the Books We'll Be Cooking From This Spring
A wave of spring cookbooks has hit the market, spotlighting innovative pastries and desert-inspired desserts. Roxana Jullapat’s "Morning Baker" showcases plush chocolate muffins flavored with rye and yogurt, while La Copine’s new title brings its signature lemon polenta cake to home...
Best-Selling The Housemaid Author Freida McFadden Reveals True Identity
Best‑selling thriller writer Freida McFadden has disclosed that she is Dr. Sara Cohen, a Boston‑based neurologist who adopted the pseudonym from a medical database. Under the pen name she sold 2.6 million books in the UK and six million copies in the United...
Connor Martin on Writing Spy Thrillers Grounded in Real-World Foreign Policy
Connor Martin, a former Treasury analyst on CFIUS, leveraged his insider experience to write his debut espionage novel, *The Silver Fish*. He set the story in Accra, Ghana, using the U.S.–China rivalry and emerging technologies as a realistic foreign‑policy backdrop....
Read Two Poems by Leigh Lucas, “Art Monster” And “These Days”
Leigh Lucas, a San Francisco‑based poet, has unveiled two new poems—“Art Monster” and “These Days”—as part of her forthcoming collection Splashed Things, slated for spring 2026. The collection was chosen for the A. Poulin Jr. Prize by Boa Editions, an independent literary press....
An Open Letter to the Jewish Book Council From a Concerned Group of Jewish Writers
A coalition of Jewish writers has published an open letter accusing the Jewish Book Council (JBC) of privileging Zionist and Israeli narratives while marginalizing non‑ and anti‑Zionist voices. The writers detail specific grievances, including a post‑Oct 7 anti‑semitism reporting tool that...
10 Must-Read Books for National Poetry Month 2026
The Academy of American Poets marks the 30th anniversary of National Poetry Month with a curated list of ten books that explore poetry’s intersections with labor, logic, digital community, public life, and climate change. Titles range from Kristin Grogan’s "Stitch, Unstitch,"...
The Washington Post’s Arc XP Adds TollBit to Help Publishers Make Money From AI Bot Traffic
The Washington Post’s Arc XP platform is integrating TollBit to let publishers block and charge AI bots that scrape their content. AI‑bot traffic has surged, with a 300% year‑over‑year rise and a ratio of one bot for every 31 human visits...
Paramount Launches Book Division as President Steps Down
Paramount Global announced the creation of Paramount Global Publishing, a new division that will turn its extensive portfolio of franchises—such as Star Trek, Transformers, and SpongeBob—into print, digital, and audio books. The unit will sit within the products and experiences group,...
Maberry & Morton Receive HWA Lifetime Achievement Awards
The Horror Writers Association announced that Jonathan Maberry and Lisa Morton will receive the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Awards. The ceremony is scheduled for June 6, 2026, during the Bram Stoker Awards at StokerCon 2026 in Pittsburgh. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes...
Stella Prize: 2026 Shortlist Announced
The Stella Prize announced its 2026 shortlist, featuring six works by Australian women and non‑binary writers across fiction, poetry, memoir, and graphic novel. A record 212 titles were submitted, and each shortlisted author will receive about $3,300 USD. The ultimate...
Warner Bros. To Adapt Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower Into a Feature Film
Warner Bros. announced a feature‑film adaptation of Octavia Butler’s 1993 dystopian novel Parable of the Sower. The project will be directed by Melina Matsoukas, whose recent work includes Insecure, Master of None and several high‑profile Beyoncé visual projects. The studio’s...
Six Books to Understand the Atomic Bomb
The Economist curates six titles that together map the atomic bomb’s birth, deployment, and lasting legacy. The books span scientific biographies, presidential decision‑making, Cold‑War strategy, survivor accounts, and contemporary ethical debates. By pairing technical detail with human narratives, the list...
E-Books Are More Expensive Now, Too - 5 Ways I Find Good Free Kindle Reads in 2026
ZDNet outlines five practical ways to source free or low‑cost e‑books for Kindle readers in 2026. Users can tap Amazon’s rotating free titles, public‑domain libraries like Project Gutenberg, and library services such as OverDrive’s Libby or Hoopla with a library...
The Literary Job AI Can’t Replace
The article defends human ghostwriting as a vital, under‑appreciated craft that delivers polished books and sustainable careers for writers, even as AI tools flood the market. It cites recent controversies—Hachette’s cancelled AI‑authored novel and Grammarly’s withdrawn feature—to illustrate industry backlash...
The Best Books About JFK Jr. And Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy
The article curates a list of recent biographies, memoirs, and coffee‑table books that explore the lives of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette‑Kennedy. Highlights include Elizabeth Beller’s 2024 biography of CBK, an oral history of JFK Jr. by RoseMarie Terenzio and Liz McNeil, and Matt...
April Book Bag: From a Matthew Wong Catalogue to a History of Dogs in Art
The April Book Bag spotlights four new art‑focused titles. "The Dog’s Gaze: A Visual History" (400 pp, $45) surveys canine depictions from the Paleolithic era to contemporary works. "Divine Presence" (137 pp, €68 ≈ $75) examines marble symbolism in 14th‑ and 15th‑century paintings, while...
Pressing Issues: The Vital Role of Printmaking in the History of Art
Holly Black’s new Yale University Press volume, *The Story of Printmaking: A Global History of Art*, offers the first comprehensive survey of printed images from ninth‑century East Asia to 21st‑century digital techniques. Drawing on her London College of Printing training,...
11 New Books in April Offer a Chance to Step Inside Someone Else's World
April’s literary calendar delivers eleven new titles that span fiction, memoir, science and investigative reporting. The releases range from Ben Lerner’s metafictional novella “Transcription” to Steve Brusatte’s evolutionary deep‑dive “The Story of Birds.” Authors tackle contemporary anxieties, nostalgia, and systemic questions,...
John Lanchester’s Personal Venom
John Lanchester’s new novel *Look What You Made Me Do* is a darkly comic exploration of wealth, media voyeurism, and generational resentment. The story follows Kate, grieving her husband’s sudden death, and Phoebe, a bitter screenwriter whose Netflix series mirrors...
How to Throw the Ultimate Dinner Party, According to Jago Rackham
Jago Rackham’s debut *To Enterstand* blends memoir, recipes, and etiquette into a guide for hosting kind‑focused dinner parties. Inspired by his grandmother’s account book and his partner Lowenna’s need for safe social spaces, the book weaves personal anecdotes with practical...
Don’t Let Christian Writers Be Left Behind in the AI Era
Jerry B. Jenkins warns Christian authors that AI will not replace faith‑driven writing, but can serve as a powerful research aid. He notes publishers often forbid AI‑written manuscripts while secretly using AI for title ideas, market forecasts, and plagiarism checks....
One Great Poem to Read Today: Elizander Espenschied’s “If Only We Had Medicine Like That Today”
Literary Hub marks the 30th National Poetry Month by recommending a daily free poem throughout April, starting with Elizander Espenschied’s “If Only We Had Medicine Like That Today.” The piece appears on the experimental online magazine HAD, known for genre‑blurring...
Rebecca Sharpe on Road Trips in Fiction, Freedom, and Murder Thrillers
Rebecca Sharpe examines how murder functions as a pivotal turning point in road‑trip fiction, turning the open road from a symbol of liberty into a crucible of moral choice. She analyzes iconic works such as Thelma & Louise, Cormac McCarthy’s...
Great Diarists Open up the Entire Folio of Their Lives. Samuel Pepys Was a Great Diarist. He Was Also a...
A new 388‑page book by Guy de la Bédoyère reexamines Samuel Pepys’s diaries using fresh translations of his shorthand and multilingual entries, exposing a pattern of sexual assault, coercion, and rape. Pepys, a 17th‑century naval administrator, has long been valued for his...
When Contrarianism Becomes Its Own Orthodoxy. The Heterodox Movement Is Replicating the Groupthink It Set Out to Cure
The article argues that the heterodox movement, initially a critique of progressive conformity in academia, is now reproducing the same groupthink it set out to challenge. It highlights the emergence of alternative institutions such as the University of Austin and...
Review – Sirens: Love Hurts #3 – Murder by Month
DC’s Black Label title Sirens: Love Hurts #3 receives an 8.5/10 rating in GeekDad’s review. The issue reveals the killer known as Horoscope, a therapist who adopts Calendar Man’s method to complete a deadly astrological set. Babs Tarr’s vivid, kinetic...
Review – The Nice House by the Sea #10: Transformed
GeekDad’s review of DC’s The Nice House by the Sea #10, titled “Transformed,” awards the issue a flawless 10/10 from reviewer Ray. The story pits elite, body‑altering celebrity survivors against Walter’s original group in a bloody showdown for a lake...
Dr. Said Laouadi on the Connection Between Food and Literature
Professor Said Laouadi of Cadi Ayyad University won the 2025 Sheikh Zayed Book Award for his 2023 monograph *Food and Speech*, which maps food‑related metaphors across pre‑modern Arabic texts. The study shows how expressions linking eating and speech function as...
Review – Bleeding Hearts #3: Language Barrier
Bleeding Hearts #3, written by Deniz Camp and illustrated by Stipian Morian, earned a 9.5/10 from GeekDad. The issue introduces intelligent zombies with their own incomprehensible language, focusing on a young zombie named Poke who discovers a wounded mother and...
When They Burned the Butterfly by Wen-Yi Lee
Wen‑Yi Lee’s debut novel *When They Burned the Butterfly* reimagines 1972 Singapore as a magical underworld where fire‑wielding teenagers navigate gang politics, romance, and state repression. The protagonist, Adeline Siow, inherits flame‑magic and joins the all‑female Red Butterfly gang, confronting...