8 Revolutionary Novels and Stories by Arab Women
The article spotlights eight groundbreaking novels and stories by Arab women, ranging from Nawal El Saadawi’s iconic *Woman at Point Zero* to contemporary works like Areej Gamal’s *Mariam, It’s Arwa*. It highlights how these books portray women as custodians of memory, rebels against patriarchal norms, and active participants in wars and revolutions. Many titles have recently been translated into English, earning prestigious nominations such as the International Prize for Arabic Fiction. The piece underscores the urgency of these narratives amid current Middle‑Eastern conflicts, illustrating literature’s power to preserve truth and inspire change.
An Exclusive Excerpt From Yann Martel’s New Novel, Son of Nobody
Yann Martel’s fifth novel, Son of Nobody, opens with a vivid scene in Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum where protagonist Harlow Donne discovers archaic ostraka containing a boustrophedon inscription that hints at a lost Trojan epic. The excerpt blends classical scholarship with...
Interview: Sunwoo Jeong
Sunwoo Jeong, a Korean‑American linguist‑author, discusses her Uncanny Magazine story “Permanent Press,” a surreal tale set in a neon‑lit laundromat that explores choice and longing. She describes how the story evolved around the character Jo and how everyday observations of...
Upward Bound by Woody Brown Review – Extraordinary Debut From a Non-Speaking Autistic Author
Woody Brown’s debut novel *Upward Bound* offers a vivid, empathetic portrait of a Los Angeles adult daycare that houses a diverse disabled community. The story follows Walter, a non‑speaking autistic protagonist, as he navigates communication challenges, personal aspirations, and fragile relationships...
Ed Lin on Writing a Novel About the Plight of Filipino Migrant Workers in Taiwan
Author Ed Lin spotlights the systemic exploitation of Southeast Asian migrant workers in Taiwan, where nearly one million foreign laborers sustain key sectors despite high visa costs, broker fees and language barriers. Recent government actions—including a legal rights assistance program...
Book Review: ‘The Ending Writes Itself,’ by Evelyn Clarke
Evelyn Clarke’s debut novel, *The Ending Writes Itself*, is a collaborative thriller by bestselling author V.E. Schwab and screenwriter Cat Clarke. Set on a secluded Scottish island, seven writers are invited by the reclusive literary titan Arthur Fletch, only to discover...
Book Review: ‘Hexes of the Deadwood Forest,’ by Agnieszka Szpila
Polish author Agnieszka Szpila’s "Hexes of the Deadwood Forest" has been released in English for the first time, translating a 2022 bestseller that sparked a stage adaptation in Warsaw. The novel mixes ecofeminist critique with explicit, surreal sexual encounters involving...
Book Review: ‘American Fantasy,’ by Emma Straub
Emma Straul’s sixth novel, *American Fantasy*, follows a four‑day cruise populated by 2,172 passengers, 1,500 crew members, and the aging members of fictional 1980s boy band Boy Talk. The story blends fan‑con vibes with adult summer‑camp antics, offering nostalgic pop‑culture...
Book Review: ‘Corto Maltese,’ by Hugo Pratt
Fantagraphics has released a new English edition of Hugo Pratt’s 1967 graphic novel collection, “Fable of Venice and Other Adventures,” reviving five classic Corto Maltese stories. The volume reintroduces the swashbuckling anti‑hero sailor amid wartime backdrops, while the review underscores...
Most Self-Published Books Fail. These Marketing Strategies Help Entrepreneurs Win
Self‑published books face a high failure rate, but entrepreneurs can turn them into profitable assets by adopting an "authorpreneur" mindset. Treating the manuscript as a business requires a clear purpose, niche focus, and a structured marketing plan. Effective promotion meets...
Discover Gadsby: The 50,000-Word Novel Written Without Using the Letter E (1939)
Ernest Vincent Wright’s 1939 novel *Gadsby* is a 50,000‑word lipogram that avoids the letter “E,” the most common character in English. Wright self‑published the work, which tells middle‑aged John Gadsby’s effort to revive his decaying hometown, ultimately becoming mayor as...
Kristin Grogan on Stitch, Unstitch
Kristin Grogan’s new book *Stitch, Unstitch: Modernist Poetry and the World of Work* examines how early‑twentieth‑century modernist poets grappled with the meaning of labor amid radical social upheaval. Using a Marxist‑feminist framework, she analyzes five poets—Ezra Pound, Lola Ridge, Langston...
How the World Became a Book in Shakespeare’s England
Jonathan P. Lamb’s new book, *How the World Became a Book in Shakespeare’s England*, reveals how early‑modern England’s everyday language was saturated with book‑related metaphors—cover, page, volume, folio, and more. By tracing this lexicon across drama, pamphlets, sermons, and scientific...
Want to Write Better? 3 Books to Improve Writing Skills
The article highlights three essential books—Stephen King’s *On Writing*, Strunk & White’s *The Elements of Style*, and Anne Lamott’s *Bird by Bird*—as practical guides for anyone looking to sharpen their writing. It argues that writing is a skill that can be taught...
Griefdogg Review: Michael Winkler Pulls Australian Fiction in Brave New Directions
Australian author Michael Winkler’s second novel, Griefdogg, follows the surreal transformation of hydrologist Jeffrey into a self‑designated family pet after inheriting a seven‑figure sum (approximately $1‑$9 million). The book employs a non‑chronological, stream‑of‑consciousness narrative peppered with Australian colloquialisms, scientific digressions and...
Mike Mignola Reveals New Graphic Novel 'Uri Tupka and the Devils'
Mike Mignola’s new graphic novel "Uri Tupka and the Devils" arrives on November 16, 2026, published by Dark Horse Comics. The 104‑page hardcover continues the "Lands Unknown" anthology, following Uri Tupka’s quest for pre‑creation secrets after the events of "Uri...
Ben Lerner’s Transcription and the Literary Readymade
Ben Lerner’s fourth novel, Transcription, arrives as a slim, tripartite work that interrogates the boundaries between autofiction, artifice, and the digital age. Structured around interviews with an elderly poet‑translator and his son, the narrative weaves failed iPhone recordings, deepfake transcripts,...
Weekly Bestsellers, 6 April 2026
Danielle L. Jensen’s sequel "The Traitor Queen" entered the bestseller arena this week, reaching as high as #6 on Publishers Weekly and appearing on three major lists. Matt Dinniman continues to dominate, with six hardcover titles and one paperback charting,...
Dispelling Fantasies: Authors of Color Reimagine a Genre by Joy Sanchez-Taylor
Joy Sanchez‑Taylor’s *Dispelling Fantasies* critiques the Eurocentric, patriarchal foundations of mainstream fantasy and highlights a decade‑plus surge of speculative works by authors of color. By foregrounding characters who are non‑white, gender‑nonconforming, or asexual, the book argues for a reimagined genre...
2025 BSFA Awards Winners
The British Science Fiction Association announced its 2025 award winners at Eastercon’s Iridescence event in Birmingham. E.J. Swift’s When There Are Wolves Again took Best Novel, while Tade Thompson’s The Apologists earned Best Shorter Fiction. Neil Williamson’s Blood in the Bricks won Best Collection, and Una McCormack’s Doctor...
Jacob Siegel’s Error-Filled Book On ‘Censorship’ Got Fact-Checked. He’s Calling It Censorship.
Jacob Siegel’s new book, *The Information State*, inflates the scale of the Election Integrity Partnership’s activity, claiming it flagged roughly 22 million tweets for removal. In reality, the partnership reported fewer than 3,000 tweets, with only a handful actually taken down....
Diana Awad on Drawing From Life to Write an Arab American Domestic Thriller
Diana Awad’s debut novel *As Far As She Knew* hit shelves on April 1, 2026, weaving a domestic thriller around an Arab‑American woman who discovers her late husband’s secret house. The plot was sparked by the posthumous revelation of CBS...
Review: Return to Launch
Stephen C. Smith’s new book *Return to Launch* chronicles how Florida’s Space Coast has shifted from government‑driven boom‑and‑bust cycles to a private‑sector‑led launch hub. The narrative highlights more than 100 orbital launches in 2025, driven largely by SpaceX’s presence at...
Online Philosophy Resources Weekly Update
Daily Nous’ weekly roundup highlights fresh scholarly content across major philosophy platforms. A new Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on the Cyrenaics joins revised articles on Personalism, the Ethics of Manipulation, and Abhidharma. 1000‑Word Philosophy adds an immigration‑ethics overview, while...
Book Review: ‘The Oyster Diaries,’ by Nancy Lemann
Nancy Lemann’s novel *The Oyster Diaries* follows a well‑born New Orleans native who returns home only to feel like an outsider, using the city’s sensory overload as a backdrop. The review situates Lemann’s work within a literary lineage that includes Whitman,...
Book Review: ‘Here Where We Live Is Our Country,’ by Molly Crabapple
Molly Crabapple’s new book, *Here Where We Live Is Our Country*, revives the forgotten history of the early‑20th‑century Jewish Labor Bund, a socialist movement that rejected Zionism and championed Jewish cultural autonomy across the diaspora. The Bund built a robust...
Inside Kelly Bonneville’s Cult Parisian Bookshop Librairie 1909
Kelly Bonneville, founder of Librairie 1909, has turned a niche bookshop inside Dover Street Market Paris into a cultural hub that also publishes its own titles. The shop, now at 3 Passage Guilhem in the 11th arrondissement, specializes in rare and forgotten works...
The Responsibility of the Critic: On Art, Honesty, and Introspection
The author uses a personal museum visit to examine a critic’s essay that faulted her novel for not naming the Gaza genocide. She argues the essayist’s critique reflects more of the reviewer’s own desires than the book’s content, highlighting a...
This Week in Literary History: Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are Is Published
On April 9 1963 Maurice Sendak released *Where the Wild Things Are*, after a decade‑plus career illustrating for FAO Schwarz and publishing two earlier children’s books. The picture book quickly captured the public imagination, earning the 1964 Caldecott Medal and cementing Sendak’s reputation as...
“That’s What I Did”
Lara Pawson’s short piece “That’s What I Did” appears in the spring 2026 issue of NOON, a boutique literary magazine. The memoir‑like vignette recounts a harsh Somerset childhood under the watch of “The Major,” focusing on riding feral horses without...
Into the Wreck by Susannah Dickey Review – an Immersive Exploration of Grief
Susannah Dickey’s third novel, Into the Wreck, follows five family members in County Donegal as they grapple with their father’s death. The narrative is split into five distinct voices, each revealing layers of grief, silence, and hidden family truths shaped...
Mohan Menon’s ‘The Ninja Never Knocks’, Is a Fast-Paced Detective Novel Set in Kolkata
Former advertising copywriter Mohan Menon has debuted with a fast‑paced detective novel, *The Ninja Never Knocks*, set in Kolkata. The story follows London‑born sleuth Bikram Banerji as he teams with ex‑hedge‑fund executive Sabina Sahani to hunt a dark‑web‑hired ninja who...
Graeme Brooker's Hefty New Book Analyzes the ‘DNA of the Interior’
Graeme Brooker’s new 400‑page book, *The Story of the Interior*, surveys how rooms shape and are shaped by humanity from prehistoric caves to late‑20th‑century capsules. Featuring over 500 photographs, the work is organized into three essays that dissect the “DNA...
Review | Between Worlds, Edited by Gautam Bhatia: Exploring the Quirks of Indian Speculative Fiction
The anthology "Between Worlds" edited by Gautam Bhatia is the inaugural volume of the IF Anthology of New Indian science‑fiction, fantasy and horror, presenting 11 stories that aim to debunk the myth that India lacks a speculative fiction tradition. The...
Catherine Lacey Reads “Rate Your Happiness”
Catherine Lacey, acclaimed novelist and two‑time Dylan Thomas Prize shortlist, reads her latest New Yorker story “Rate Your Happiness” for a public audio segment. The piece, featured in the April 13, 2026 issue, delves into the paradox of failure, indecision, and perpetual...
Book Review: ‘Yesteryear,’ by Caro Claire Burke
Caro Claire Burke’s debut novel *Yesteryear* delves into the glossy yet unsettling world of a tradwife influencer who curates a perfect‑looking family life on social media while hiding deep personal and ethical cracks. The protagonist, Natalie Heller Mills, runs a retro‑styled...
SBTB Bestseller: March 21 – April 3
The SBTB bestseller list for March 21 – April 3 highlights ten titles that rose to the top through a blend of affiliate sales data and traditional retail channels. The list is dominated by romance, fantasy, and speculative fiction, with each book available on...
Good Morning
In the past week AI moved from theory to controversy across the cultural sector. The New York Times dismissed a freelance critic for using AI to draft a book review, and Hachette pulled a novel suspected of AI authorship, marking publishing’s first...
Novels of the Future
Aaron Matz’s review of Dan Sperrin’s *State of Ridicule* argues that literary political satire has faded because modern governance is too intricate and mass culture overwhelms traditional mockery. He notes that television and streaming now host the most incisive satire,...
John Lithgow Claims some of J.K. Rowling's Views Have Been "Twisted and Misinterpreted"
Veteran actor John Lithgow told The New York Times and the New Yorker Radio Hour that he believes many of J.K. Rowling’s trans‑related statements have been "twisted and misinterpreted," yet he will continue working on HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series....
The Best Way to Keep Track of Upcoming Mystery and Thriller Books
Book Riot’s New Release Index is a searchable database that lists upcoming mystery and thriller titles by release date, letting readers filter by genre and save favorites to a personal Watchlist. The tool is bundled with the All Access membership,...
The Best Way to Keep Track of Upcoming Graphic Novels
Book Riot’s New Release Index is a searchable database that lists upcoming graphic novels by release date, letting readers filter by genre and save titles to a personal Watchlist. The tool is bundled with the All Access subscription, which costs...
T&C Culture Watch: We Have Your Next Book Club Pick
Town & Country’s April 2026 Culture Watch spotlights Lila Raicek’s debut novel “The Plunge” as its book‑club selection, pairing the story’s Manhattan‑to‑Lake Como setting with a curated lineup of luxury items. The feature highlights Audemars Piguet’s 50th‑anniversary Royal Oak chronograph, Tiffany & Co. jewelry, and Fendi apparel, positioning...
The Month’s Best New Thriller Books
Sarah Lyall’s April 4, 2026 column spotlights Taylor Brown’s new thriller Wolvers, published by St. Martin’s for $29. The novel follows an assassin hired by a right‑wing militia to eliminate a government‑protected she‑wolf in the American Southwest, weaving perspectives of the killer, a local rancher,...
‘Enough of This Me Me Me’: Blake Morrison on Memoir in the Age of Oversharing
The essay argues that memoirs have evolved from restrained, elite recollections to highly confessional works that often border on oversharing, driven by social‑media platforms like Substack. Writers now experiment with narrative voices—first‑person, third‑person, and even collective "we"—to balance intimacy and...
Red Star Down by DB John
DB John’s new thriller *Red Star Down* expands the saga begun in *Star of the North*, weaving U.S., North Korean, and Russian intrigue into a 700‑page narrative. Set against the backdrop of Donald Trump’s 2018 Korean summit, the novel follows...
Down Where Monsters Dwell
Icelandic author Knútsdóttir’s recent novels “Dead Weight” and “The Night Guest” have amassed glowing praise from bestselling writers, major publications, and award‑winning horror authors. Critics highlight the books’ eerie prose, character‑driven terror, and strong themes of female solidarity. Endorsements from...
Chimera
Gretchen Felker‑Martin’s newest novel, *Chimera*, hits shelves on February 16 2027. The body‑horror tale follows the shapeshifting Skin Dancers of 1980s New England as a violent family pact spirals into a forest‑borne terror. Published by Nightfire, the 320‑page work builds on Felker‑Martin’s...
Mr. Lonelyhearts
Clay McLeod Chapman’s new novel *Wake Up and Open Your Eyes* has earned glowing endorsements from a roster of bestselling horror writers and major publications. Critics praise its visceral body horror, razor‑sharp political satire, and emotionally charged storytelling. The book...
The Secret Lives of Zombie Wives
Barbara Truelove’s horror novella *The Secret Lives of Zombie Wives* arrives on February 2, 2027, blending zombie lore with a satire of Instagram‑driven “trad wife” culture. The 160‑page story follows Patricia, a reanimated influencer who must confront a looming zombie horde while...