‘Andy Burnham’s Life Was Changed by the Poet Tony Harrison’: Writers Discuss Literature, Politics and the 100 Best Novels
The Guardian unveiled its 2026 list of the 100 best English‑language novels, compiled from votes by more than 170 authors, critics and academics. The panel, featuring Elif Shafak, Kate Mosse, Blake Morrison and Guy Gunaratne, discussed the ongoing reading crisis, the appeal of classic works and the growing gender balance on the list, which is topped by George Eliot’s Middlemarch. They highlighted how diverse formats—print, e‑readers and audiobooks—are reshaping literary consumption. The conversation also touched on the potential political impact of literature, citing Andy Burnham’s transformation after reading poet Tony Harrison.
Luminous New Historical Fiction
The latest literary roundup spotlights four new releases that fuse narrative flair with rigorous history. Priya Parmar’s *The Original* reexamines Katharine Hepburn’s rise in 1920s‑1930s Hollywood, while Karen Tei Yamashita’s *Questions 27 & 28* mixes fiction and archival material to illuminate Japanese‑American internment. Robert Seethaler’s...
Flavia De Luce Mystery Writer Alan Bradley Dead at Age 87
Alan Bradley, the Canadian author behind the bestselling Flavia de Luce mystery series, died at 87 on the Isle of Man. The series, launched when Bradley was in his late 60s, has sold over six million copies and been translated into...
Thoughts on Rebellious Romance & Indie Bookstore Marketing with M.J. Etkind
M.J. Etkind explores how rebellious romance narratives, like the witch‑centric vignette, can power indie bookstore marketing. The story showcases a protagonist using a clandestine potion to resolve a personal crisis, illustrating the genre’s blend of intimacy and supernatural intrigue. Etkind...
Read Lonesome Dove With Me This Summer
The Art of Manliness' newsletter Dying Breed is launching a summer book club centered on Larry McMurtry’s classic novel *Lonesome Dove*. The eight‑week read‑along begins May 30 and provides a 20‑30‑minute daily schedule, weekly reflections from host Brett McKay and Jeremy Anderberg, and...
Intoxicating and Astonishing: Why 'The Selfish Gene' Almost Never Was
In February 1976 a handwritten note sent Richard Dawkins’s manuscript of *The Selfish Gene* to Oxford University Press editor Michael Rodgers. Rodgers was instantly convinced of its brilliance and spent the summer lobbying OUP’s global branches to publish it. The book...
‘Morbid’ Doesn’t Want You to Fall for Antiaging Hype
‘Morbid’ by Oxford scientist Saul Justin Newman pulls back the curtain on modern longevity research, revealing how many claimed super‑centenarians are the result of record‑keeping errors or outright fraud. The book spotlights cases like Irma Borgoglio, whose supposed age was...
IndyBest’s Book Club Pick for June Is a Cult Romantasy Classic
IndyBest’s Book Club has selected Rebecca Yarros’s debut Empyrean novel *Fourth Wing* as its June pick, signaling a shift toward the rapidly expanding romantasy genre. Romantasy now accounts for roughly $610 million in U.S. publisher sales, driven in large part by TikTok’s BookTok...
Art Cure by Daisy Fancourt Review – Is Culture the Best Medicine?
Daisy Fancourt’s new book *Art Cure* argues that artistic activities function like medicine, with measurable biological effects that improve mental and physical health. Drawing on her psychobiology research, she breaks down arts experiences into "active ingredients" such as noise buffering,...
5 Books to Help Leaders Avoid Burnout on the Journey to Success
The article spotlights five recent titles aimed at helping high‑performing leaders sidestep burnout while pursuing growth. It highlights two examples—Jess Ekstrom’s *Making It Without Losing It* and Ryan Renteria’s *Lead without Burnout*—which blend practical tactics with mindset shifts to protect...
Meet the 13-Year-Old Author Whose Mystery Novel Is a Love Letter to Davao City
Thirteen‑year‑old Malaika Cuezon turned her lifelong dream into reality with the release of Diola Code, a mystery novel set in her hometown of Davao City. The story follows Drew, a non‑verbal girl who deciphers a car‑accident mystery using Morse code,...
What It Takes to Be a Traitor — the Making of the Cambridge Spies
The Financial Times piece delves into the formation of the Cambridge Five, revealing how a tight‑knit circle of left‑leaning Cambridge University students was coaxed into Soviet espionage in the 1930s and 1940s. It traces the ideological allure of anti‑fascism, the...
Tony Tulathimutte’s Incels and Misogynists Define Our Era of Cringe
Tony Tulathimutte’s 2024 short‑story collection Rejection has divided readers, praised for its literary craft yet condemned for its stark portrayal of incels, misogyny and digital isolation. The book stitches together stories like “The Feminist” and “Our Dope Future” that mirror...
International Booker Prize Goes to Novel Originally Written in Mandarin Chinese for the First Time
Taiwan Travelogue, a novel originally written in Mandarin, has won the International Booker prize. Authors Yáng Shuāng‑zǐ and translator Lin King share the £50,000 (~$63,500) award announced at Tate Modern. The book, a metafictional love story set in 1938 Japanese‑occupied...
‘Obvious Markers of AI’: Doubts Raised over Winner of Short Story Prize
The Commonwealth short‑story prize for the Caribbean was awarded to Jamir Nazir’s "The Serpent in the Grove," but AI detection tools and literary sleuths have raised doubts that the piece may be machine‑generated. Granta’s publisher Sigrid Rausing and the Commonwealth Foundation acknowledge...
Echoes of the Lost by Cindy Brown
Cindy Brown’s new mystery Echoes of the Lost places a brain‑injured ex‑detective in a rain‑soaked Portland winter, where he must protect a toddler left on his porch while unraveling a homeless woman’s murder. The novel weaves the city’s chronic homelessness—estimated at...
The Science of Cities. 10 Books You Must Read
The article highlights a curated list of ten essential books that explore how cities function and evolve as the global urban population surges toward six billion by mid‑century. It revisits classic works like Robert Caro’s *The Power Broker* and Jane Jacobs’s...
That Presidential Biography, Narrative of a Shipwreck, or Forgotten War Story? “The Days when Dad Books Reigned Supreme Are Gone”
Print sales of serious nonfiction—biographies, politics, history—have slumped for four straight years, with overall nonfiction down nearly 8% and politics titles down 19% through early May 2026. Publishers attribute the drop to a media diet dominated by podcasts, audiobooks, newsletters,...
7 Books About Queer and Trans Lives on the Prairies
The Electric Literature piece spotlights seven recent titles that center queer and trans experiences on Canada’s prairie provinces. From Joshua Whitehead’s novel about an Indigenous gay youth to Tegan and Sara’s memoir of teenage queer discovery, the list spans fiction,...
Lit Hub Daily: May 19, 2026
Lit Hub’s May 19 2026 Daily roundup bundles more than a dozen literary pieces, ranging from memoirs and craft essays to curated reading lists. Highlights include a retrospective on Oscar Wilde’s 1897 release, new titles by acclaimed authors such as Ali Smith and...
Book Review: ‘Talking Classics,’ by Mary Beard
Mary Beard’s new book, Talking Classics: The Shock of the Old, argues that the ancient world can be made crave‑worthy through vivid, everyday artifacts rather than elite scholarship. She recounts personal moments—a 4,000‑year‑old bread roll and graffiti in Herculaneum—to show...
∫Book Review: ‘Dangerous, Dirty, Violent, and Young,’ by Zayd Ayers Dohrn
Zayd Ayers Dohrn’s new memoir, Dangerous, Dirty, Violent, and Young, offers a rare insider‑outsider view of the Weather Underground through the lens of his childhood. The book intertwines personal anecdotes with a meticulously researched account of the group’s shift from...
Offseason by Avigayl Sharp Review – Wry Comedy of a Frazzled Teacher
Offseason, Avigayl Sharp’s debut novel, follows a 28‑year‑old literature teacher at an elite U.S. boarding school who is spiraling under prescription stimulants, trauma, and a fixation on Stalin. The deadpan, absurdist narration skewers privileged student culture, the over‑use of trauma...
Jon Krakauer Tells Alex Honnold His 1996 Everest Expedition Was a Terrible Decision
Jon Krakauer told climber Alex Honnold on the Climbing Gold podcast that his 1996 Everest expedition, chronicled in the bestseller *Into Thin Air*, was the worst decision of his life. He said the disaster left him with severe, undiagnosed PTSD...
‘Dungeon Crawler Carl’ Author on That ‘Sexy’ Ending to ‘A Parade of Horribles,’ What’s Coming in Final Two Books
Matt Dinniman wrapped up the eighth "Dungeon Crawler Carl" novel, "A Parade of Horribles," with a surprise twist: the ultimate dungeon boss, the Scolopendra, is transformed into a flirtatious ally dubbed "Sexy Scolopendra." The author revealed that the ending was...
Alex Haley’s ROOTS Banned by Tennessee School District
Knox County Schools in Tennessee removed Alex Haley’s 1976 bestseller *Roots* from its public libraries, invoking the state’s Age‑Appropriate Materials Act. The law bars titles containing nudity, sexual content, or excessive violence, though the novel may still be taught in...
Best Enemies-to-Lovers Romance Books, According to Emily Henry
Emily Henry curates a list of standout enemies‑to‑lovers romance novels, from office‑centric "The Hating Game" to culturally nuanced "Ayesha at Last" and the emotionally layered "Seven Days in June." She highlights how each title transforms conflict into chemistry, often weaving...
A Royalty Management System Built for the Modern Author
Crealo has launched an all‑in‑one royalty management platform that streamlines reporting and author communication for publishers. The system, now used by more than 200 publishers across France, Canada, the UK and the US, automates workflows and cuts reporting effort by...
Review: It's (Just) Rocket Science
Jeff Foust reviews *It’s (Just) Rocket Science*, a 376‑page Johns Hopkins University Press title that teaches basic physics through spaceflight stories. The book pairs concepts like angular momentum and photon pressure with missions such as NASA’s DART asteroid impact and...
Kennedy Ryan on ‘Score,’ Her TV Deal, and Finding Purpose
Kennedy Ryan, the bestselling Black romance author, secured a first‑look deal with Universal Studio Group to develop TV projects, including a Peacock adaptation of her breakout 2022 novel "Before I Let Go." Her upcoming book "Score," the second in the...
Translating Kafka. Borges Found Freedom in His Labyrinths. For Primo Levi, It Was Like Recovering From an Illness
In *Kafkaesque*, French‑Czech author Maïa Hruska chronicles ten translators who carried Franz Kafka’s work from obscurity to worldwide fame. The book highlights how figures such as Borges, Vialatte, Primo Levi and Milena Jesenská interpreted Kafka’s themes of alienation, often reflecting...
SuperCreativity And KeyNote Speaking With A Non-Fiction Book With James Taylor
The Creative Penn podcast featured nonfiction author and keynote speaker James Taylor discussing his new book, *SuperCreativity*, which explores how artificial intelligence can serve as a genuine creative partner. Taylor explains the five‑stage creative process, the types of creative purpose,...
Kathryn Heyman’s Novel About Dying and Difficult Families Resists Easy Consolations
Kathryn Heyman's new novel Circle of Wonders follows a terminally ill mother, Roni, and her fractured family over a lunar cycle, exposing the messy, relational side of dying. The story weaves ordinary details—like a notebook of observations and an albino...
A Forgotten Medieval Book In Rome Was Hiding A Copy Of The World’s First Poem In English
Researchers from Trinity College Dublin identified a medieval codex in Rome’s Biblioteca Angelica that contains the oldest surviving English poem, likely dating to the 7th‑century Anglo‑Saxon era. The discovery emerged from a digital scan of the manuscript, allowing scholars to...
Book Review: ‘Take Me to Your Leader,’ by Neil deGrasse Tyson
Neil deGrasse Tyson’s latest title, “Take Me to Your Leader,” is a 230‑page, $26 paperback that strings together quick scientific tidbits with references to movies, TV shows and a handful of classic novels about extraterrestrials. The review argues the book...
Christian Nationalism Isn’t a MAGA Aberration. Historian Matthew Sutton Says It’s the Whole American Story.
Historian Matthew Avery Sutton’s new book, Chosen Land, offers a 500‑year survey of Christianity’s role in shaping America, released ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary. Sutton argues that Christian nationalism is not a recent MAGA aberration but a persistent thread...
How Madonna Inspired ‘Billy on the Street’ — and More Billy Eichner Secrets
Comedian‑actor Billy Eichner launched his audio memoir *Billy on Billy* on May 19, chronicling his rise from the street‑interview show *Billy on the Street* to starring in the groundbreaking gay rom‑com *Bros*. The memoir reveals how icons like Madonna and mentors...
12 Books About Losing Perspective in Los Angeles
The article curates twelve Los Angeles‑centric novels that explore how the city erodes personal point of view. From Joan Didion’s stark free‑way meditations to Paul Beatty’s satirical courtroom, each work illustrates the illusion‑driven, power‑laden landscape of LA. The pieces range from classic noir...
The Best Recent Crime and Thrillers – Review Roundup
The Guardian’s roundup highlights two standout crime thrillers. Imani Thompson’s debut *Honey* (UK £16.99, ≈ $22) follows Yrsa, a Black Cambridge PhD student whose impulsive murders become a twisted academic experiment, delivering sharp campus satire. Chris Brookmyre’s *Quite Ugly One Evening* (UK £22,...
Review | The Witch by Marie NDiaye Is a Darkly Absurd Tale of Motherhood and Magic
Marie NDiaye’s novella *The Witch*, originally published in French in 1996, has been shortlisted for the International Booker Prize and released in English for the first time, translated by Jordan Stump. The story follows Lucie, a suburban mother with modest...
Review | Rene Karabash’s She Who Remains Reimagines Gender and Freedom Through Albania’s Sworn Virgins
Rene Karabash’s International Booker‑shortlisted novel *She Who Remains* dramatizes the Albanian tradition of sworn virgins—women who take a lifelong chastity oath to live as men under the centuries‑old Kanun law. The story follows Bekija’s transformation into Matija, using a punctuation‑free, lyrical...
Chet’la Sebree on How Chronic Illness Forever Altered Her Literary Life
Chet’la Sebree, author of *Turn (W)here*, describes how a herniated neck disc and a subsequent lupus diagnosis forced her to abandon her long‑standing habit of drafting by hand. She adopted standing desks, exercise balls, and a pomodoro schedule, mixing digital...
Backtalker by Kimberlé Crenshaw Review – the Audacity of Hope
Kimberlé Crenshaw's memoir "Backtalker" chronicles her upbringing in segregated Ohio, the loss of family property through eminent domain, and her journey to Harvard Law where she helped forge the theory of intersectionality. The book details personal anecdotes—from a childhood pool...
Cast Away by Francesca De Tores Review – Gripping Portrait of the Real-Life Robinson Crusoe
Francesca de Tores’s debut novel "Cast Away" reimagines the 1704 marooning of Scottish privateer Alexander Selkirk, the real‑life inspiration for Daniel Defoe’s "Robinson Crusoe". The book opens with Selkirk borrowing a line from Frank O’Hara, immediately linking 18th‑century survival with...
Here's How the NYT Crafts Bestseller Lists — and How Authors Try to Game Them
The New York Times builds its bestseller lists by aggregating sales data from a curated network of retailers, applying weighted formulas, and periodically auditing titles for anomalies. The paper’s methodology, while opaque, aims to reflect genuine consumer demand across print, e‑book, and...
Books Our Editors Loved This Week
The New York Times Book Review released its weekly Editors’ Choice, spotlighting five newly published titles spanning literary fiction, nonfiction, thriller, romance, and mystery. The curated list is designed to guide readers toward noteworthy releases and can be saved to...
First Look: The Tailor by Tim Sullivan
Tim Sullivan’s eighth George Cross novel, The Tailor, arrives on July 16, 2026. The Bristol‑based neurodivergent detective tackles a brutal murder that unfolds on a train from Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington. The site offers a first‑look video and...
The Weird, Wild Story of Humanity’s Obsession with Gold
A newly released book maps humanity’s centuries‑long fascination with gold, tracing its role from ancient temples to modern portfolios. It highlights a vivid anecdote from Lloyd Blankfein, who as a rookie trader in the 1980s bought a kilogram of the...
Book Review: The Quarter Queen by Kayla Hardy
Kayla Hardy’s *The Quarter Queen* reimagines the legendary Marie Laveau as the powerful Queen of the Quarter in mid‑1800s New Orleans, weaving magic‑laden fantasy with a meticulously researched historical backdrop. The novel follows Laveau and her daughter Ree as they navigate...
Karadi Tales at 30: How India’s Iconic Children’s Publisher Transformed Storytelling
Karadi Tales celebrates its 30th anniversary, marking three decades of reshaping Indian children’s publishing through audio‑driven storytelling, music‑rich picture books, and inclusive formats. Founded in 1996 by CP Viswanath, Shobha Viswanath and Narayan Parasuram, the Chennai‑based house introduced audiobooks featuring celebrated voices such...