Find Out Which Book Was 1st to Be Eliminated on Canada Reads 2026
Canada Reads 2026, hosted by Ali Hassan, kicked off its televised literary duel with five Canadian champions. In the opening debate, Iain Reid’s psychological thriller *Foe*, championed by Josh Dela Cruz, became the first book eliminated. The competition will continue over the next three days with four titles remaining, including *The Cure for Drowning* and *Searching for Terry Punchout*. CBC streams the debates across TV, online, radio and podcast platforms, amplifying national engagement with home‑grown literature.
The Faith of Beasts by James S. A. Corey
The Faith of Beasts, a 2026 novella by James S. A. Corey, continues the Captive’s War saga by scattering human survivors of Anjiin across labs, survey missions, and space fleets under the Carryx Empire. The story shifts from overt rebellion...
In Memoriam: Tracy Kidder, Author of Pulitzer Prize-Winning “The Soul of a New Machine”
Tracy Kidder, Pulitzer‑winning author of “The Soul of a New Machine,” died on March 24 at age 80. The 1981 bestseller chronicled Data General’s race to build the 32‑bit Eclipse MV/8000, a story Kidder captured by embedding with the engineering team despite having...
7 Innovative Collections From Poets Without MFAs
The article spotlights seven recent poetry collections by writers who never earned an MFA, highlighting how they sidestep academic conventions to produce inventive work. Each book—ranging from Rodrigo Toscano’s philosophically playful verses to Brandon Kilbourne’s science‑infused poems—demonstrates a distinct blend...
Ghost-Eye by Amitav Ghosh Review – a Climate-Crisis Novel Let Down by Its Prose
Amitav Ghosh’s eleventh novel, Ghost‑Eye, attempts a climate‑crisis story framed around reincarnation and a spiritual “hive mind.” While the plot weaves post‑World War II history, activist intrigue, and supernatural elements, reviewers argue the prose is clogged with clichés and stilted dialogue....
Bharatanatyam Dancer-Scholar Indumati Raman’s New Book Turns the Spotlight on Marathi Yakshaganams
Bharatanatyam dancer‑scholar Indumati Raman has released a new volume that shines a light on Marathi Yakshaganams and the cultural legacy of the Thanjavur Maratha rulers (1676‑1855). The work builds on her earlier study of the Bhagavata Mela tradition and is...
When Housewives Get Revenge, and More Mystery News
The latest Book Riot newsletter highlights a wave of new paperback releases, including 66 mystery‑thriller titles, and several adaptation projects. Actress‑author Krysten Ritter is set to star in a series version of her novel *Retreat* alongside producer Steve Yockey. Iantha...
Mediums and Mountain Ascetics
Hiroko Yoda’s new book, Eight Million Ways to Happiness, weaves memoir, history and cultural analysis to introduce readers to Japan’s contemporary spiritual landscape. Drawing on personal grief after her mother’s death, Yoda explores the fluid interplay of kami, Shinto, Buddhism...
How Streaming Platforms Reignited the YA Boom
Streaming giants are reviving the young‑adult (YA) boom by adapting popular books into series and films, with Netflix’s "Heartstopper" leading the charge. The genre’s resurgence follows a shift from traditional cable networks to on‑demand platforms, where short‑season formats align well...
Briefly Noted Book Reviews
The April 13 2026 Briefly Noted roundup spotlights four new titles: Evelyn Iritani’s nonfiction "Safe Passage" reveals the fraught US‑Japan civilian exchanges of World War II, exposing constitutional violations and diplomatic heroism. Benjamin Hale’s true‑crime narrative "Cave Mountain" juxtaposes a 2001 Ozark disappearance...
The Cognitive Athlete: Sustainable Peak Performance for Leaders, Thinkers and Doers, Reviewed
Clint Rahe’s new book, The Cognitive Athlete, translates elite‑sport conditioning into a systematic guide for professionals seeking sustainable mental and emotional peak performance. Drawing on his RAF training background, Rahe outlines four cognitive phases—conditioning, transition, performance and recovery—backed by neuroscience...
Isaac Asimov Reviews George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four and Calls It “Not Science Fiction, But a Distorted Nostalgia for a Past...
In a 1980 syndicated column, Isaac Asimov critiqued George Orwell’s *Nineteen Eighty‑Four*, arguing the novel is not science fiction but a nostalgic re‑imagining of Stalinist England. He faulted the book’s outdated setting, its focus on gin‑and‑tobacco habits, and its implausible...
Book Review: ‘Go Gentle,’ by Maria Semple
Maria Semple makes a high‑profile return after a ten‑year hiatus with "Go Gentle," a frenetic satire that mixes an art heist, sexual assault, and a coven of Upper West Side divorcées. The novel follows Adora Hazzard, a TV writer turned...
Book Review: ‘The Future Is Peace,’ by Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon
Aziz Abu Sarah, a Palestinian activist, and Maoz Inon, an Israeli tour operator, co‑authored The Future Is Peace, a memoir of loss and reconciliation after the Oct 7 attacks. Both lost parents in the violence—Abu Sarah’s brother died in Israeli custody, while Inon’s...
Of Nature, Art and Grace: On Norman Maclean’s A River Runs Through It
Norman Maclean’s *A River Runs Through It* turns fifty, marking half a century of literary acclaim. The University of Chicago Press took a chance on the Montana‑set manuscript after major New York houses rejected it for its “trees.” The novella’s...
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BOOK REVIEW: Navigating Obsession, Sexuality and Belonging in These Four Must-Read Books
The Daily Maverick review spotlights four 2025‑26 releases that probe obsession, sexuality and belonging. Arundhati Roy’s memoir "Mother Mary Comes to Me" (≈$24) intertwines a fierce mother’s love with generational trauma. Tanya Sweeney’s "Esther Is Now Following You" (≈$21) dramatizes...
Special Editions, Seasonal Podcasts, and the Art of Low-Key Book Marketing with Sara Rosett
Indie author Sara Rosett, a USA Today bestseller, has moved away from traditional retailer‑first launches toward a low‑key, personality‑driven marketing model. She now sells directly through a Shopify store, runs seasonal mystery podcasts, and leverages special editions, Kickstarter campaigns, and...
Walking Shadow by Greg Doran Review – Shakespeare’s Healing Power
Walking Shadow intertwines two memoirs: Antony Sher’s candid diaries written during his final months battling liver cancer, and his partner Greg Doran’s globe‑spanning quest to locate more than 200 surviving copies of Shakespeare’s First Folio. Sher’s entries blend stark honesty with wry...
Do We Do Enough to Address Student-on-Student Bullying in Higher Ed?
HEPI director Nick Hillman reviews Donald Jeffries’s 2020 book *Bullyocracy*, highlighting that bullying remains pervasive in schools and workplaces despite formal policies. The review draws parallels between U.S. case studies and the UK higher‑education sector, noting a gap in focus...
The Case of the Hydegild Sacrifice by David Cairns
David Cairns’s fourth Major Findo Gask novel, *The Case of the Hydegild Sacrifice*, transports the Edinburgh‑based detectives to 1865 America to investigate a plot against President Lincoln. The story blends a classic whodunnit structure with a meditation on historical truth,...
If They Aren’t Reading, Why Are We Making Fun Of Them?
Aaron Matz’s review of Dan Sperrin’s *State of Ridicule* argues that traditional English political satire has waned since the late eighteenth century, as state affairs grew too complex and mass culture expanded the arena of power. Matz contends that contemporary...
The Book News We Covered This Week
Book Riot’s weekly roundup spotlights several pivotal developments in the literary world. The American Library Association settled its lawsuit, securing Institute of Museum and Library Services funding after the Trump administration withdrew its appeal. After a seven‑year pause, the Indies...
Rethinking the Way We Decide
Debashis Sarkar’s new book *Evolve: 49 Counterintuitive Principles for Business* reframes decision‑making by urging leaders to examine how they view problems rather than simply what actions to take. The work organizes 49 insights into laws, paradoxes, and biases, drawing from...
Rising Above Life’s Storms
Neena Verma, a leadership coach and grief‑and‑growth author, releases *RISE — The Deep Resilience Way*, a three‑part guide that blends personal trauma stories with psychological research. The book introduces her original RISE model—Restorative Adaptation, Imaginal Growth, Supple Strength, Expansive Emergence—to help...
Thanks to an Old-Fashioned Family Novel, This 22-Year-Old Is Already a Literary Star in Europe
Swiss author Nelio Biedermann, 22, has become a literary sensation in Europe after his debut novel Lázár topped the German bestseller list for 29 weeks. The sweeping, old‑fashioned family saga, set in a former aristocratic Hungarian lineage, earned rave reviews...
Want to Talk Comics? Today, that Often Means Going Online
The comics industry has entered a "Blue Age," where digital platforms like Marvel Unlimited, Webtoons and Shonen Jump dominate consumption, and fans congregate in social‑media affinity spaces. Publishers, creators and scholars now use Twitter/X, Instagram and TikTok to market, discuss...
Douglas Stuart on the Push and Pull of an Old Life Versus a New One
Douglas Stuart discusses how his new short story "A Private View" and upcoming novel "John of John" examine the friction between a working‑class Scottish upbringing and a privileged New York art world. He reveals that his own childhood poverty, his mother’s...
They Were Once Essential to So Many Writers. Now They’re Quietly Vanishing Across the Internet.
The article chronicles the rapid disappearance of niche online writing communities as AI‑generated content floods platforms, eroding the professional purpose that once kept freelancers connected. Once‑vibrant Slack and Zoom rooms now host complaints about low‑quality AI output, mirroring the 12%...
Book Review: ‘Lázár,’ by Nelio Biedermann
Nelio Biedermann’s novel *Lázár* follows a translucent‑skinned aristocrat born into a fading Habsburg dynasty, tracing the family’s descent from imperial splendor to Soviet expropriation and the 1956 Hungarian revolt. The story blends gothic fable, surreal imagery, and meticulous historical detail,...
A Novelist Was Accused of Using AI. Why the Literary World Is Still Grappling with Guardrails
The Society of Authors has launched a “Human Authored” label so writers can certify that their books contain no AI‑generated text, a move prompted by the recent controversy surrounding horror author Mia Ballard, whose novel was pulled after a New York Times report...
An English Life in Vladimir Putin’s Twilight Zone
Marc Bennetts’s new book, *The Descent*, draws on his 25‑year stay in Russia to portray a nation spiralling into apathy and forced conformity under Vladimir Putin. Through vivid personal episodes—driving a nuclear waste truck, debating state TV loyalists, and witnessing...
Pro-Palestinian Organizers End Giller Prize Boycott, Citing Successful Campaign
Pro-Palestinian group CanLit Responds announced the end of its boycott of the Giller Prize after the literary award severed sponsorship ties with Scotiabank, the Azrieli Foundation, and clarified Indigo’s role as a promotional partner. The prize, which awards $100,000 CAD...
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9 New Books by Women Comedians That Feel Like a Catch-Up With Your Funniest Friend
The article spotlights nine new essay collections by prominent women comedians, marking a revival of the comedic‑essay genre. Each book blends humor with personal stories, covering everything from dating mishaps to mid‑life anxieties. The titles—ranging from Alison Leiby’s *I’m a...
Brave New Mind: Developing the Art of Serene Readiness in a World Out of Balance
Dr. Eric Maisel’s new book *Brave New Mind: The Art of Serene Readiness* tackles the escalating mental‑health crisis by offering a framework that blends calm awareness with decisive action. The work introduces “prime directives,” simple mental instructions such as “Do...
‘We Feel This Incredible Tension at All Times’: What Happened to Small-Town USA when Extremists Moved In
Michael Edison Hayden’s new book, *Strange People on the Hill*, chronicles how the far‑right outlet VDare bought a historic “castle” in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, and ignited a bitter clash among residents. The Brimelow couple’s anti‑immigration nonprofit became the focal...
Mega Bestselling Thriller Writer Freida McFadden’s Identity Revealed
The mystery surrounding bestselling thriller author Freida McFadden has been solved: she is Dr. Sara Cohen, a neurologist who treats brain disorders. Cohen adopted the McFadden pen name, a wig and glasses to keep her literary work separate from her...
3 Best New Horror Books to Read in April
April’s horror slate introduces two standout titles that broaden the genre’s scope. Gabrielle Sher’s debut *Odessa* reimagines early‑20th‑century Russian pogroms through Jewish folklore, turning a grieving father’s magic into a Golem‑like heroine. Marcus Kliewer’s *Bodies of Work* (also referenced as *The Caretaker*)...
Lena Dunham Is Still Trying to Figure Out Why People Hated Her So Much
Lena Dunham’s forthcoming memoir “Famesick,” a project she spent nearly a decade crafting, delves into the behind‑the‑scenes drama of her HBO hit “Girls” and the fierce public backlash that followed. The book recounts fraught relationships with co‑star Adam Driver, co‑showrunner...
Book Review: ‘A Terrible Intimacy,’ by Melvin Patrick Ely
Melvin Patrick Ely’s new book *A Terrible Intimacy* examines six criminal cases from Prince Edward County, Virginia, to reveal the tangled web of Black‑white relationships before the Civil War. By dissecting court testimony, the work shows how enslaved and free people...
Book Review: ‘EMPIRE OF SKULLS’ by Paul Stob
Historian Paul Stob’s new book, *Empire of Skulls*, chronicles the rise of phrenology in mid‑19th‑century America. The work spotlights the Fowler family, whose clinics in New York turned skull‑measuring into a popular self‑help service. A highlighted case follows a blacksmith’s...
Book Review: ‘The Monuments of Paris,’ by Violaine Huisman
Violaine Huisman’s latest novel, The Monuments of Paris, shifts her autobiographical lens from mother to father, tracing the lives of her dad Denis and grandfather Georges against a backdrop of exile, love affairs, and family ambition. Set in the summer...
Tradwife Fiction Is This Year’s Most Talked-About Literary Genre
Caro Claire Burke’s debut novel *Yesteryear* has turned tradwife fiction into the year’s hottest literary genre. The book, about Instagram‑famous “tradwife” Natalie Heller Mills, generated an 11‑way auction for publishing rights, with Amazon already optioning a film starring Anne Hathaway....
"Most Historians Would Rather Go Out Naked in Public than Prune Their Copious Footnotes." Not Albert O. Hirschman
John Plotz’s review celebrates Albert O. Hirschman’s 1977 work *The Passions and the Interests*, which recasts self‑interest from a condemned sin into a civilizing force that tames political ambition and religious fanaticism. The book, written as a sweeping historical essay...
How Lu Xun, a Famous Chinese Writer, Became a Cute Communist Mascot
China’s most celebrated modern writer Lu Xun, once a fierce critic of tradition and imperialism, is being recast in his hometown Shaoxing as a friendly Communist mascot. Plastic souvenir magnets, cartoon murals and other merch depict him in a softened, approachable...
The Story Behind an Almost Forgotten 1950s Feminist Fantasy Classic
The Financial Times profile revives a little‑known 1950s feminist fantasy novel, "The World Is Not a Dream," written by British author Eleanor Hart. Published in 1954, the book imagined a matriarchal society where women wielded magical power, challenging post‑war gender...
Is Sydney Writers’ Festival Screwing Its Writers? This Isn’t Fiction
The Sydney Writers’ Festival (SWF) secured a $1.5 million AUD (≈$1 million USD) grant from the NSW government to fund year‑round programming beyond its May 17‑24 schedule. New author contracts now prohibit writers from appearing at any Sydney reading event for four weeks...
These Are All the Cookbook Authors You Can See at the L.A. Times Festival of Books
The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books will host a dedicated Food x Now Serving booth on April 18‑19 at USC, featuring a packed schedule of cookbook signings and live cooking demos. Authors such as Joanne Lee Molinaro, Pyet DeSpain, and Arnold Myint will meet readers, while...
Aliza Licht Explores ’90s Fashion Insider Drama With Unfinished Novel on Substack
Aliza Licht, a personal‑branding guru and former DKNY PR lead, has begun serializing a 60,927‑word fiction manuscript on Substack titled “Off the Record: Secrets of a 90s Fashion Insider in New York.” The story, set in late‑1990s New York fashion,...
‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ Finds a New Voice
Harvard professor Maria Tatar has released a fresh English translation of Erich Maria Remarque’s 1929 WWI novel “All Quiet on the Western Front,” leveraging the book’s public‑domain status to restore the original German voice. The new edition replaces the long‑dominant...
This Week’s News in Venn Diagrams.
The weekly Venn‑diagram roundup spotlights three intersecting stories: author Helen Dewitt turned down the Windham‑Campbell Prize, FSG closed its MCD imprint as publishing consolidates, and the Artemis II crew broke the record for distance from Earth, underscoring commercial space momentum. It also...