The Independent Press Top 40 Bestsellers: Nonfiction
The Independent Publishers Caucus released its weekly Top 40 nonfiction bestsellers, compiled from sales data supplied by the American Booksellers Association across hundreds of independent bookstores nationwide. The list spotlights titles such as John U. Bacon’s *The Gales of November*, Robin Wall Kimmerer’s *Braiding Sweetgrass*, and Dean Spade’s *Mutual Aid*. Environmental, social‑justice, and mindfulness works dominate, reflecting current reader interests. The ranking offers a snapshot of indie‑press performance and consumer trends in the nonfiction market.
Lit Hub Daily: March 16, 2026
Lit Hub’s Daily roundup for March 16, 2026 aggregates a slate of literary and cultural pieces ranging from classic criticism of Frances Burney to contemporary fiction by Jade Song. The selection spotlights essays on grief as a narrative device, Barbara Pym’s everyday‑life focus, and a...
Beyond “Women’s Fiction…” On the Quiet Brilliance of Barbara Pym
Barbara Pym’s modest post‑war novels about spinsters, church life and quiet village politics fell out of print in the 1960s until a 1977 Times Literary Supplement endorsement sparked a revival and a Booker‑Prize nomination. The resurgence highlighted the literary value...
Crying in the Multiverse: On the Potential of Possibility as a Literary Device
The article explores how the multiverse concept, rooted in philosophy and quantum physics, has become a powerful literary device for processing grief and identity. It highlights works ranging from James Salter’s existential paradox to contemporary novels like *The Midnight Library*...
Janine Kovac on Getting Into Writing Residencies and Book Festivals
The Memoir Nation podcast featured author and residency adjudicator Janine Kovac discussing how writers can secure writing residencies and book festival slots. Kovac, a former ballet dancer and co‑director of Litquake’s Lit Crawl, shares practical advice drawn from her experience reviewing...
Philip Schultz on Unavoidable Mortality
Pulitzer‑winning poet Philip Schultz discusses his new collection "Enormous Morning" on the "First Draft" podcast. The book confronts mortality, weaving childhood memories, philosophical reflections, and present‑day family scenes. Schultz reveals he only recently returned to manuscript work after a five‑year...
Is This the Most Literary Video Game of All Time?
Meredith Gran’s new game *Perfect Tides: Station to Station* lets players inhabit Mara Whitefish, a anxious art‑college freshman, and experience her coming‑of‑age story through a unique reading‑and‑writing mechanic. Over eight hours, players navigate four seasonal chapters, balancing classes, parties, and...
Andrew Martin on How to Manage Exposition
Andrew Martin argues that the widespread aversion to “info dumps” misrepresents the role of exposition in fiction. He explains that the fear originates from poorly executed backstory and the over‑reliance on the “show, don’t tell” mantra, which can lead writers...
On the Power of Maia Kobabe’s Gender Queer, One of the Most Banned Books of Its Era
Maia Kobabe’s graphic memoir *Gender Queer*, first published in 2019, has become a cultural flashpoint, topping the American Library Association’s list of most challenged books from 2021 to 2023 and ranking second in 2024. The memoir chronicles Kobabe’s non‑binary journey,...
On Lio Min’s Beating Heart Baby as “Portable Fortress of Dreams”
Lio Min’s debut novel *Beating Heart Baby* follows Santi, a queer Filipino high‑school senior, as he navigates love with Suwa, a trans‑masculine Korean‑American trumpet star, within a vibrant Los Angeles marching band. The story shifts to Tokyo, where Suwa performs in...
On the Pure Pleasure of Plot in Gretchen Felker-Martin’s Manhunt
Gretchen Felker‑Martin’s horror novel *Manhunt* has emerged as a breakout work that re‑centers plot and visceral storytelling in a literary market dominated by experimental autofiction. The book situates itself within the “gender apocalypse” subgenre, but flips the script by foregrounding...
Thanks to a Group of Booksellers, Amazon Is Pulling Out of the Paris Book Fair.
Amazon has withdrawn its sponsorship of the Paris Book Fair after intense pressure from the Syndicat de la Librairie Française (SLF), France’s independent booksellers’ union. The SLF launched a boycott, accusing Amazon of flooding the market with AI‑generated books and...
Why Jane Austen Adaptations Just Keep Coming—And We Keep Watching
Jane Austen’s novels, especially Pride and Prejudice, continue to inspire a steady stream of film, TV and streaming adaptations, with Netflix announcing a six‑part miniseries for 2026. Scholars argue the enduring appeal lies in Austen’s focus on the financial and...
Lit Hub Daily: March 6, 2026
Lit Hub’s March 6 daily roundup bundles a wide array of literary and cultural content, from criticism and poetry to health and music pieces. Highlights include a story on America’s caregiving crisis, a tribute to librarians for International Women’s Day, and analyses...
Benjamin Hale on How to Expand a Magazine Article Into a Book
Benjamin Hale explains how his Harper's article on a 1978 Ozark murder expanded into the book Cave Mountain because he had far more material than the 15,000‑word limit allowed. He outlines his nine‑box grid method, a nine‑square outline that builds...
8 Badass Librarians We Need to Celebrate This International Women’s Day
The article spotlights eight remarkable librarians—historical and contemporary—celebrated on International Women’s Day. It highlights pioneers like Sor Juana, Dorothy Porter, and modern influencers such as Mychal Threets, Jean Darnell, and Ricci Yuhico who reshape library services, champion diversity, and harness...