Category: Today In Books

Free E-books For Patients Under Quarantine

In South Korea an e-book subscription service that began in 2017, Millie’s Library, is offering people under home quarantine and coronavirus patients free access to their 50,000 title library for two months. “Millie’s said that its decision to allow free access to its library was a way of ‘giving back to society.’”

Mobile Library

The Echo Mobile Library in Greece was founded in 2016 and operates thanks to its 15 volunteer team to bring books to refugee camps. “’There is one family who speak Urdu and the mother had made her way through every single Urdu book we had,’ Dignan says. ‘When I was back in London I looked all over the place for another Urdu book and eventually I found one.’”

2020 Lambda Literary Awards Finalists!

Prepare the TBR: the Lambda Literary Awards Finalists for 2020 have been announced. Categories range from Lesbian Fiction to LGBTQ Studies and include genre categories like romance, sci-fi/fantasy, poetry and mystery. And nonfiction is especially exceptional with finalists like Ordinary Girls; How We Fight For Our Lives; In The Dream House; Real Queer America; Long Live The Tribe Of Fatherless Girls. Your next great read is definitely on the Lambda finalist list!

Recycling Books Into Toilet Paper

Here’s a look at a Material Resources Center in Ephrata, Pennsylvania where last year roughly 1.6 million books donated/recycled ended up being processed. After going through machines that cut off the binding, the books find their next lives as toilet paper, paper towels, insulation, tissue, and even animal bedding. “Niessen said he has been getting more donated books recently as prices for recyclables have fallen because of a trade war with China.”

New Book List!

New York City education officials created a new reading list for kindergarten through 12th grade, meant to encourage students to find a fun book to read. The 254 book list was put together by the DOE, with recommendations from students, community members, and parents/guardians for the NYC Reads 365 program. The list has great books ranging from memoirs (Hello, Michelle Obama and Trevor Noah!) to comic books (Hello, Miles Morales aka Spider-Man!).

In Sad News

Activist, trailblazing mystery author, and 2020 Mystery Writers Of America’s Grandmaster Barbara Neely passed away. Her publisher Brash Books posted on Twitter the news of her passing. If you’ve yet to meet her heroine Blanche White and are looking for your next mystery read, you can start with the Agatha, Macavity, and Anthony Awards winning novel Blanche on the Lam.

Is Macmillan Reconsidering Its Library E-book Embargo?

Macmillan, one of the Big Five U.S. publishers, incited protest and boycotts when they introduced a new embargo on how many digital copies of a new books libraries are allowed to purchase. Now it seems that they may be reconsidering this controversial embargo. While this is good news for libraries and their patrons, some librarians are concerned with how Macmillan is soliciting feedback, calling for transparency and emphasizing fair access.

Libraries And Pandemic Preparedness: Addressing COVID-19 With Facts And Outreach

Librarians to the rescue with facts regarding the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak! Libraries in some of the hardest-hit areas of the country speak about all they’re doing to keep their libraries clean and germ-free, and to educate their patrons. That education goes beyond simply providing accurate information about the spread of the disease, and includes addressing inaccuracies about the origin of the disease and racial stigmas.

SXSW Festival In Austin Is Canceled Due To Coronavirus Fears

The annual South by Southwest Festival, which brings in entertainers, authors, and performers and draws in thousands of guests, has been cancelled due to the spread of coronavirus. This is only the latest in events that have been cancelled or rescheduled over fear of illness, and it’s likely not the last event to be impacted. It will be very interesting to watch how authors, publishers, and event venues deal with the disruptions caused by coronavirus in the coming weeks.

Oprah Drops Book Club Book (Not That One)

No, Oprah isn’t dropping the book many people said was trauma porn and poorly written about Latinx communities. She is however dropping her original pick for March, My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell, it seems because “she did suggest that, moving forward, they hoped to avoid books that provoked controversies that might overwhelm the book club’s discussion.” The controversies are not the same.

Snoopadelic Films To Adapt Modern Sherlock

If you guessed that Snoop Dogg is behind Snoopadelic Films, A+ for you! Also, he’ll be executive producing the adaptation of Joe Ide’s IQ (Isaiah Quintabe) series which is like a modern day Sherlock in East Long Beach complete with his own Watson–er, I mean Dodson.

Get Your Learn On (And Wash Your Hands!)

Duke University Press made a selection of their books and articles on pandemics and communicable diseases free online “to help build knowledge and understanding of how we navigate the spread of communicable diseases.” You have until June 1st to read the books online for free and October 1st for the journal articles.

You Can Own Shel Silverstein’s Houseboat

Shel Silverstein, the late author of Where the Sidewalk Ends and The Giving Tree, had a two bedroom, one bath houseboat–that was built on top of a WWII balloon barge–and it can now be yours for $783,000. Check out the pictures!

Match Made In Heaven

Netflix announced that Taika Waititi (New Zealand filmmaker of Thor: Ragnarok; Jojo Rabbit) will be producing and directing two animated series for Netflix based on Roald Dahl’s work. One series will be set in and feature characters from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the other will be an original take on the Oompa-Loompas. This is certainly going to be funny and fun with Waititi in charge!

Hachette Drops Book After Staff Walkout

After Ronan Farrow learned that his publisher for Catch and Kill was planning on releasing Woody Allen’s memoir, he publicly posted that he would leave the publisher over their decision. Ronan Farrow’s sister, Dylan Farrow, has accused Allen of sexually abusing her as a child. Many of Hachette and its imprint’s employees were also shocked and angered to learn that their employer would be publishing Allen’s memoir and walked out in protest. Hachette Book Group announced it would no longer publish Allen’s memoir.

Simon & Schuster Up For Sale

“We’ve made the determination that Simon & Schuster is not a core asset of the company. It is not video based; it doesn’t have significant connectivity to our broader business. At the same time, there’s no question it’s a marquee asset that’s highly valuable. I’ve had multiple, unsolicited inbound calls about that asset,” is what a ViacomCBS (which owns S&S) CEO said during a live-streamed session at Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference. So, sounds like ViacomCBS is selling Simon & Schuster.

Ronan Farrow To Drop Publisher Over Book

Ronan Farrow was one of the journalists at the forefront of the #metoo movement (coined by Tarana Burke) who has since written a book, Catch and Kill, detailing how, as he tried to break the story on Harvey Weinstein, NBC News executives worked against him to kill the story. After news that one of Hachette’s imprints will publish Woody Allen’s memoir Farrow released a public statement that he’ll be cutting ties with the publisher. Ronan Farrow’s sister, Dylan Farrow, who accused Allen of sexual assault during childhood has also released a statement making it clear she was never contacted for fact checking.

Nevertheless, She Persisted Short Fiction Bundle

If you weren’t already excited for International Women’s Day on March 8th here’s a reason to celebrate: Tor will be offering free downloads of its short fiction bundle, titled Nevertheless, She Persisted. Great way to get to know 11 of the best science fiction and fantasy writers today.

More Crazy Rich Asians

If you’ve read your way through Kevin Kwan’s three books in the Crazy Rich Asian series and you need more romance, laughs, and opulence I have great news: the fourth book, Sex and Vanity, will be out this summer! “A glittering tale of love and longing as a young woman finds herself torn between two worlds—the WASP establishment of her father’s family and George Zao, a man she is desperately trying to avoid falling in love with.”

Overdrive’s Hold Changes

If you check out books from your library using OverDrive, they’ve made a change that went into effect at the start of March: no more automatic hold checkout. Instead, when your audiobook or ebook is ready you’ll have to manually borrow the book or, now you’ll also have the option to, “hold redelivery,” which will pass the copy to the next person in line and you’ll get the next available copy. Basically, we made one too many jokes about all our holds coming in at once.

Superchef Comic!

The owner of Superhero Chefs restaurants, Darnell “SuperChef” Ferguson, is launching a comic book series! The series is intended to help kids navigate growing up by showing the main character defending themself against bullies and villains and dealing with insecurities.

Utopian Alphabet For Sale

Sir Thomas More’s Utopia, first published in 1516, is a satire depicting a fictional island society that has never been out of print. Now a rare copy from 1518, which includes the fictional world’s invented language, will be up for sale at New York City’s International Antiquarian Book Fair. If you’re attending and have $81,000 to spare it could be yours.

Mighty Fine List

The Women’s Prize for Fiction announced the 2020 longlist and what an exceptional list it is! If you’re a crime reader Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara is great, and the audiobook has fantastic narrators. If you’ve been meaning to read more Latinx novels Dominicana by Angie Cruz should be your next read. Jacqueline Woodson once again with another excellent novel: Red at the Bone. Seriously, this list is so good you can just randomly pick your next read from it and then go through the rest of the books.

Audie Award Winners Announced

Last night, the 2020 Audie Awards were handed out, so if you’re looking for your next earhole read you’re all set! Michelle Obama won for Becoming in the autobiography/memoir category. Elizabeth Acevedo won for narration by author for With the Fire On High–and any year she narrates her novel she should win is my hot take. Father and son Stephen King and Joe Hill won in separate categories, short stories thriller/suspense, for Full Throttle and The Institute. And one of my absolute favorite books of last year Nothing To See Here took the award for best female narrator. Check out all the winners!

How Bookstores Try To Survive Epidemic

COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) epidemic is taking lives, disrupting way of life, and affecting businesses, including bookstores that rely on in-store events and customers. Many are being forced to get creative in order to continue making money to keep from losing their bookstore: asking customers to please buy gift cards; live streaming recommendations and literary readings; “book surprise” service where you tell them your feelings and they send you a book to match.

Fulfill Your Transcribing Dreams

Nearly 4,000 unpublished letters and poems by Walt Whitman needed transcribing and the Library of Congress asked for volunteers to help. Half of the documents still need to be transcribed, so if you’re a Whitman fan and want to help make his documents more accessible here’s your time to shine.

RWA All Over Again

The Scottish Poetry Library issued a ban on “no-platforming” that will lead it to cut ties with authors that criticize other authors. This stems from authors with anti-trans views being called out for being transphobic so the Scottish Poetry Library is essentially saying it will punish authors who point out that other authors are phobic.

Amazon Studios Acquires For Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films Samantha Downing’s Bestseller My Lovely Wife

Good news for fans of My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing–Amazon Studios is developing the project, in partnership with Nicole Kidman’s production company! The book is about a married couple who seem perfectly average–except that they are secret serial killers by night. No word yet on whether or not Kidman plans on playing the suburban mom/secret serial killer, but the adaptation is sure to be winner with fans of Big Little Lies.

Three New Ojibwe-Language Books Will Tell The Stories Of Tribal Elders In Their Own Words

Fewer than 500 people speak Ojibwe, but a new project from the Mille Lacs Band and Minnesota Historical Society Press is hoping to preserve the language and stories. By speaking extensively with elders, transcribers were able to record stories, wisdom, and fiction, which will be illustrated and published this fall. No English translation will be made available (which is the point of the project), which “affirms the validity of the Ojibwe language apart from its relationship to colonial languages.”

Podcast Playlist: Hillary Clinton To Launch New Show, Audible Casts Dakota Fanning

Buried beneath the news that Hillary Clinton is launching a new podcast–Dakota Fanning is going to be narrating the audiobook of Chosen Ones, Veronica Roth’s new novel and her first book for adults. The book is about a group of five teens who defeated a great evil, and are still dealing with the fallout ten years later. It’s the first time Dakota Fanning has narrated an audiobook, although her younger sister Elle narrated the first five The Babysitter’s Club audiobooks, which released last year. The audiobook will be available exclusively on Audible.