Category: Today In Books

Ready Player One Is Getting A Sequel

During a Facebook Live event debuting the second trailer for the film adaptation of Ready Player One, author Ernest Cline confirmed that he’s working on a sequel to the book. Set in 2045, Ready Player One follows teenager Wade Watts who’s trying to survive and unlock secrets in a virtual utopia known as the OASIS. No word on when the sequel will be published, but you can catch Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the first book in theaters March 2018.

Gabriel García Márquez’s Archive Goes Digital

The Harry Ransom center at the University of Texas has digitized about half of Gabriel García Márquez’s archive, and made it freely available online. Included in the author’s collection are drafts and other material relating to all of his major books, including One Hundred Years of Solitude. Although García Márquez’s work is still under copyright, his estate allowed the digitization and distribution of the archive. (You can go straight to the archive here.)

4-Year-Old Reads 100 Books In One Day

In small but mighty news, a 4-year-old boy read 100 books in one day. Chicagoan Caleb Green’s parents streamed the young bibliophile’s reading marathon on Facebook Live. Caleb told his parents it had to be 100 books–no less–so friends of the family dropped by with more books for him to read. You can watch videos of Caleb’s reading marathon in the article (they are adorable).

Today in Books is sponsored by Penguin Random House Audio.

Listening to an audiobook can bring family and friends together this holiday season. Listen to Turtles All the Way Down by John Green on your next family road trip and discuss the important themes of the story. Or, listen to Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak with your friends at book club to prepare for the holiday season. Connect, listen, and discuss with audiobooks from Penguin Random House Audio.

Book Riot Deals is sponsored today by Imperfect Justice by Cara Putnam:

Pioneering New York Times Sexual Abuse Reporters to Write Book

Penguin Press has announced that Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey will write a book about their reporting of the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault story and the breaking of the public silence about sexual harassment and assault in the workplace this year. No publication date has been announced, but I would expect it sooner rather than later. I also hope that Kantor and Twohey’s reporting gets the film treatment in the vein of Spotlight or All the President’s Men.

New York Library Brings Tough Topic Front and Center

A library in Syracuse, New York put a poster with the reference numbers of difficult subjects at the front of the library to help patrons, especially teens, find books they might be reluctant to ask about openly. And tough the topics are: abuse, death, substance abuse, and more. The poster was inspired by a bookmark made by a library in Helena, Montana with a similar aim.

Hoopla Adds Audio Narration for Children’s Books

Last week, Hoopla, a business that provides electronic materials to libraries, announced ‘Read-Along,” which adds audio narration to a selection of their children’s book offerings. These digital books for young readers provides audio narration and in-sync word highlighting. A number of big childrens’ publishers are on-board (Disney, HarperCollins). Check your local library to see if they are available in your area.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi:

Big Little Lies Season Two Is Officially Happening

HBO made it official–the network announced that Big Little Lies, based on the bestselling novel by Liane Moriarty, is returning for a second season. The season will span seven episodes starring Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman, and will be directed entirely by Andrea Arnold. The first season of the show covered all of the original material in the book, but auditions are underway for four new characters appearing next season.

The First Jurassic World Trailer Is Out

Dino DNA! We got a look at the first trailer for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the new movie in the Michael Crichton adaptation franchise. The sequel follows a rescue op to save the dinosaurs from Isla Nublar, which is about to explode, as the trailer exposition tells us. Revisit Chris Pratt as Owen Grady, Bryce Dallas Howard as Claire Dearing, and who could forget Jeff Goldblum as sharp-as-a-tack Ian Malcolm? Lots of explosions, and cardio, and dinosaurs both big and small (and deadly).

These Books Could Be Worth A Pretty Penny

Quick! To the shelves! A roundup of valuable books you might have at home priced a first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone at £50,000 (about $67,000)…but it has to be a hardcover with the numbers 1-10 printed on the title page. Check out the list to find out how much a first edition of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit or Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Peter Rabbit will get you.

J.K. Rowling Responds To Johnny Depp Casting

J.K. Rowling released a statement about the controversial casting of Johnny Depp in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Depp, who will play Gellert Grindelwald, is under fire for allegations of domestic abuse made by his ex-wife Amber Heard. Rowling stated that although fans “had legitimate questions and concerns” about the decision to keep Depp onboard, and that they “considered the possibility of recasting,” she’s not only comfortable, but genuinely happy to keep Depp in the role based on their understanding of the circumstances. Read the full statement here.

We’re Getting A Diverse Superheroes Movie From Marvel

Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors will be a feature-length animated film starring the next generation of Marvel heroes. The superheroes include Ms. Marvel, Squirrel Girl, and Miss America. The multi-platform animated franchise is set to launch in 2018 with six, four-minute digital shorts following Spider-Gwen as Ghost-Spider. Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors will premiere later next year. Check out the article for a look at the cast and a behind-the-scenes video.

BookCon Looks To Broaden Audience

The event’s organizer, ReedPop, is looking to attract fans of literary fiction, mystery/thriller, sci fi/fantasy, and romance. For instance, Chuck Palahniuk will be one of the headliners at the 2018 show. In addition to expanding its programming, new features including access to the “Bookstore of the Future,” a retail environment where readers can browse and purchase titles, will be offered to attendees. Another initiative is a series of writing workshops that will run in conjunction with Sarah Lawrence College.

Today in Books is sponsored by Ever the Brave by Erin Summerill.

The stakes are higher than ever in the sequel to the romantic fantasy adventure Ever the Hunted, as Britta struggles to protect her kingdom and her heart. After saving King Aodren with her newfound Channeler powers, Britta only wants to live a peaceful life in her childhood home. Unfortunately, saving the King has created a tether between them she cannot sever, no matter how much she’d like to, and now he’s insisting on making her a noble lady. If Britta cannot find a way to harness her new magical ability, her life—as well as her country—may be lost.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden:

Paris Review Editor Resigns Amidst Inquiry Into Conduct

Lorin Stein, editor of literary magazine The Paris Review, resigned from his position amidst an investigation into his conduct with the publication’s female employees and writers. Stein “acknowledged dating and expressing interest in women with whom he had professional connections.” The review followed the appearance of Stein’s name on a list anonymously crowdsourcing allegations of harrasment, created after the Harvey Weinstein scandal. Stein has also resigned from his position as editor at large for Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.

A Slaughterhouse-Five Series Adaptation Is In The Works

Happy showrunner Patrick Macmanus has signed on to write and executive produce the series adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five for Universal Cable Productions. One of the most frequently challenged books in the U.S., the non-linear, semi-autobiographical WWII satire follows Billy Pilgrim, a chaplain’s assistant in the U.S. Army and survivor of the firebombing of Dresden. UCP has yet to find a network home for the series, but they expect to shop the project within the NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment group, outside networks, and premium services.

California Faces Literacy Lawsuit

A group of lawyers representing teachers and students from poor performing schools have brought a lawsuit against the state of California demanding that the California Department of Education address its “literacy crisis.” According to the lawsuit, of the 26 lowest-performing districts in the nation, 11 are in California, and assessments found less than half of California students from third grade to fifth grade have met statewide literacy standards since 2015.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by The House on Foster Hill by Jamie Jo Wright:

2017 Goodreads Choice Awards Winners

The winners are here! Some highlights: Best Fiction went to Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere, J.K. Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay won in Fantasy, and Lilly Singh’s How to Be a Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life won for Nonfiction. Check out the full list for the winners in Mystery, Romance, Memoir, and more.

Fox To Adapt Turtles All The Way Down

John Green announced on YouTube that his most recent release, Turtles All the Way Down, will be adapted for film. Fox 2000 and Temple Hill will be behind the adaptation, and Green will executive produce. Turtles follows a 16-year-old girl with obsessive compulsive disorder who attempts to solve the mystery of a missing fugitive billionaire for a lofty reward. Fox and Temple Hill were also behind the adaptations of The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns.

NPR’s 2017 Book Concierge Is Go

For more of what to read next, take a look at NPR’s freshly-launched 2017 Book Concierge. Through the Concierge, NPR offers readers the ability to discover more than 350 titles the organization’s staff and critics loved this year. The titles are discoverable through filters for genre and more, including Eye Opening Reads, Book Club Ideas, and Tales from Around the World–you can even combine filters. If you’re a backlist reader, the Concierges for 2008-2016 are still available to view.

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Researchers Investigate What Makes A Poem Popular

Researchers from New York University and the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics found that vividness was the best predictor of the aesthetic appeal of a poem. The researchers were investigating what makes a poem aesthetically pleasing, and thereby higher-rated among readers. Four hundred participants read 111 haikus and 16 sonnets, rating the poems on vividness, emotional arousal, emotional valence, and aesthetic appeal, and poems where the reader strongly experienced images while reading ranked highest in their results.

Charlyne Yi Responds To Claims Of Defamation From Former Art Director at Penguin

Over the weekend, writer and actress Charlyne Yi responded to the resignation post Giuseppe Castellano published on his blog, which included a statement that Yi’s allegations of sexual harassment were “defamatory and false.” Giuseppe Castellano resigned from a position as Executive Art Director at Penguin Random House following Yi’s allegations. In response to Castellano’s statement, Yi posted on Twitter screenshots of correspondence related to the night in question, which included an apology for a weak moment, and details about the evening in question.

Bill Gates Recommends His Favorite 2017 Reads

Avid reader Bill Gates wrote about five of the best books he read this year. They included Thi Bui’s graphic memoir about life as a refugee and parent (The Best We Could Do), comedian Eddie Izzard’s memoir (Believe Me: A Memoir of Love, Death, and Jazz Chickens), and 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction recipient The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen. Check out the full list, and his thoughts on each, over at GatesNotes.

This installment of Today in Books is sponsored by A Duke in Shining Armor by Loretta Chase:

The New York Times Selects Its 10 Best Books of the Year

This list is probably the most prestigious media-selected book list of the year, and while I haven’t read all of them, the ones I have read are truly wonderful (Exit West, Priestdaddy, Sing, Unburied, Sing). If you are into literary fiction and non-fiction, then you could do worse than read these chosen 10.

Jenny Slate Writing Book of Feminist Fables

Actress, comedian, and director Jenny Slate signed a deal with Little, Brown for a collection of feminist fables to be published in 2019. The book doesn’t have a title yet, but the description sounds fascinating: “The witty and at times fantastical book imagines the perspectives of other preyed-upon creatures (a deer venturing into a meadow; a globe of fruit plucked from its branch), invites us into the haunted house of her childhood, and celebrates the power of being vulnerable and open, even in the face of rejection and fear.” 

4-Year-Old With Inoperable Brain Tumor Receives Hundreds of Books

When her parents found out that she had an inoperable brain tumor, they tried to think of giving her something to make her happy and to sustain her during the trying days of treatment and surgery ahead. So they asked their friends and family to make it known that Lena loves books and that building out her personal library would go a long way. The result? By word of mouth, and word of internet, people from all over heard Len’a story and she has so far received hundreds of boxes of books. Good for you Lena, and best of luck.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay:

The Hate U Give Banned By School District

Angie Thomas, author of the critically acclaimed Young Adult novel The Hate U Give, announced on Twitter that a Texas school district banned her book. The thread turned up details from one Twitter user who wrote that the superintendent pulled the books due to parent complaints about “inappropriate language,” bypassing the normal review process. Authors, librarians, teachers, and fans have been showing their support, pledging to read, recommend, and distribute The Hate U Give in response to the district’s ban.

Kerry Washington and Rashida Jones To Adapt Goldie Vance

Kerry Washington and Rashida Jones are teaming up to adapt the comic series Goldie Vance for film. Washington will produce and Jones will write and direct the film for 20th Century Fox. Goldie Vance follows an intelligent and daring young woman whose insatiable curiosity and aspiration to become a detective get her into all sorts of capers, and trouble. Think Archie meets Nancy Drew, but starring a queer brown girl. “Goldie is exactly the kind of fearless, curious, and funny heroine we need right now,” Jones told Variety. Agreed!

And The Winner Of The Bad Sex In Fiction Award Goes To…

Christopher Bollen for his book The Destroyers. The Literary Review announced the winner of the 25th annual Bad Sex in Fiction Award at a ceremony on Thursday evening. Not leaving an excerpt of the winner here in case you’re in mixed company, or drinking something you’d rather not eject from your nose while reading this. Needless to say…it’s not good. The competition was pretty stiff too. Read the article for excerpts from the nominees–you won’t regret it. Oh wait, you probably will.

Barnes & Noble Is Pivoting To Books

After a not-great second quarter, with a $30 million net loss, Barnes & Noble’s leadership has decided to rejuvenate stores and bring customers back by switching gears and focusing on books. Which sounds like satire, but isn’t. The company plans to place more emphasis on books over non-book assortments, and shed some under-selling stock in gifts, toys, and games. According to CEO Demos Parneros, a big takeaway from customer research was that people liked interacting with B&N’s human booksellers. Again, not satire.

Emma Cline’s Ex-Boyfriend Sues Her For Plagiarism

Moving on to thrillers, Emma Cline’s ex-boyfriend filed a lawsuit alleging that she plagiarized parts of her debut novel, The Girls, with the help of spyware installed on a computer she sold him. Cline denied the allegations and filed a countersuit, claiming his actions are part of a jealousy-fueled, long-term assault on her mental health and reputation in the literary world. The countersuit does acknowledge that she used spyware to get information on ex Chaz Reetz-Laiolo’s infidelity during their relationship back when they were both aspiring writers, but says she didn’t have access to the software after she sold the computer to him.

American Gods Showrunners Exit Series

And finally, unexpected news from the thrumming world of adaptations: American Gods’ Michael Green and Bryan Fuller have exited the series. There was talk that Neil Gaiman might jump in as showrunner, but this rumor was struck down by Gaiman himself. No word on why Green and Fuller left as of the writing of this newsletter, but Deadline mentioned word that the showrunners’ split may have been over the series’ budget.

Today in Books is sponsored by Tru and Nelle: a Christmas Tale by G. Neri.

In this sequel to Tru & Nelle, told over three Christmases, readers are transported back to the 1930s, drawing upon real events—from tender personal moments to the awful truth of living with segregation and Jim Crow Laws—to tell the bittersweet history that inspired some of Capote and Lee’s greatest works.

Inspired by the early relationship of Truman Capote and Nelle Harper Lee, this powerful story of friendship also explores race, what it means to be a family, and the possibility of miracles.