Category: Today In Books

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Netflix Settles QUEEN’S GAMBIT Defamation Suit: Today in Books

R.O. Kwon’s The Incendiaries Being Developed as Limited Series

FilmNation Entertainment is adapting R.O. Kwon’s critically acclaimed novel The Incendiaries into a limited series. The is being written by Lisa Randolph (Jessica Jones, Star Trek: Discovery) and directed by Kogonada (Pachinko, After Yang). “I spent ten years writing The Incendiaries, after which it was all the more heartening that the book was received as a national bestseller from its first week of publication and named a best book of the year by over forty publications. Now, I’m thrilled that The Incendiaries has found its way to a team I’m so excited about: I deeply admire FilmNation’s work and am utterly delighted by Lisa Randolph’s brilliant scripts, which are both so true to the novel and tell its story in new ways I couldn’t have imagined. I’ve loved and rewatched Kogonada’s work for years,” Kwon said in an exclusive statement to Deadline.

Netflix Settles Queen’s Gambit Defamation Suit

Netflix has agreed to settle a Queen’s Gambit defamation suit brought by Georgian chess grandmaster Nona Gaprindashvili. Gaprindashvili claims that the Queen’s Gambit series disparaged her accomplishments when a chess announcer on the show incorrectly stated that the chess grandmaster had “never faced men.” Gaprindashvili had in fact faced 59 male competitors by 1968, the year in which the series was set. She argued that the show’s incorrect claim was “grossly sexist and belittling.” The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed, but a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement, “We are pleased the matter has been resolved.”

Here are the Winners of the 2022 Hugo Awards

The winners of the 2022 Hugo Awards, Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book, and Astounding Award for Best New Writer have been announced. Winners include A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine for best novel; A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers for best novella; Wayward Children by Seanan McGuire for best series; The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik for the Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book; and Shelley Parker-Chan for the Astounding Award for Best New Writer. The awards were presented on September 4, 2022, at the 80th WorldCon in Chicago. You can see the full list of finalists and winners here.

Peter Straub, Horror Novelist and Poet, Has Died at 79

Author Peter Straub, who has been writing horror novels for the past 40 years, passed away this Sunday in Manhattan.

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LORD OF THE RINGS Prequel is Prime Video’s Biggest Premiere Ever: Today in Books

Jordan Peele and Henry Selick’s Wendell & Wild Gets a Trailer

Netflix has released the trailer for the stop-motion film Wendell & Wild, co-written by Jordan Peele and Henry Selick and based on the unpublished book of the same name by Selick and Clay McLeod Chapman. The film stars Peele and Keegan-Michael Key who voice a demon duo that have to earn their way out of hell by facing off against nun Sister Helly (voiced by Angela Bassett).Wendell & Wild is scheduled to have its world premiere at the 47th Toronto International Film Festival on September 11th. It will then be released in select theaters on October 21st before its streaming release on October 28th.

Jay Shetty Announces New Book 8 Rules of Love

New York Times bestselling author and former monk Jay Shetty has announced his next book, 8 Rules of Love: How to Find It, Keep It, and Let It Go. According to a press release, the book lays out “specific, actionable steps” — from first dates to breakups — to help readers “develop the skills to practice and nurture love.” Of his book, Shetty says, “I won’t give you pickup lines to grab people’s attention. I won’t tell you how to make yourself into the person they want you to be or how to make them into who you want them to be. This is about embracing your preferences and proclivities so you don’t waste time on people who aren’t good for you.” The book is set to release on January 31st, 2023.

Lord of the Rings Prequel is Amazon Prime Video’s Biggest Premiere Ever

Lord of the Rings: the Rings of Power, the highly anticipated Lord of the Rings prequel, has made history as Amazon Prime Video’s biggest premiere ever. The series shared the news on its official Twitter account, writing, “25 million global viewers in the first 24 hours. Thank you for making #TheRingsOfPower the most watched series premiere on @PrimeVideo.” The eight-episode series has already been renewed for a second season ahead of the first season’s premiere. Episodes of Rings of Power are set to drop weekly on Fridays on Prime Video.

These Are Every State’s Favorite Stephen King Movies

Do you know your state’s favorite Stephen King movie? Check out this map to see which movie each state is searching for most often.

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Timothée Chalamet’s Sexy Bisexual Cannibal Stuns Venice: Today in Books

Timothée Chalamet’s Sexy Bisexual Cannibal Stuns Venice

The world premiere of Bones and All, a Luca Guadagnino adaptation of Camille DeAngelis’s Bones and All, received an 8.5-minute standing ovation at its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on Friday — the longest of the festival so far. “Bones and All” is Guadagnino’s first movie shot in the United States and stars Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russell. It is set to release in theaters on November 23.

Northern Library Bursting at the Seams

Lakes Country Public Library in northern Oconto County, Wisconsin is looking to raise $1.2 million to expand to nearly double its size. The Oconto County Board of Supervisors voted to provide $300,000 in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act in July, and thanks to the Bond Foundation, Wisconsin Public Services, and other organizations, the library has raised over half of the $1.2 million so far. Community resources are few and far between in this area that serves Lakewood, Townsend, Doty, and Riverview, and the current library facility is not big enough to serve the growing demand. The library is expected to break ground in May 2023, if it gets all the funding by then.

Special Nick Cave Audiobook Coming This Month

Macmillan Audio will release a special audio version of rock musician Nick Cave’s latest book, Faith, Hope and Carnage, which centers on grief and the creative process after the death of Cave’s 15-year-old son in 2015. The audiobook will feature 16 musical codas and elements from Cave’s Carnage, Skeleton Tree, and Ghosteen albums as well as an exclusive, additional 12-minute conversation between Cave and U.K. arts journalist co-writer Seán O’Hagan about the production of the recording. The audiobook is scheduled for release on September 20.

Barbara Ehrenreich, Author of Nickel and Dimed, Has Passed Away at 81

Journalist, activist, and author of more than 20 books, Barbara Ehrenreich passed away September 1st at a hospice in Alexandria, Virginia.

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Virginia Can’t Force Bookstores to Card Kids for Books on Gender and Sexuality: Today in Books

Oklahoma Teacher Under Scrutiny for Giving Kids Access to Banned Books

Oklahoma Secretary of Education Ryan Walters has called on the state board of education to revoke the teaching certificate of a former teacher. The teacher in question, Summer Boismier, is under scrutiny for giving students access to books that may be banned in schools under a new state law. Just days before Walters’s complaints, Boismier resigned from her position at Norman High School after a parent criticized her for making political comments in the classroom. One of the things Boismier did to promote banned books in her classroom was providing kids with a QR code to help them find materials restricted by the school. “I saw this as an opportunity for my kids who were seeing their stories hidden to skirt that directive,” she said. “Nowhere in my directives did it say we can’t put a QR code on a wall.”

Unseen Charles Dickens Letters Go on Display for the First Time

As of Wednesday, a collection of Charles Dickens’s letters that were previously unseen and unpublished are now on display for the first time. The notes include insights into the author’s reading and writing habits, among other things. These letters, along with more than 300 other items, were acquired by the Charles Dickens Museum from a US collector in 2020 with the help of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund, Friends of the National Libraries, and the Dickens Fellowship. “One of the best things about this collection of letters is that it shows Dickens writing in his 30s, 40s and 50s and the variety of topics that were occupying his mind,” said Emily Dunbar, the curator at the museum. The letters are now on display at the museum in London.

Virginia Can’t Force Bookstores to Card Kids for Books on Gender and Sexuality

Earlier this week, a Virginia Beach court ruled against a lawsuit that aimed to restrict private bookstores from selling two books to minors. The lawsuit targeted Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe and A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. Former congressional candidate Tommy Altman and state Del. Tim Anderson filed two petitions under Virginia’s obscenity law to have these books deemed obscene for minors. Furthermore, they wanted to require booksellers to obtain parental consent before selling those books to minors. This case is especially notable because the petitioners were attempting to target private book distributors under a criminal statute.

The First Two Episodes of Lord of the Rings: the Rings of Power Now Available on Amazon Prime

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is finally here! Here’s what you need to know about the long-awaited epic fantasy series.

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UK and Ukraine Book Festivals Partner to Protect Freedom of Expression: Today in Books

Harley Quinn Renewed for Season 4 at HBO Max

HBO Max has renewed the adult animated DC series Harley Quinn for a fourth season. This announcement comes just a few weeks ahead of season three’s September 15th finale. The series has also announced a new showrunner for season 4. Sarah Peters, who has written for Harley Quinn throughout its run and currently serves as a consulting producer, will now serve as executive producer and showrunner. She takes over this role from Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker. “We are ecstatic that HBO Max wants the story of Harley and Ivy to continue,” Halpern and Schumacker said in a statement. “And we are equally thrilled that this next season will be in great hands with Sarah Peters as our showrunner and Ceci Aranovich overseeing animation production, as they have both greatly influenced the show with their brilliance since the beginning.”

North Idaho Librarian Resigns Over Extremism

North Idaho library director Kimber Glidden has announced her resignation, effective September 10th. In her announcement posted by the library, Glidden wrote, “Nothing in my background could have prepared me for the political atmosphere of extremism, militant Christian fundamentalism, intimidation tactics, and threatening behavior currently being employed in the community.” Glidden’s announcement comes following a petition to recall four Boundary County Library board members over a routine policy update. The new policy says that the library’s selection of materials will not be affected by book “disapprovals” and that “the Boundary County Library will not place materials on ‘closed shelves’ or label items to protect the public from their content.” Additionally, a group called the Boundary County Library Board Recall, whose stated mission “is to protect children from explicit materials and grooming,” has singled out Glidden and other board members for the decision to rejoin the American Library Association in May. “It wasn’t a final straw so much as a constant barrage of the same rhetoric and people not listening to my answers,” said Glidden when asked what caused her to finally resign. “They don’t want to hear the truth.”

UK and Ukraine Book Festivals Partner to Protect Freedom of Expression

Ukraine’s largest book festival is partnering with Hay festival in an effort to protect freedom of expression. Serving as a digital partner, Hay will broadcast Lviv BookForum’s 15 events online for free. Hay has also curated a number of events with an international digital audience in mind. Organized by Ukraine’s Publishers’ Forum, the Lviv BookForum is in its 29th year and will take place on October 6th-9th both online and in person. CEO of Hay festival Julie Finch has described the partnership as “an act of solidarity across art, culture and audiences.” And Sofia Cheliak, the program director at Lviv BookForum, said the festival will give people a chance to learn more about Ukraine. “Using culture and literature is a way we can explain what is going on [here],” Cheliak said. “It’s our chance to tell our true story and who we are and why we are fighting, why it’s important for us to be independent.” The full program for Lviv BookForum will be announced in mid-September on the Hay festival website.

Why Are DC’s Hispanic Heritage Month Covers So Awful?

Here’s why the covers DC has chosen to showcase for Hispanic Heritage Month have people understandably upset.

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Mila Kunis to Star in Netflix’s Adaptation of LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE: Today in Books

Works by Mexican Writer Sister Juana Inés de la Cruz Recovered from Auction

Two books containing works written by Mexican nun, writer, composer, poet and feminist Sister Juana Inés de la Cruz have been recovered from an auction in New York and returned to Spain. The works were printed in Barcelona nearly three-and-a-half centuries ago. Inquiries by the Spanish force, US Homeland Security and the New York district attorney determined that the stamps belonging to a Carmelite convent in Seville that were on the last few pages of the books served as proof that the books belonged to Spain and should be returned to the country.

Mila Kunis to Star in Netflix’s Adaptation of Luckiest Girl Alive

Mila Kunis is set to star in The Luckiest Girl Alive, Netflix’s film adaptation of the New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by Jessica Knoll. Kunis will play Ani FaNelli, “a sharp-tongued New Yorker” who lives in her own perfect world and is essentially the “luckiest girl alive.” That is, until a crime documentary taps into her dark high school and threatens to ruin the life Ani has created for herself. Netflix’sThe Luckiest Girl Alive is written by Knoll, directed by Mike Barker, and produced by Kunis, Bruna Papandrea, Jeanne Snow, Erik Feig, and Lucy Kitada. The movie will premiere in theaters in September ahead of its streaming debut this fall.

Kyra Sedgwick and Elsie Fisher Join the Cast of The Summer I Turned Pretty

Amazon Prime’s YA dramedy The Summer I Turned Pretty is adding two new stars to its cast for season two: Kyra Sedgwick and Elsie Fisher. The Summer I Turned Pretty stars Lola Tung as Isabel “Belly” Conklin and is based on the YA novel series by Jenny Han. Details about Kyra Sedgwick and Elsie Fisher’s characters are being kept under wraps for now, but we do know that Han and Sarah Kucserka are serving as showrunners for season two. They will also executive produce alongside Karen Rosenfelt, season one showrunner Gabrielle Stanton, and Hope Hartman, Mads Hansen, and Paul Lee from Wiip.

Few Parents Actually Opt Students Out of Florida School Library Books

Despite the claims that parents want to restrict student library access, in Florida, numbers tell a different story.

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Megan Thee Stallion Joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Today in Books

Jennifer Connelly Joins Joel Edgerton in Dark Matter Series

Jennifer Connelly will be starring opposite Joel Edgerton in the Apple TV+ series adaptation of Blake Crouch’s novel Dark Matter. The nine-episode series follows Jason Dessen (Edgerton), a physicist, professor, and family man who is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Connelly will star as Jason’s wife Daniela. Crouch is adapting his novel for television and will also serve as executive producer and showrunner. Edgerton also executive produces alongside Matt Tolmach and David Manpearl of Matt Tolmach Productions. Jakob Verbruggen is set to direct the first three episodes. Sony Pictures Television will produce.

Val McDermid Reveals ‘Queen of Crime’ Legal Threat from Agatha Christie Estate

Crime writer Val McDermid has revealed Agatha Christie’s estate has threatened her with legal action if she uses the phrase “Queen of Crime.” The phrase is trademarked by the Agatha Christie estate. Speaking at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, McDermid said that along with receiving a “cease and desist” letter, Christie’s great, great grandson contacted McDermid personally to express dismay that she was using the title on her books: “He said ‘you will imagine my shock when my train pulled into Waverley Station and a poster said “new from the Queen of Crime.” You must understand there is nothing personal in this, but we must protect my great grandmother’s legacy.'”

Megan Thee Stallion Joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Megan Thee Stallion will be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe with her cameo appearance in Marvel’s She-Hulk: Attorney At Law. In an upcoming episode, the rapper and actress becomes involved in a legal case being handled by attorney Augustus “Pug” Pugliese, played by Josh Segarra. Whether Megan Thee Stallion’s appearance in the show will extend beyond this cameo is still unknown.

Gender Queer Obscenity Case Dismissed in Virginia

Gender Queer and A Court of Mist and Fury do not meet the legal definition of obscene, judge rules.

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LADY IN THE LAKE Starring Natalie Portman Hits Pause Amid Threats of Violence and Extortion: Today in Books

Book Banned at School Named After Author

A middle school in Southlake, Texas, has banned the book Life is So Good, co-written by George Dawson. Plot twist? The school is named George Dawson Middle School, after the author whose book they have banned. The grandson of a slave, George Dawson learned to read at 98. Life is So Good is his life journey, co-written with Richard Glaubman when Dawson was 103 years old. The book currently cannot be taught at George Dawson Middle School or any Carroll ISD school until a discussion with administration happens.

Lady in the Lake Starring Natalie Portman Hits Pause Amid Threats of Violence and Extortion

Production on the Apple TV+ limited series Lady in the Lake hit pause over the weekend after multiple individuals threatened a member of the crew, according to a statement from studio Endeavor Content. “Friday afternoon, on the Baltimore set of our production Lady in the Lake, prior to the arrival of the cast and crew, per their call time, a driver on our production crew was confronted by two men, one of whom brandished a gun directed at our driver, and then they fled the location,” the statement reads. “We are working with the Baltimore Police Department as the investigation is ongoing.” The series, starring Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram, is based on author Laura Lippman’s New York Times best-seller, set in 1960s Baltimore. Endeavor says that production will resume with increased security measures going forward.

Gen Z is Driving Sales of Romance Books

For months, contemporary romance authors like Colleen Hoover and Emily Henry have dominated the New York Times paperback trade fiction bestsellers list. And the success of these authors has been driven in large part by Gen Z readers – and social media. “Gen Z is my favorite of all generations for so many reasons, and their love for reading is just one of the many,” Hoover, author of It Ends With Us, said. “I love that they are consuming books and sharing books and recommending books. They’re reading so much – not only my books, but books across genres.” Although It Ends With Us came out years ago, it received a surge in popularity last year thanks to BookTok. Similarly, books like Ali Hazelwood’s debut The Love Hypothesis have become smash hits thanks to Gen Z and BookTok. “The way BookTok talks about books is very different from your traditional review,” Hazelwood said. “They make me want to buy my book.”

Goodreads Announces the Most Popular Horror Books of 2022 (So Far)

Here are the 30 most popular horror novels of 2022 (so far), according to Goodreads users — just in time for peak horror reading season!

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Australian Kids Take Over Prestigious Book Awards: Today in Books

‘Why Should Adults Judge Children’s Books?’ Australian Kids Take Over Prestigious Book Awards

This year, the winners of the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) inaugural shadowers’ choice awards were decided by 155 panels made of around 2,000 primary and high school-aged readers from all states and territories. These children used the same judgment criteria as the adult-appraised CBCA book of the year awards, resulting in a completely different set of winners from the result judges. Children’s book author Victoria Mackinlay, who acted as a judging group facilitator, said it was been empowering for young readers to not just air their opinions but see them count.

Michigan Town Defunds Library So Kids Can’t Read LBGTQ Books

Jamestown Township in Michigan voted to defund their only local library due to complaints that the books were “pornographic” (such as Gender Queer: A Memoir, Kiss Number 8, and Spinning) and that the library staff was indoctrinating children. The vote left Patmos Public Library with enough funding to remain open until next year, and a resident-led GoFundMe campaign to save the library has already raised over $180,000.

Good News for Books: The Washington Post’s Book Section is Back!

In the face of declining readership, budget cuts, and mergers in 2006, The Washington Post cut its book review section, but Washington Post book critic Ron Charles announced in his newsletter that the paper’s standalone print book section is coming back on September 25. This broadsheet section is devoted entirely to book reviews and literary features, including reviews, Q&As, publishing stories, author profiles, and more.

Get Out Your Brooms for These New Witchy YA Books

Spooky season is right around the corner, and luckily YA continues to offer more and more witchy books that are representative of the world at large. Check out some outstanding new witchy books that have hit shelves this year.

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Ewan McGregor to Star in A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW for Paramount+: Today in Books

Pilot Episode Of America’s Bizarre Sailor Moon Remake Has Been Found

The ill-conceived Americanized version of Sailor Moon may never have made it on their air, but the pilot episode has now been uncovered, thanks to YouTuber Ray Mona. After fans have searched for the lost footage for decades, Mona said in Youtube docuseries The Western World of Sailor Moon (find parts one and two here) that she found the pilot by contacting the Library of Congress. With the help of reporter Cecilia D’Anastasio, Mona was able to get permission from the copyright owner, Bandai America’s Frank Ward, to access the lost footage. 

Tess Gunty’s The Rabbit Hutch Wins Inaugural Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize

Tess Gunty’s The Rabbit Hutch has won the inaugural Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize. Bea Carvalho, Waterstones’s head of fiction, said the novel “truly has the feel of the next great American novel: it is an exquisite, triumphant book which at once recalls the very best of the contemporary canon, while remaining fiercely original and innovative.” The Waterstones debut fiction prize is a new award for first novels of all genres, including fiction in translation. The Waterstones debut fiction award includes a prize of £5,000 and “the promise of ongoing commitment” from Waterstones. Gunt said that while the road to her first novel has been one “paved by despair and doubt,” winning the prize “redeems that.”

Ewan McGregor to Star in A Gentleman in Moscow for Paramount+

Ewan McGregor will star the upcoming Paramount+ UK drama series A Gentleman in Moscow, an adaptation of Amor Towles’s best-selling novel of the same name. The project is slated to start production later this year. McGregor, who will play Count Alexander Rostov and is also an executive producer on the series, says, “It’s an amazing, wonderful story, and I am very excited to get to play such a fabulous role.” A Gentleman in Moscow is written by showrunner and executive producer Ben Vanstone (All Creatures Great and Small, The Last Kingdom). It will debut in the U.S. on Showtime and on Paramount+ internationally.

States That Have Enacted Book Ban Laws

As the new school year kicks off, it’s worth taking a look at the states which have enacted laws that ban books.