The Hub

News, Notes, Talk

Amazon put an AI book explainer into Kindle so you can be even more easily distracted from your book.

Amazon announced a few new Kindle features last week, including “recaps” to help you catch up on what happened previously in a book series and something called “Ask this Book,” which supposedly allows you to “stay immersed in your books” Read more >

By James Folta

Here’s hoping that Johnny Depp doesn’t ruin The Master And Margarita.

Pirate of the Caribbean Johnny Depp, who drifted out to sea after allegations of abuse, recently announced he’s producing an English language film based on Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita. Depp made the announcement at a film festival in Read more >

By James Folta

This week's news in Venn diagrams.

Happy Friday! We’ve been so deep in end of the year lists over here that it’s hard for me to type “Friday” and not to immediately start thinking of things like “2025’s Top Fridays” or “Here are the days before Read more >

By James Folta

Here’s what’s making us happy this week.

This was a week of discovery, over at Lit Hub. We explored strange new worlds and re-contextualized the familiar. And as usual, we relished the puns and the bits. James Folta has been enjoying a new Jon Bois video essay. Read more >

By Brittany Allen

Want to start a literary magazine? The original Paris Review offices are for sale.

George Plimpton, impresario founder of The Paris Review, has a literary legacy that keeps on giving. Now, fans of the man can peep into his old townhouse. Otherwise known as the OG offices of America’s OG literary magazine. The storied Read more >

By Brittany Allen

Did Bob Cratchit really make more than an American on minimum wage?

Around this time of year, I start seeing this 2021 Tweet make the rounds: “Most Americans on minimum wage earn less than a Dickensian allegory for destitution”—it’s compelling! And it certainly feels right to someone like me, who thinks it’s Read more >

By James Folta

Marco Rubio’s State Department has deleted Calibri and installed Times New Roman.

As Reuters reported yesterday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has enforced new font restrictions in the state department, because Trump and his hogmen continue to keep their eye on what matters to Americans. Under the last administration, the State Department Read more >

By James Folta

Three books to read if you too are rewatching Mad Men.

This week, the internet got a fun little treat when Mad Men, a pinnacle of early prestige TV, landed on HBOMax after a long absence from streaming services. Unfortunately, the new, much-hyped 4K restoration hit our home screens with flaws. Read more >

By Brittany Allen

Here’s why writers are raging about the Netflix-WB merger.

Over the weekend, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) issued a statement condemning the pending merger between two massive media titans: Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery. But laymen may be wondering, why are the writers so upset? We all hate Read more >

By Brittany Allen

The year’s best literary podcasts.

With the caveat that “best” is a relative—and relatively silly—metric, it’s been a pretty great year for people talking about books. And if you’re the kind of reader who’d rather get your book club fix at a distance, ideally while Read more >

By Brittany Allen

Announcing the winner of the Restless Books 2025 Kellman Prize for New Immigrant Writing.

Literary Hub is pleased to announce the winner of the Restless Books 2025 Kellman Prize for Immigrant Literature, an annual award given to a first-time, first-generation immigrant author that includes a $10,000 advance, a writing residency from Millay Arts, and Read more >

By Literary Hub

Here are the winners of the Whiting Foundation’s 2025 Nonfiction Grant.

Today, the Whiting Foundation announced the ten winners of the 2025 Whiting Nonfiction Grant for Works-in-Progress. Each winner will receive $40,000 to support the completion of their nonfiction project, and will also receive “strategic publicity guidance” from Press Shop PR. Read more >

By Literary Hub

Adam Morgan, John Berryman, Tilar J. Mazzeo, and more: 11 new books out today!

Cozy winter season is upon us, and the publishing world is finally letting us catch up to their endless output. It’s time to peruse the “Best of” lists (like ours, here) and discover all the great books we’ve missed. And Read more >

By Julia Hass

You can help build the first public library in Gaza since the genocide began.

Two Palestinians are gathering donations to create a public library in Gaza, after Israel’s war and genocide destroyed nearly all existing libraries, schools, and universities. The two men, Omar Hamad and Ibrahim, are avid readers who have spent years trying Read more >

By James Folta

Public libraries in TX, LA, and MS are no longer protected by the First Amendment.

Six months ago, Anthony Aycock wrote a piece for this website called “How a Single Court Case Could Determine the Future of Book Banning in America” in which he detailed a case working its way through the American judicial system: Read more >

By Drew Broussard

This week’s news in Venn diagrams.

We’re currently nestled in the period between Thanksgiving and the winter holidays, when time acts strangely and the calendar never behaves like it’s supposed to. It’s the perfect season to steal away to read a book, and force time to Read more >

By James Folta

Christmas shopping in the tri-state area? Check out the estate sale selling 100,000 books.

The late William Roberts was a Pennsylvania lawyer, philanthropist, and self-identified bibliophile. And as The Philadelphia Inquirer reported in his recent obit, when the bookstore near his home closed, a window opened. Roberts, a devoted reader, bought the store’s entire Read more >

By Brittany Allen

The US will reinstate library grants canceled by Trump.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services issued a short and sweet update on Wednesday announcing the restoration of all grants supporting libraries and museums: Upon further review, the Institute of Museum and Library Services has reinstated all federal grants. Read more >

By James Folta

Here’s what’s making us happy this week.

This week, Lit Hub ate buffet style. We followed individual whims, and satisfied diverse appetites. Literally? We gamed, we read, and we giggled. Emily Temple’s nice thing of the week was music. Says our managing editor: “After years of being Read more >

By Brittany Allen

On this Krampus Night, revisit the scariest Christmas book of all.

Tomorrow is the Feast of St. Nicholas, a celebration of the patron saint of children, travelers, sailors, toymakers, broadcasters, the falsely accused, repentant thieves, Greece, archers, unmarried people, and the Russian Navy. St. Nick also inspired Santa Claus, so the Read more >

By James Folta

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