If you, too, were obsessed with The Jolly Postman as a child, you understand the particular pleasure of a book of letters, written in the hands of its characters. (All I wanted was to score an invite to Baby Bear’s birthday party, Read more >
They’re saying October is the new December when it comes to holiday shopping! I’m sure you’ve heard about all the looming supply chain issues by now, and the best way to beat the rush is by getting your goodies early. Read more >
It’s less than a week away from Halloween, and I’m feeling the excitement that always comes with an agreed-upon atmosphere. For me, this enthusiasm for the eerie is limited to a week in October, but some don’t let month dictate Read more >
When Zadie Smith’s debut, White Teeth, was first published over 20 years ago, reviewers almost unanimously pointed to its wit and comedy, calling it “extremely funny” (Literary Review), “hilarious” (i-D), and “an omnivorous comedy.” Smith, who turns 46 today, became Read more >
Yes, as reported by Deadline earlier today, French film studio Gaumont—looking to add to a series roster that includes Narcos, Lupin, Barbarians and El Presidente—has partnered with Tessa Thompson’s Viva Maude Productions to develop a series adaptation of Raven Leilani’s Read more >
MyScience has reported some sad but not particularly surprising news: UK school library collections are very, very white. Researchers from the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Keele University surveyed schools across England about the diversity of their libraries, Read more >
Look, books make me want to dance, too. And while some libraries have a “no talking” policy, you have to admit: they didn’t say anything about singing! So because it’s Monday and you might need this, please enjoy the best Read more >
This month marked the opening of the Haruki Murakami Library—Waseda University’s new library designed by Kengo Kuma in honor of Murakami, which houses the author’s personal archive—and the simultaneous launch of “Authors Alive!”, a public reading series to celebrate the Read more >
Good news for theatermakers and audiences alike: Broadway World has reported that the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded a two-year, one-million-dollar grant to TCG Books, the largest independent trade publisher of dramatic literature in North America. The grant will, Read more >
Rejoice, Shakespeare enthusiasts with money to spare: an extremely rare First Folio fragment, of Shakespeare’s The First Part of Henry the Fourth, will be auctioned by Holabird Western Americana Collections on October 29th. Bidders can participate both live and online—a Read more >
Though I haven’t kept up with later seasons, probably 50% of my sense of humor is based on The Simpsons, which was daily viewing in my house from the ages of about six to sixteen. Looking through the Simpsons Library Read more >
On this day in 1931, true crime queen Ann Rule was born Ann Stackhouse in Lowell, MI. Rule was a prolific writer who published 33 books over the course of her literary career; she began writing (under a pen name) Read more >
Ursula K. Le Guin’s birthday—yesterday—should be some kind of national book holiday. The literary internet was awash in celebratory remembrances, quotations, miscellany… all of which only served to underline what a brilliant, compassionate, clear-eyed woman she was. To wit, the Read more >
For several years, writers have debated which texts fall under the umbrella of autofiction. Now, it seems, autofiction denotes a category of autobiographical fiction that knowingly plays with its truth-value—but with social media and promotional interviews, it’s easy to conflate Read more >
For the last three weeks, the literary internet has taken pretty much every stance possible on “Who Is the Bad Art Friend,” the saga of a writer lifting a Facebook post a writing acquaintance posted about donating her kidney and Read more >
Today would have been the 92nd birthday of Ursula K. Le Guin, legendary author of speculative fiction, intelligent thinker on gender-neutral language, and one-time owner of this gorgeous house. As a result, I have been re-reading my very old, hand-me-down Read more >
Today, on what would have been Ursula K. Le Guin’s 92nd birthday, the Ursula K. Le Guin Literary Trust announced a new annual prize in honor of the beloved writer: the Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction, which will Read more >
Today McGill University announced the finalists for the 2021 Cundill History Prize. The prestigious prize recognizes history writing in English that demonstrates historical scholarship, and “offers originality, literary quality, and a broad appeal.” The jury will reward the winning historian Read more >
Big news for fans of James Joyce, or of time: the pocket watch worn by John O’Connell in James Joyce’s Ulysses is going up for auction at Bonhams on November 4th. The 18-carat gold watch and chain could fetch £80,000. Read more >
For your Tuesday viewing pleasure: the trailer for the documentary Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck In Time, which will be released by IFC in theaters and video on demand on November 19th—nearly 40 years after filming began. The documentary follows Vonnegut—celebrated author, Read more >
