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News, Notes, Talk

7 stories for sleepless nights.

Maybe you’re a little shy about sleep. Maybe you try to summon it with chamomile tea and blackout curtains, courting it like a lover who does not return your affections. If you stumbled upon this on one of your sleepless Read more >

By Katie Yee

Celadon is publishing the January 6th report in collaboration with The New Yorker.

If you prefer your books without an ounce of escapism, here’s some good news for you: Celadon Books is publishing the House Select Committee’s report on the January 6th attack on the Capitol as both an ebook and a paperback, Read more >

By Jessie Gaynor

Neo-Nazis just marched on a community library in Providence.

A sobering local news story: on Monday night, Neo-Nazis interrupted a reading circle at Red Ink Community Library in Providence. The library will hold a community safety conversation this week in response to the incident. The library was holding a Read more >

By Walker Caplan

Want to see Jane Austen’s film costumes? Take a trip to Cincinnati.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a set of acclaimed film costumes must be in want of a museum exhibit. Finally, the two have found their match—in a special exhibit of costumes from Jane Austen’s film adaptations, making its Read more >

By Walker Caplan

Michael Sheen to perform work by emerging Welsh writers on St. David’s Day.

I love this. The ever-charming Michael Sheen is set to celebrate “11 new writers from under-represented backgrounds on a journey to reveal truths from the margins of society” as part of BBC Radio Wales’ St. David’s Day programming. For those Read more >

By Jonny Diamond

Soon there might be a new global library—of the sounds fish make.

Last year, we wrote about a koala library: a repository of genome data, not a repository of koalas curled up reading books, alas, but still incredibly useful. The open-access data will help researchers compare and understand the diversity of the Read more >

By Walker Caplan

20 new books to dive into this week.

Rejoice, friends, for we only have a three more days left of the work week and these beautiful new books are coming out today! This week sees the return of Julie Otsuka, Quan Barry, Roddy Doyle, and Bambi (to name a Read more >

By Katie Yee

Freelance writers rejoice (soon): you might get legal protection.

If you’ve ever freelanced as a writer—or any other role, for that matter—in all likelihood you know the frustration of having to track down payment from clients. Luckily, as Publishers Weekly noted this week, getting paid as a freelancer might Read more >

By Walker Caplan

Britney Spears has landed a $15 million book deal.

Just months after successfully fighting off the court-ordered 14-year conservatorship (put in place by her nefarious father James “Jamie” Spears), Britney Spears has scored another big win. The 40-year-old pop superstar (whose debut single “…Baby One More Time” was released Read more >

By Dan Sheehan

Look at (but don’t touch) these beautiful Russian avant-garde art books.

I don’t exactly know why I frequent auction sites like Christie’s, looking for rare books I’ll never be able to afford, but one small reason might be the chance to look at books like this. On sale later this month, Read more >

By Jonny Diamond

How much lost medieval literature is there? A wildlife-tracking method may have the answer.

We know about much more medieval literature than we have access to. In medieval literature, authors were constantly referencing each other’s works—but some of the referenced works haven’t been found themselves. Prior to the printing press, it was much easier Read more >

By Walker Caplan

Olivia Colman is our new Miss Havisham.

Colmanheads, rejoice: the patron saint of eccentric woman characters Olivia Colman will star as Miss Havisham in the new FX and BBC limited series adaptation of Great Expectations.  The role of jilted bride/vengeful spinster who refuses to wear anything but Read more >

By Eliza Smith

Elliot Page's memoir, Pageboy, will be published next year.

Now here’s a celebrity memoir to get excited about. Elliot Page, the Oscar- and Emmy-nominated star of Juno, Inception, and The Umbrella Academy, is currently working on his first memoir, which is due to be published by Flatiron in 2023. Read more >

By Dan Sheehan

“We’re stuck being described as ‘exploding infants.’” Watch PJ O’Rourke on Baby Boomers.

America lost one of its great political writers and satirists this week as P.J. O’Rourke died too young at the age of 74. For a good example of his humor, insight, and refusal to take himself—or anyone—too seriously* watch the Read more >

By Jonny Diamond

Megan Marshall has won this year's BIO Award.

Last week, the Biographers International Organization (BIO) announced Megan Marshall as the winner of its 13th annual BIO Award, bestowed annually “to a distinguished colleague who has made major contributions to the advancement of the art and craft of biography.” Read more >

By Jessie Gaynor

Turns out the amateur rapper who laundered billions in crypto also dissed Jane Austen.

If you’re paying attention to crypto developments—or just strange, strange news items—you may be passingly familiar with Ilya Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan, the couple accused of laundering billions of dollars in bitcoin. The details of the case are worth reading—not Read more >

By Walker Caplan