TODAY: In 1966, J. R. R. Tolkien writes to Roger Verhulst, expressing his concerns about a proposed biography by W. H. Auden, saying “I regard such things as premature impertinences … I cannot believe that they have a usefulness to justify the distaste and irritation given to the victim,” but adding: “I owe Mr. Auden a debt of gratitude for the generosity with which he has supported and encouraged me since the first appearance of The Lord of the Rings.”
- Shirley Hazzard and the Antipodean gaze: Michelle de Kretser on one of Australia’s great writers. | Lit Hub
- Ann Napolitano wants writers to honor their weird obsessions (even the ones that make them uncomfortable). | Lit Hub
- My Dark Vanessa author Kate Elizabeth Russell on Judy Blume, Anne Carson, and Portnoy’s Complaint. | Book Marks
- Martín Caparrós tells the story of the massive Chicago operation to save 800,000 people from hunger. | Lit Hub
- “On Metaphor.” A poem from John Murillo’s collection, Kontemporary Amerikan Poetry. | Lit Hub
- Tessa Wegert on how to mix things up, do justice to tradition, and still keep your crime writing fresh. | CrimeReads
- “The moment I tilt the mixer head back, the world quiets, if only for a short while. All things considered, that’s enough.” Roxane Gay’s love letter to her KitchenAid stand mixer. | Wirecutter
- Look inside the world of the Assouline publishing empire, “where everything is beautiful, expensive, and chic.” | The Cut
- From real-life activists to fictional heroes, these books tell the stories of women fighting climate change. | Yale Climate Connections
- As coronavirus spreads, some Beijing bookstores have partnered with a food delivery service to get books to readers. | Abacus
- William Gibson speaks with Mother Jones about his new novel, Agency, which imagines an alternate reality where Trump was not elected and Brexit never happened. | Mother Jones
- With help from a lot of children, 90-year-old Sri Lankan author Sybil Wettasinghe’s book Wonder Crystal set a new Guinness World Record for the most alternate endings for a book: 1,250. | UPI
- “Sometimes when I’m writing I’ll get the panicked sense that I gave up time with my son just to delete three paragraphs.” Karen Russell on writing, money, and motherhood. | Wealthsimple
Also on Lit Hub: Yes, elephants and dolphins like talking to you: Eva Meijer on translating animal languages • On the Portuguese city that glorifies an author who hated it • Read an excerpt from Hilary Leichter’s debut novel Temporary.
