TODAY: In 1900, Bing Xin, who wrote for young readers and was one of the most prolific Chinese writers of the 20th Century, is born.
- David Ulin on the recently rediscovered Neal Cassady letter that inspired On the Road. | Lit Hub
- Heather Havrilesky is fed up with American gurus. | Lit Hub
- On the heartbreaking pain of falling in love with books you just can’t have. | Lit Hub
- In celebration of 15 years of Kundiman, meet the new wave of Asian-American writers. | Lit Hub
- “This lady thinks she lives here.” Michael Donkor on interlopers, in fiction and in life. | Lit Hub
- New titles from Leif Enger, Andre Dubus III, Hampton Sides, and more all feature among our Best Reviewed Books of the Week. | Book Marks
- That’s the problem with novels as instruments of progress. You can only show the truth that readers want to see.” Leo Benedictus on the history of addictive novels, and what makes a story dangerous. | CrimeReads
- Angela Flournoy profiles Barry Jenkins as he puts the finishing touches on his adaptation of James Baldwin’s If Beale Street Could Talk. | The New York Times Magazine
- Louise Erdrich, Leni Zumas, Bina Shah, Naomi Alderman, and more: on the rise of the feminist dystopia—and it’s not just because of Trump. | The Atlantic
- “The language is so grotesque and damaging and fascinating, I felt compelled to record it”: Olivia Laing on Trump’s Tweets, Tetris, and her digital miscellany. | Guernica
- 544 new hardcover books came out in the UK yesterday, primed for holiday sales, in what the industry is now calling “Super Thursday.” | The Guardian
- We’ll read what she’s reading: Deborah Eisenberg on her 10 favorite books. | Vulture
- Kelly Link, Natalie Diaz, John Keene, and Dominique Morisseau have been awarded MacArthur Genius grants. | MacArthur Foundation
- This list of what your favorite Shakespeare play says about you is both cruel and accurate. | Electric Literature
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