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Welcome to Today in Books, our daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more.
The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran over the weekend. War affects us all and demands acknowledgment even in a book news-focused newsletter. Numerous media outlets are reporting on developments as they happen, but here’s a starting place.
The NYT Highlights 27 of This Month’s New Releases
I hadn’t realized what a great month in books we were entering until my colleague, Jeff O’Neal, mentioned it during a recording of the Book Riot podcast when I was filling in for Rebecca Schinsky. But now it seems obvious, hard as it is to compete with a month where we got a new Tayari Jones. The New York Times highlighted 27 of this month’s new releases and it includes big names like Ibram X. Kendi, a Judy Blume biography, and my next two reads, both of which I selected for our own list of this year’s most anticipated reads: Whidbey by T Kira Madden and The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts by Kim Fu. Let me know what you’re reading this month in the comments!
Publishing’s Diversity Baseline Survey Postponed Indefinitely
The fight on book bans must take priority over conducting a survey that has “become the industry standard for inclusive hiring practices and accountability,” Jason Low, publisher and co-owner of Lee & Low Books, writes for Publishers Weekly. Lee & Low has conducted the Diversity Baseline Survey every four years since 2015, but the U.S.’s largest multicultural children’s book publisher will prioritize publishing diverse books and focusing their time on fighting nationwide book bans, including galvanizing support for Freedom to Read Bills. The survey is currently postponed indefinitely. Read Low’s full statement here.
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Stephen Graham Jones Comes Thru for the Slasher Girlies
The author of The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, The Only Good Indians, and so many more great horror reads recommended 13 slasher books. We love a book recommendations list from excellent writers who have great taste in books. The list includes a comic book series, a lesser-known work from the author of Clown in a Cornfield, a Grady Hendrix read, and so many under-the-radar works. If you, like me, count Freddy Krueger among your favorite fictional characters, you’ll want to check out the full list.
The Ensh*ttification of the Institute of Museum and Library Services Trucks On
Sorry to continue with the onslaught of bad news, but:
Late last week, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) overhauled its website’s home page. The change took place sometime between Wednesday, February 25, and Friday, February 27. The refresh is the perfect encapsulation of how the Trump Vance administration is hellbent on destroying an agency dedicated to sharing and protecting truth, facts, and information; it is also the perfect encapsulation of how the regime’s obsession with and dedication to AI is about bowing to technocrats and further enshittifying democracy, rather than serving the American citizenry.
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