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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. Here are the biggest headlines from last week.
Oprah Winfrey Names Maria Semple’s Go Gentle as Her Latest Book Club Pick
Go Gentle, Semple’s first book in many years, is certainly getting a lot of buzz, and this week, Oprah’s officially picked it as her latest book club title. “For all those who crave a good page turner, this is one wild ride of a story that carries equal parts wit and wisdom,” Winfrey said in a statement Tuesday. “I learned so much about Stoicism — I laughed out loud for real. And underneath the humor there was always something tender … a quiet truth about relationships, identity, and what it means to find peace with yourself.”
Most U.S. Adults Read a Book Last Year
There tends to be a lot of hand-wringing about whether American adults read books anymore, and every year, we get a survey or two offering “good” or “bad” news. Here’s the thing: it’s just a number, and reading books is among a billion things people can do with the free time they have. But a recently released survey from Pew Research offers some fascinating insights into the reading habits of American adults. Last year, 75% read at least part of a book (not bad!), print was the preferred format (though audiobooks are on the rise), and few were involved in a book club.
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The Official Trailer for Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping Is Here
Are you ready to return to the world of The Hunger Games? Then good news. The adaptation of Sunrise on the Reaping will hit theaters November 20, 2026. The story takes place in Panem 24 years before The Hunger Games, beginning on the morning of the Second Quarter Quell. It is the 50th Hunger Games, wherein Haymitch Abernathy is a player.
Character.ai Launches AI-Powered ‘Books’ Feature Letting Users Play Inside Classic Literature Like Pride and Prejudice and The Great Gatsby
On the plus side, it sounds like this is using characters already in the public domain, as opposed to stealing the intellectual property of authors. On the other side, I’m not sure how allowing self-insert game playing of classic characters will “make classic literature more accessible and interactive for modern audiences. By lowering the barrier to entry, the company is betting that participatory storytelling can serve as a gateway to traditional texts, particularly for younger users more accustomed to interactive media.” It feels like an overly cynical view of young people and an overly optimistic view of the value of the AI. Likewise, how diverse are these books, if they’re focused on the classics? Do we really want teens interacting with a chatbot as a means of “solving” a problem of them not reading “traditional” texts? (Also, to bring it back around: a school librarian might be a way to get young people into the classics and introduce them to more contemporary and diverse classics).
People Are Paying $1,000 to Read Among Strangers
While data may suggest that fewer people are involved in book clubs, that doesn’t mean reading isn’t a social activity. Indeed, the rise of the reading retreats–where people pay to go somewhere and read alongside others seeking time away from their home, work, and other responsibilities with the intent of working through their TBR–is noteworthy. Years before it became trendy to write about reading retreats, I did one with some friends, and it was great. Not everyone can read every day, and the idea of a dedicated chunk of time to spend in community with other readers? It’s smart, and no, you don’t have to pay $1,000 to do it unless you want to (grab some friends, pack a big ole picnic basket, leave the phone at home, and dedicate a beautiful spring weekend to reading in the park!).
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