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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.
Notable New Voices for Fall
Fall is historically Big Book Season, and while we are awaiting releases from some big names in the next few months (Louise Erdrich is at the top of my list), this year looks a little lighter than most. That’s good news for debut writers, as it means there is maybe more space and attention for a breakout moment. If you’re looking to round out your fall reading list with some new names, look no further than PW‘s feature of 10 debut writers to watch. Among the highlights are a memoir about escaping Christian patriarchy and the Quiverfull movement (out tomorrow), an exploration of the fight for justice on Native American land, and—probably of most interest to readers of this newsletter—a wide-ranging look at the history of book bans, from Plato to the present. Brace your TBR for another satisfying season.
In Their Own Words
I’ve often wondered what it’s like to be a translator or ghost writer, someone who is integral to a book’s existence but largely invisible from the public discourse about it. What’s it like to play an essential but supporting role in someone else’s artistic process? Wouldn’t it make you want to do your own thing? For some award-winning translators, the answer is yes. Jennifer Croft, who translated Nobel Prize winner Olga Tokarczuk’s work, and Bruna Dantas Labato, who translated 2023 National Book Award winner The Words That Remain, are among a crop of successful translators with recent and upcoming debut novels of their own.
Writers who spend years shaping other people’s work are inevitably also shaped by it in return, a process Croft calls “cross-pollination,” explaining that “It’s perfectly normal for translators to hone their craft by writing books.” Wonderful to see these accomplished folks get a moment in the spotlight.
The Book Prize Given from Behind Bars
The Inside Literary Prize is the first US book award to be judged entirely by people who are currently incarcerated. More than 200 judges from 12 prisons in six states participated in the shortlisting process for the inaugural prize, which was just awarded to Imani Perry for South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation. The Inside Prize is a collaboration of Freedom Reads, the Center for Justice Innovation, the National Book Foundation, and Lori Feathers, co-founder of indie bookstore Interabang Books that “uses the power of books to support the dignity of those who are incarcerated, valuing their insight and celebrating our shared humanity.” May their efforts succeed.
If this is an area of literary activism you’re interested in pursuing, check out Books Behind Bars as well.
Utah Bans 13 Books From Public Schools Statewide
After passing one of the most restrictive book banning measures in the country, the state of Utah has released its list of books to be banned from schools across the state. The ban encompasses books that are deemed “objective sensitive material” or “pornographic,” (six of the 13 are romantasy titles by Sarah J. Maas), and the titles are, on average, 13 years old. As my colleague Kelly Jensen points out, this highlights the fact that “the so-called problem of pornography in schools appeared only when it was a convenient talking point.” Funny how that works.
The vast majority of Americans disagree with book bans and believe they infringe on parents’ rights, and that’s part of the point. This isn’t about the books; it’s about a small minority of extreme right-wing conservatives who know they are losing power in American culture and believe they should be able to restrict everyone else’s freedom. Go to your school board meetings, volunteer, and show up the polls in November, folks. Let’s remind them this is a losing issue, just like it was in 2022.
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