Hello, book lovers! This week was one for the history books as our country welcomed a new president and our first-ever female vice president. The weekend has arrived, but it’s safe to say we’ll all be talking about Wednesday — the poetry, the patriotism, (Bernie’s mittens …) — for a while. Here’s an exciting mix of stories to help you celebrate the week’s events and catch you up on the latest from the book world.
Amanda Gorman’s Inaugural Poem, “The Hill We Climb,” Moves the Nation: Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, says “I really aspire … to use my words to envision a way in which our country can still come together” while “not erasing or neglecting the harsh truths I think America needs to reconcile with.”
— The New York Times
Learn More About Our New President and Vice President: Get to know President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris through this selection of heartfelt memoirs, accessible biographies, inspiring children’s books and even a hilariously inventive mystery novel. — BookTrib
HBO May See a Return to George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones With Prequel Adaption: Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg, a series of novellas that chronicle events in his fantasy world of Westeros prior to A Game of Thrones, “is in early development at HBO,” reported Variety. “No writer or talent is currently attached to the project, but sources say it is a high priority for HBO.” — Variety
Bestselling Anti-Racist Books From Ibram X. Kendi to Be Adapted for Screen by Netflix: In addition to working as executive producer on the project, “Kendi himself will also get behind the camera to helm a companion documentary aimed at children.” While Netflix has yet to announce a release date, their ambitious strategy aims “to release one new movie every week.” — IndieWire
Stacey Abrams Isn’t Just a Political Powerhouse, She’s Also an Author of Fiction: “Abrams’ 10-year plan to turn staunchly-red Georgia a shade of Democratic blue is as much a feat of imagination as it is of leadership,” and she’s been vocal about “the parallels between good storytelling and good leadership.” — Bustle
Ibram X. Kendi Shares 10 Political Books Penned by the Black Women at the Forefront of Change: Prior to the early 1830s “it was all but unheard of for women to organize politically,” writes Kendi. With Kamala Harris having taken the oath of office this past Wednesday, we must “recognize all that made her election to the vice presidency possible, including the political literature of Black women in 2020.” — The Atlantic
Lisa Gardner’s Heroine Finds People the World Has Forgotten: In her first standalone suspense novel in more than 20 years, Gardner draws inspiration from a real woman who searches for the missing in her own community to craft an “outstanding crime novel.” — BookTrib
Why Has the Short-Lived British Regency Hosted So Many of Our Favorite Romances?: “The real-life Regency period lasted less than a decade,” yet an entire romance subgenre is centered around “a few thousand rich people who lived during the 1810s.” Wildly popular as the likes of Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton novels may be, this “staggering number of unlikely fictional marriages” is curious, to say the least. — JSTOR Daily
Despite Moments of Joy, Sadeqa Johnson’s Yellow Wife Pulls No Punches in Its Depiction of Painful History: “The novel is gut-wrenching,” says author of historical fiction Denny S. Bryce, “and Johnson doesn’t shy away from the atrocities endured by those enslaved. Still, she’s created multi-faceted characters with a wide range of experiences and emotions.” — NPR
Forthcoming 2021 Women’s Fiction to Watch For: “Keep your heart full and your bookshelf fuller” with these 10 TBR-worthy, women’s fiction recommendations from author Kristy Woodson Harvey. — BookTrib
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