Hello, book lovers! February’s celebration of Black History has arrived, and what better way to celebrate than by reading a book … or several? Whether you’re one or 100, there’s a ton of fascinating and important history to discover this and every month. Of course, it’s difficult to discuss history currently without taking note of the book bans impacting schools across the country. So, without further ado, enjoy this mix of stories from the book world.
Art Spiegelman’s Maus Becomes Latest Target of Ongoing Book Bans: The Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novels aren’t the first books depicting the Holocaust to be challenged; in fact, Marilisa Jiménez Garcia posits that bans “are targeting the history of oppression.” — The Atlantic
Celebrate Black History Month! JSTOR editors have compiled their favorite stories for readers. Learn about the father of Black History Month, the first Black-owned bookstore, lesser-known heroes and more! (Check out our list of children’s books for Black History Month.) — JSTOR Daily
James Joyce’s Ulysses Turns 100! “There are as many opinions about Ulysses as there are potential readers;” this essay explores Joyce’s completion of the 732-page behemoth on his 40th birthday in 1922. — LARB
Lionsgate’s Adaptation of a Judy Blume Classic Set to Premiere This Fall: The film, based on Blume’s 1970 novel Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, will star Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates and Abby Ryder Forsten as Margaret. (Check out our coverage of screen adaptation fails and faves!) — Deadline
Awards and Accolades Worthy of Note: Hannah Lowe’s The Kids wins Costa Book of the Year (The Guardian); Barack Obama, Sam Heughan and Oprah among 2022 Audie Awards finalists (Entertainment Weekly); In the Margins Book Awards announces winners (School Library Journal); Mayra Garcia breaks down 10 nominees for the GLADD Award for Outstanding Original Graphic Novel/Anthology (CBR).
Actress’ Hysterical Memoir Details Late-in-Life Love Story With Grace and Frankie Producer: This witty, real-life romance is perfect for rom-com lovers as we head into Valentine’s Day. — BookTrib
Quantity of Books Read or Quality of Time Spent Reading? While book tracking apps like Goodreads allow readers to keep up with their friends’ literary habits, they also have some readers feeling like their hobby has transformed into a competition. — The Cut
PBS Digital Studios Launches the It’s Lit [Unabridged] Podcast: Following the success of the hit YouTube series It’s Lit, the podcast, hosted by Princess Weekes, features “lively conversations with noted authors about their work, discussions about influential novels and issues related to books and literature.” (Listen to the first episode here!) — PBS
Kids in a Candy Shop? More Like Bibliophiles at a Grown-Up Book Fair! The “effort to replicate the joy of book fairs in school,” (with the addition of some “adult Capri-Suns”) was a win for local independent booksellers in Madison, WI, as well as readers. — Spectrum News 1
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