"Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday came out in support of a proposal to limit book bans in schools. ... In a press conference, DeSantis tried to claim that accusations that he has enabled book bans in the state of Florida are 'a fraud' and 'a big hoax.'" - The New Republic
While the nation has been focusing on book bans, school libraries all around us have gone without enough (noncontroversial) books. Or inviting furniture. Or amenities that would help create a sense of community. - Washington Post
"IDF raids on Palestinian publishing houses are nothing new. Seven Palestinian publishing houses were raided or destroyed over a six-month period in 2016-2017, and eleven more were targeted in a seven-month period in 2021." - LitHub
Goodreads appears to be somewhat innocently letting “the public” tell other members of the public what is worthwhile. "For the well-reviewed author, this is a fine setup. For the author who may not benefit from a wide general readership, it’s a psychological thriller.” - The Guardian (UK)
“Please just read me a story without distraction. I don’t need to hear a variety of voices from a single narrator if a full-cast production is not in the cards. Not every novel needs to be read as a radio drama. And please go light on the accents." - LitHub
Then Hugo Awards rumors started; now leaked emails confirm that “one of the Hugo administrators had advised other members to vet the finalists and 'highlight anything of a sensitive political nature' in China. ... Such works, he added, might not be safe to put on the ballot." - The New York Times
The news that we could finally read these still rolled-up papyri hit me like a lightning bolt. In the past, opening the scrolls, even those in excellent condition that unrolled easily, caused damage to them – especially the outsides that contain the beginning of each text. - The Conversation
"The change will affect prizes for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and young people’s literature to begin including authors 'who maintain their primary, long-term home in the United States, US territories, or Tribal lands' regardless of their citizenship status." - Mother Jones
This past September, Deseret News, the Salt Lake City daily owned and operated by the Mormon church, launched The Digest, a monthly compendium of the best of the paper's journalism from all its platforms, mailed to 120,000 homes. It was profitable by the following month. - Poynter
Scholar Shannon McHugh reminds us that, going all the way back to the medieval Italian origins of the form, sonnets have been written to express deep affection for best buddies, siblings and other family members, living and dead — and sometimes even to the saints. - The Conversation
Firestrom Books in Asheville got a call from a distributor asking them to take in eight tons of books rejected by Duval County Public Schools (Jacksonville). Now Firestorm is giving those volumes to anyone who asks — including quite a few Floridians. - The Washington Post (MSN)
New technology in the form of apps and tools offering real time translation have simplified the world so much that we don't really need to learn other languages any more. - Salon
