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Grab a cup of something tasty and catch up with the news stories Today in Books readers found most interesting this week.
Groundbreaking Poet Nikki Giovanni Dies at 81
Beloved poet Nikki Giovanni has died at the age of 81. Giovanni made her name as a standout of the Black Arts Movement and became the rarest of things: a famous poet. Known for her powerful performances, Giovanni was also often invited to comment on politics, current events, and issues of race and gender. If you’ve never had the pleasure of hearing Giovanni read her work, here is one wonderful example, though if you’re going to consumer one piece of Giovanni-related media, it really should be this conversation she had with James Baldwin in 1971, well worth two hours of your time. Fare thee well, Ms. Giovanni.
The Year’s Biggest Self-Help Book is a Decade Old
Move over, The Body Keeps the Score, there’s a new old self-help book in town. Originally published in 2015 and intended for an audience of professional psychologists, Lindsay C. Gibson’s Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents is having a hell of a year. A product of Gibson’s 30-year career as a clinical psychologist, the book has sold more than 1.2 million copies, spent six weeks on the NYT’s bestseller list last summer, and is a bona fide word-of-mouth sensation. In addition to being all over TikTok (and often credited/blamed for the growing trend of people going no-contact with their parents), Gibson has appeared on popular podcasts like Glennon Doyle’s We Can Do Hard Things and has created several follow-up titles, workbooks, and guided journals. Clearly, she’s struck a nerve. What will be the next backlist self-help book to win the BookTok lottery?
Hollywood’s Calling for the Movie Rights
Since 2005, The Black List has published an annual round-up of the best unproduced screenplays, many of which have gone on to win at the box office and on the awards circuit. Year-round, The Black List also provides professional feedback and critiques for screenwriters, a service they expanded earlier this year to include manuscripts for fiction books. Now, they’ve revealed the first Adaptation List, comprised of the 61 novels that professional editors and agents most want to see adapted for film or television.
How The New York Times Picks the Best Books of the Year
Ever wondered how The New York Times makes its lists of 100 notable books and the 10 best books of the year? Times book editor Gilbert Cruz stopped by the Book Riot Podcast to take us behind the scenes of the year-long process. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your other podcatcher of choice.
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