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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.
Department of Education Dismisses “So-Called” Book Bans Under Trump Administration
The U.S. Department of Education is rescinding all guidance against book removals, has dismissed current and pending book ban complaints, and got rid of the book ban coordinator position for the investigation of unlawful book removals. In a statement, the Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said, “The department adheres to the deeply rooted American principle that local control over public education best allows parents and teachers alike to assess the educational needs of their children and communities. Parents and school boards have broad discretion to fulfill that important responsibility.”
No mention of how pressure campaigns to remove books by and about queer, BIPOC, and other underrepresented people run by private, partisan groups like Moms for Liberty undermine the ability of local educators, librarians, and parents to give kids the education and access to information they need. And let’s not forget about state legislated censorship. Publishers Weekly reported on the swift condemnation and criticism of the DOE’s decision from PEN America, Authors Against Book Bans, and other organizations. If you’re unclear on why book bans are harmful and how they affect us all, I urge you to read this article, if you’re fired up about censorship here are 56 small tasks to be proactive against it this year, and you can continue to stay up to date on censorship news and steps to take action by signing up for our Literary Activism newsletter written by Kelly Jensen.
Speaking of Government Censors–This, From Syria
Banned books have returned to the shelves of bookstores in Syria. William Christou at The Guardian described an Assad regime that required books to be reviewed and censored before they were even published, as well as boxed and sent off to gather dust after security services visited stores. George Orwell’s 1984 was apparently never banned with Damascus publishing professional Wahid Taja positing that it was because “They wanted us to imagine that they had the same capabilities, to watch us wherever we went.” The tension that must have existed around the most basic of freedoms is apparent in the words of the Syrians quoted in the piece and the penalties of operating outside the rigid bounds of the Assad system. The Syrian rebels who overthrew the regime have so far offered no new rules around the publishing and selling of books.
Here’s Some Full Cringe Spy Satire for You
I don’t know about you, but I could use some levity right now, and for that I turn to McSweeney’s. I love a good satire and Tom Ellison’s “Brainstorming Notes of the Typical Male American Spy Novel” is too on point and almost managed to put me off spy fiction altogether. If you’re looking for a curative after reading this, I recommend American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I also caught up on Slow Horses with some marathon viewings and it is delightfully (flatulently?) different. I can’t speak to the novels the series is adapted from (written by a male, British spy novelist), but I might give one a try because I love the show so much.
The Best New Book Releases Out This Week
How do you compete with a week of new releases that includes a love story about an amorphous blob? I check and rechecked, and yes, this is what Maggie Sue’s Blob: A Love Story is actually about. Also, my Most Anticipated book is out this week–I started Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson last week and it has fully captured my attention. Wilkerson knows how to paint a picture, write a character, and keep you on the page. All that to say, this is a strong week for new releases and you can find the highlights here.
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