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Here they are, the stories Today in Books readers were most interested in (measured in clicks) this week.
Judge Tosses Trump’s Case Against the NYT, PRH
A federal judge in Florida has dismissed President Donald Trump’s $15 billion lawsuit (yeah, that’s billion with a B, his feelings were very hurt) against the New York Times, four of its reporters, and Penguin Random House. Judge Steven D. Merryday described the 85-page complaint as “florid and enervating,” noting that Trump’s attorneys waited until page 80 to actually mention the defamation claims they argue were published with “actual malice” and the intent to interfere with the whiner-in-chief’s 2024 campaign. Merryday gave the Trump camp 28 days to submit a revised complaint with a max of 40 pages and reminded them that “a complaint is not a public forum for vituperation and invective.” Turns out that nuisance lawsuits are a bipartisan issue; Merryday was appointed by President George H.W. Bush.
Toward a Grand Unified Theory of the BookTok Canon
Alyssa Morris is as close as we’ve got to a scholar of BookTok studies, and her attempt to establish a BookTok canon is a gift to readers and industry professionals alike. Working from a combination of vibes and observations gleaned from deep engagement with the platform, Morris identifies the most popular sub-genres among TikTok users. There’s romance and romantasy, yes, but also “weird girl lit” (Big Swiss, Bunny), “crying books” (The Nightingale, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo), thrillers, New Adult, sci-fi, and fantasy. Morris notes that “the BookTok canon is strikingly white, which has impacted diversity gains in publishing since 2020,” and hopes that illustrating “a broad readership on the platform beyond just romance and romantasy” will help contribute to efforts to increase visibility for work by writers and creators of color. May her efforts succeed.
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Judge Approves $1.5 Billion Settlement in Anthropic AI Suit
Authors scored an important victory this week as a federal judge in California approved the terms for a $1.5 billion settlement between AI company Anthropic and authors whose books it allegedly pirated to train large language models. The settlement, which will apply to an estimated 465,000 books, will pay authors and publishers $3,000 for each title. Judge William Alsup initially delayed approval of the settlement during a hearing on September 8, expressing concerns about how both sides would handle the complexity of identifying eligible parties and disbursing funds. This settlement is the first of its kind and sets an important precedent in what will continue to be a roller coaster ride as questions about AI and copyright make their way through the courts and into, someday, into legislation.
The Book Behind One Battle After Another
Did you know that Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film One Battle After Another, which hits theaters this week, is based on a book? Vineland is one of Thomas Pynchon’s more accessible novels, but this is Pynchon, so meaning of accessible is, let’s say, relative. Jeff and I went brain-on to decode this zany postmodern classic on the latest episode of Zero to Well-Read.