Welcome to Today in Books, our daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more.
Marjane Satrapi, Author of PERSEPOLIS, Has Died at 56
Iranian French author Marjane Satrapi has passed away at 56. The cause and location of her death have not been shared, but one thing is certain: the world of graphic memoir has lost a giant. Satrapi’s best-known work, Persepolis, was published in the early 2000s and showed millions of readers the lives of everyday Iranians during the Islamic Revolution. As our Senior Editor Kelly Jensen stated, its blend of memoir, history, and stunning artwork has helped bring about our current, brilliant era of graphic memoir.
President Emmanuel Macron’s office released a statement on the author’s influence: “Her passing marks the loss of a leading figure in French culture and a freedom-loving artist whose work carried a universal message and earned her immense international acclaim.”
Everand and Fable Merge Forces to Make One Mighty Subscription Service
Last year, Everand (an online book subscription service and subsidiary of Scribd) acquired Fable (a book club app), and now, the two are fully combining forces to make one bigger subscription service. Through the new service, Fable’s 5 million users and 200,000 book clubs will have access to more than 1.5 million ebooks and audiobooks, while Everand users will now have access to Fable’s advanced reading statistics, the ability to make goals, and can automatically carry over their reading progress and saved titles to Fable.
Today In Books
Sign up to Today In Books to receive daily news and miscellany from the world of books.
40 Literary Organizations to Receive $7.7 Million, Courtesy of The Literary Arts Fund
After an oppressive year under an art-hating (and just hateful in general) administration, we are so back! Well, not entirely, but this is a start: an endowment established last year is set to distribute $7.7 million to 40 independent and nonprofit literary organizations across 19 states. This initiative comes from The Literary Arts Fund, which itself was started by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in collaboration with the Ford Foundation, the Hawthornden Foundation, the Lannan Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Poetry Foundation, and one anonymous foundation.
So far, recipients such as the National Book Foundation (which runs the National Book Awards), the North Carolina Writers’ Network, Graywolf Press, and Copper Canyon Press have received grants ranging from $40,000 to $500,000.
Pride is for Book Lovers: LGBTQ+ Romances Set in Bookstores and Libraries
One thing about me is that I love a bookish book, and reading about queer love found in bookstores and libraries feels extra cozy and sweet. Not only that, but reading these kinds of romances feels especially important now, with all of the book bans popping up that target books by and about the queer community. I suggest we all get good ‘n’ cozy with one or more of these romances—which take us everywhere, from 1960s New York City to Victorian London—and reach out to our representatives to stop HR 2616 (The “Don’t Say Trans” Bill) from becoming law. (Find your Senator here, and your House representatives here.)
Test Your Knowledge With This Quiz on Books That Changed the World
This week, The New York Times released a new quiz through its Lit Trivia series. It’s on books that have influenced society. One of these books furthered the Civil Rights Movement, another was an exposé on the funeral industry, and another is said to have started the environmental movement as we know it today. I can admit that I would have felt a certain type of way if I had gotten less than I did (3/5) on the quiz, given my job and everything.
This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
The comments section is moderated according to our community guidelines. Please check them out so we can maintain a safe and supportive community of readers!