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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.
Obama’s Summer Reading List Has Landed
America’s reader-in-chief (remember having a president who was intellectually engaged?) has entered the chat. Barack Obama’s 2025 summer reading list is here, and…it looks like a Barack Obama reading list. Always one for consistency, Obama’s picks follow a reliable template. I’m delighted to see Katie Kitamura’s Audition and Sophie Elmhurst’s A Marriage at Sea get shout-outs, and you know dude couldn’t resist Ron Chernow’s Mark Twain and the latest Michael Lewis, which just happens to be about government. Any time there’s an S.A. Cosby book out, it’s going to make an Obama list, and King of Ashes is no exception (indeed, the Obamas’ Higher Ground production company has optioned the novel for adaptation). Wonderful recognition for a few less-well-known novels here, too. Madeleine Thien (The Book of Records) and Anita Desaid (Rosarita) but must thrilled.
The Twilight Saga Will Return to Theaters This Fall
A moment of silence, please, for my fellow elder millennials as we reckon with our mortality. Next month will mark the 20th anniversary of the publication of Twilight, and theaters are set to cash in on the nostalgia with a limited re-release of the so-bad-they’re-good Twilight Saga movies. Lest you roll your eyes at the thought of sparkly vampires, let me remind you that the blockbuster teen romance series led to a new era of young adult publishing and inspired Fifty Shades of Grey, which singlehandedly brought spicy romance into the mainstream. Today’s BookTok romantasy fans have Stephenie Meyer to thank.
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Can We Just Not?
Yes, I have seen the think-pieces and “investigations” into so-called “performative males” who allegedly carry books to signal their sensitivity to unwitting women. No, none of them are worth linking to. Instead, here’s Jason Diamond, whose recent response says it all: “The thing that gets me the most is the way we went from the “Men don’t read” trend to “Dudes reading are just trying to score babes.”” Please, I beg of you, go touch grass.
Christmas Rom-Coms Come Early
Few publishing trends have given me more pure enjoyment than the recent mainstreaming of holiday romances. If you could use a shot of holiday fun, here are some Christmas rom-coms hitting the shelves this year.