Salem’s Lot comes to a streamer near you. Trees are threatened. Tolkien waxes poetic. Potterheads are up in arms. The Blues Brothers get bookish. Tommy Orange is a class act. Kate Winslett goes a bit sweary. And the apocalypse is nigh. You know, a typical week in the world of books.
Salem’s Lot: Back in February Stephen King took to Twitter (it will never, not ever, be X to me) to question why Warner Bros was delaying the release of its fully completed adaptation of Salem’s Lot. Well, now WB has announced that the movie will be released straight to streaming sometime, this year. Maybe. Though still not given a solid date, we are excited to see this adaptation of the horror novel. It’s the classic guy-moves-back-to-his-hometown-only-to-discover-it-being attacked-by-a-vampire story. And not the sparkly kind, like Edward Cullen (More on him below). Also, don’t mess with Uncle Stevie.
Literary Turf Wars: Katherine Applegate’s 2017 children’s novel, Wishtree, about a magical tree that helps a neighborhood embrace diversity and tolerance is under fire in Virginia. Why, you ask? (Other than the fact that people need a hobby?) Because in the book, the tree can self-pollinate and is thus ok with being called a he or a she. Wishtree was scheduled to be part of a public school community reading program until a mom (whose child attends a private school in another district) complained on social media. The district has since pulled the book from the program. I’m starting to wonder if people should be required to get a license in order to use social media. Or at least pass a reading test? And their first assignment should be actually reading the books they’re trying to censor.
Audiobook Plus?: RBMedia, the audiobook publishing company, has appointed ex-Disney executive Michael Paull as CEO. Paull oversaw the release of Disney+ and was previously involved with digital media at Amazon and Sony. This follows Simon & Schuster’s recent move to put executives from Disney, TikTok, gaming and media on their board of directors. Publishing is tapping talent from other media companies to help adapt to the streaming generation and we are so interested to see how that will play out. We love to see more people reading/listening to books but we are also passionate about fair pay for authors and streaming doesn’t have the best track record with other industries. Many streaming services have also begun playing ads for their basic tier plans–which is a backwards move. The reason we were all willing to be nickeled and dimed to death by these streamers was to avoid the ads. So now it’s as expensive as cable and as irritating as network tv. Once again, the consumers lose. And these are the same leaders we are putting in charge of publishing? This is why I’ve been hoarding books building a library for the last three decades.
Professor Sprout Disses Potterheads: Is Harry Potter just for children? Miriam Margolyes (Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter films) recently drew the ire of Potterheads for saying that the stories are just for children and we should all just grow up and get over it. Oh, them’s fightin’ words. We at The Book Tide agree with CS Lewis who said:
“No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally–and often far more–worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond.”
So bring on your Harry Potter themed weddings, your LOTR quiz nights, and your grown-up book themed costume/slumber/birthday parties. Professor Sprout clearly needs to put the mandrakes down and back away from the greenhouse. I think she’s gone a little hard of hearing.
By The Same Tolkien: Harper Collins announced the release of a book of poetry by J.R.R. Tolkien. The three volume set features almost 200 poems, some of which have never been published. Ranging from when he was 18, across his years at Oxford, his service during WWI, and his works encompassing his Middle Earth universe, the collection will go on sale in September. Not all who wander are lost, especially those headed to the bookstore to buy more Tolkien-verse.
On A Mission From God: The Blues Brothers by Daniel Vise’ is the story of how Dan Ackroyd and Jim Belushi took their mutual love of the blues from an act on Saturday Night Live to the big screen, and re-invigorated America’s interest in the musical genre along the way. While the film wasn’t well received initially, it is now viewed as one of the great American movies and is hailed by the Catholic church as a classic. Now this new book takes us behind the scenes of the iconic film, even encompassing the childhoods of Belushi and Ackroyd. I am 100% here for Dan and Jim’s Drug Addled Blues Adventure.
PEN America’s Olive Branch: The war in Gaza continues to impact the book world. Since January, PEN America has been under fire from pro-Palestinian authors for it’s perceived lack of vocal response to the conflict and for hosting an event featuring actress Mayim Bialik, an outspoken supporter of Israel. This week PEN America unequivocally called for a ceasefire and for the release of all hostages, and invited dissenting authors to a public forum to discuss its stance in the hopes for a better understanding of the diverse views on the issue. It has also made a “substantial contribution” to be distributed to Palestinian writers in Gaza. The organization which exists to champion the freedom to write and protect free expression worldwide, has tried to walk a fine line between supporting writers from both sides, while calling for an end to the conflict: “As an organization open to all writers, we see no alternative but to remain home to this diversity of opinions and perspectives, even if, for some, that very openness becomes [a] reason to exit.”
Palm Royale: AppleTV released its trailer for Palm Royale, a series loosely based on Juliet McDaniel’s Mr and Mrs. American Pie. Starring big names actors Kristen Wiig, Ricky Martin, Josh Lucas, Laura Dern, Allison Janney and more, the series follows the exploits of social climber Maxine Simmons as she endeavors to break her way into Palm Beach high society. It looks like a blast, and also we love Kristen Wiig in anything but especially in 60s fashion.
2054: In the spirit of doomcasting and conspiracy theories we bring you 2054 by Admiral James Stavridis and Eliott Ackerman, the second novel in a trilogy written by military and political veterans. 2054 centers on an assassination of a US President by an advanced AI superweapon that threatens the world order. Oh, you have my attention now, Sirs. This triggers all my Terminator apocalypse scenarios (yes, all of them, there’s more than one – particularly when you add The Matrix into that multiverse). Boycott Cyberdyne. Burn down Skynet. And take out Neuralink while we’re at it.
Goodnight, and F*** You: Kate Winslet reads us an expletive ridden bedtime story for Red Nose Day “an event that raises money to address homelessness, poverty and mental health around the world.” The book, F***, Now There Are Two Of You by Adam Mansbach, is a grown up tale of parenting woes for tired moms and dads. Kate Winslet wins everything and manages to class up the f-bomb ridden story with aplomb. Obviously book this is not for the pearl-clutchers. So, who wants a copy? You? You too? Duly noted. Everyone gets a copy. (I knew you were my people).
81 Hit Books: Goodreads released a list of 81 newly released hit books. Clever eyes will spot our very own Ariel Lawhon’s The Frozen River on that list. Congrats Ariel! Goodreads fans, how many of these books have you read?
A Teacher And Tommy Orange: When a high school English teacher shot an email off to the PRH Speakers Bureau requesting a visit from Tommy Orange he never thought the author would actually show up. But he put his heart and soul into the invitation, writing the letter in the style he encourages in his own students. Within hours the email had reached Tommy Orange who was in the middle of a book tour for his new novel, Wandering Stars. Orange not only squeezed them into his 24 stop tour, he and PRH donated copies of both his novels to each student. Then he showed up, read to them, and talked to the class. Since Orange’s first novel, There There, became part of their curriculum, pass rates for the AP literature exam have doubled and more students have earned college credit. That is the testament of good literature combined with good teaching. Book people are the best people.
FanFic Faves: People Magazine ran an article about five fan fiction novels that started out as self published and then became so popular that traditional publishing came knocking. Unsurprisingly, fanfiction based on the Twilight saga came in at the top of the list with Fifty Shades of Gray and Beautiful Bastard. Clearly we can’t get enough of Edward Cullen - even when the fanfic versions make him into a sexy executive. The Idea Of You (catch the trailer for the movie adaptation here) and After were both Harry Styles/One Direction inspired works. The Love Hypothesis was based on Star Wars. As far as trends go, this one seems to be lucrative. Do you read fanfiction? Which is your favorite?
Deep Dive: See below for all the extra deep cuts of this week’s book news.
Peacock to adapt The Good Daughter starring Jessica Biel
The Bee Sting won the Nero Award
Harold & The Purple Crayon adaptation starring Zachary Levi
Instagram of the Week: Percival Everett on book banning:
Catch Up with
over at I’m So Glad You Asked.See what
is up to at I Will Tell You This.