"A consumer is a person whose preëxisting tastes you strive to satisfy over and over; a reader is someone you hope to change, convince, and surprise." Must-read explanation by Becca Rothfeld of what we are losing with Book World's shuttering: www.newyorker.com/books/page-t...

I had to unsubscribe from my hometown paper when Bezos started censoring the Opinion section to kowtow to fascists. Still, I'm always rooting for this once-great institution to succeed, and for the hardworking staff who aren't responsible for these choices. Absolutely infuriating.

I’m disgusted, furious — as a frequent contributor to the books section, a friend to beloved people on staff, and as a hometown reader. It’s hard to summon a response beyond “how dare they,” because truly, how dare they smash an entity that performs such crucial, illuminating work.

Stop scrolling for a minute. Read this micro by @djpoissant.bsky.social. Feel your own heart expand as the story does.

Yesterday, Minneapolis gave us hope. That’s what they’re trying to kill: the will of a people who are willing to fight them.

I finally, finally have a few hours to myself to write, my only chance all weekend, and all I can do is fret about the state of the fucking world, and now I am crying because I am both sad and frustrated with myself

I wish my local newspaper hadn't succumbed to fascism, I really want a weather update

Important news for us writers from across the NYC subway tracks:

Delighted to be featured in @thetransmitter.bsky.social's Liftoff series: bit.ly/3ZkMQl8 Learn more about our lab's work at the intersection of social interaction, neural computation, & mental health. Reach out if you are interested in collaborating or becoming involved! sinclaboratory.com

New indie titles to get you through the winter

We’ve decided to make this story free for all readers, forever. We hope you’ll support this reporting by sharing it.

I don’t often manage to get away to write—but when I do, I make it COUNT, bitches

It's particularly galling to call for ICE to wear body cams when Renee Good's murder literally recorded the whole thing on his phone. He was so confident in his impunity as part of that organization that he recorded and allowed for the release of footage of him shooting a woman at point blank.

A few striking images that capture much of what has happened to US publishing in the last 30 years.

Another day of appalling, heinous news. But we're still supposed to celebrate our small wins, right? Despite my full-time job, my baby, and my other responsibilities, I've hit 30,000 words on my new manuscript. It may not matter in the grand scheme, but I am proud of myself.

Read our full statement by AAP President Dr. Andrew Racine on today’s HHS announcement about the childhood immunization schedule: www.aap.org/en/news-room...

@shortstorytoday.bsky.social I’ll miss you! 💔 But there are lots of episodes to go back to until you return. I mentioned some of my faves in a previous post, here are some more [email protected] @melostrom.bsky.social @norami.bsky.social @mandirapattnaik.bsky.social @emirengoff.bsky.social

Being a novelist is humbling because one day, you're rereading your masterpiece, those pages perfected over years, each word polished like a jewel, and marveling at your talent-- --but the next you're drafting something new and it's like, "What is a so-called 'plot' and how do I make one?"

Being a novelist is humbling because one day, you're rereading your masterpiece, those pages perfected over years, each word polished like a jewel, and marveling at your talent-- --but the next you're drafting something new and it's like, "What is a so-called 'plot' and how do I make one?"

Dear bluskeeters! I'm doing research with a friend. If you're a Black Author with a speculative book publishing in 2026, could you please pitch and link me, please? This a difficult to sus intersection. Please add your friends' work. Please tag people. Please share

Still listen to it, no skips, frequently.

Got to love artists taking a stand. ❤️

I was suspicious in the beginning but, yes, great essay.

So demolishing the federal government w/ zero strategy *didn't* work? I'm shocked. 😠 "But the group did not do what Mr. Musk said it would: reduce federal spending by $1 trillion before October. On DOGE’s watch, federal spending did not go down at all. It went up." www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/u...

🤮

In @rebeccamakkai.bsky.social's recent workshop on teaching while parenting, she said, "Forgive yourself for not being able to hold a whole novel in your mind anymore." I think this is good advice for all, parent or not...although I sometimes struggle to hold a whole chapter in my mind these days!

There must be a lot of societal advantages to being a man, but surely one is that you don't wake up at 4 am and beat yourself up for forgetting to buy a birthday card for a two year old's party the next morning.

I'm here to tell you that this is generational levels of damage. Generational in that it will take a generation or two to fix the damage. Some damage will be unrecoverable, and that makes us all lesser. This is not making America "great"... This is a self-inflicted wound that is mortal to many.

Parsed through stacks of ARCs & chose 2025 favorite books, like One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad (@aaknopf.bsky.social), Sour Cherry by Natalia Theodoridou (@tinhouse.bsky.social), & Sacrament by Susan Straight (Counterpoint). chireviewofbooks.com/2025/12/17/t...

Dada picked up baby from daycare and is taking care of her all evening, allowing mama to flee to the nearby food hall, drink a hot toddy, and work on chapter 6. That’s true love ❤️❤️❤️

Gift link, probably the funniest thing the Wall Street Journal has done this year.

Virginia Heffernan wrote this shortly after the 2016 election and it still holds true

"Having this experience … allowed me to explore my interests, goals, & work towards what I want to do in the future.” — Ariana Rodriguez, Summer Undergraduate Research Program alum 🧪 Rising junior or senior? Apply by Dec. 22 — no lab experience required! bit.ly/CechFellows

@publisherswkly.bsky.social named THE GREAT WHEREVER (out 7/7) one of the top 10 most anticipated literary fiction titles in their Spring/Summer preview 🥹 There are some real heavy hitters on this list, I’m so so honored

Writing dialogue, wanted to have my character call something a "cruel irony"--but let's be real. That's not how this particular dude would phrase it. He'd say, "It sucks." Gotta sacrifice my nice precise language to the altar of realism.

The decision by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to downgrade its recommendations to protect infants from hepatitis B is a dangerous move that will harm children. Click here to read AAP's full statement: bit.ly/3Y9ZQJT

Listen to pediatricians, not RFK Jr or his handpicked loons on ACIP 👇🏽

Just admitted to my agent that of all the characters in my epic novel, I'm probably most like the petulant, unreasonable one. 😬 But then again, she'd probably already figured that out for herself. 🫠

hello I hate everything

If you only look at one year-end "best of" books list, make it this thoughtful one of underrecognized gems from @literaryhub.bsky.social lithub.com/100-notable-...

A little tinkering planned for today. Go get em #5amwritersclub

What is your most solid, unscrewupable cookie recipe? My new colleagues apparently have a cookie contest at our annual holiday party. No nuts, and bonus if there's chocolate.

If you only look at one year-end "best of" books list, make it this thoughtful one of underrecognized gems from @literaryhub.bsky.social lithub.com/100-notable-...

Sent husband into Wawa for peanut butter M&Ms and he came out with peanut, is this grounds for a divorce

"Maternal deaths rose 56 percent in Texas in the year after the state enacted its abortion ban in 2022." www.thecut.com/article/why-....

I once asked a bookseller at a large indie store how many people would have to buy a book for it to get the attention of the store buyer and cause an additional order and they said: Three.

1. A few months ago, I had the great honor of reading an advance copy of Googoosh’s memoir. Googoosh is the most famous Iranian singer — a combo, with respect to fame/talent, of Barbra Streisand, Cher, Diana Ross, and Madonna. After the revolution, banned from singing, she went silent for 25 years

"We need all the names of the Jews! In order to....fight anti-semitism!" Would almost be funny if not so fucking worrisome www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/u...

what was it that you did here exactly?