Booksology Welcome to Today in Books. A daily roundup of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more.
That librarian’s legal victory
Louisiana library and activist Amanda Jones, author of “The Librarian: The Fight Against Book Ban in America,” ended 2024 with a huge victory. In 2022, Jones filed charges against two men for grooming children and promoting pornographic content after they opposed an effort to ban books with LGBTQ themes from the town’s public library. filed a defamation lawsuit. A district court judge dismissed the case before arguments could begin in September 2022. Now, after an unsuccessful appeal attempt, the Louisiana Supreme Court has revived the case, noting:The burden is on the defendant to prove that the plaintiff actually committed the act of which he has publicly accused.”
This is a tough call for anti-books advocates, who often confuse references to sexual orientation with pornography and obscenity, and who have targeted librarians across the country with harassment, abuse and unsubstantiated allegations. It will be a karma. And that’s exactly what Jones is arguing. She is seeking just $1 in damages and an apology. This case is about the fact that words mean things and actions have consequences. Jones explains:
We teach our children to report and speak up against bullying, and that’s what I do too. I do this for myself and for the countless librarians across the country who have been targeted and harassed simply for standing up for intellectual freedom and standing up for schools and public libraries. Masu. ”
A victory here would set an important precedent. May her endeavors be successful.
get the reel
Television and movie fans will continue to be heavily affected by the 2023 Hollywood Writers and Actors Strike this year. Although the expected release schedule is shorter than usual and there seem to be far fewer films picked up, there are still some book-to-film adaptations to look forward to in 2025. What I’m most interested in is: mickey 17, parasite A film directed by Bong Joon-ho based on Edward Ashton’s novel “Mickey 7”. I don’t know anything about it, but I’m here for Ho’s ever-surprising career arc, and fascinated by Robert Pattinson’s attempts to become a serious actor post-sparkly Vampire. I can’t help it. Also, will Glen Powell play the role previously played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in a new spin on The Running Man? Who knows if it’s going to be good, but it’s definitely going to be interesting.
10 notable reads for January
For the past few years, January has been a busy month for new releases, but this year it’s been a pretty light month. One of the nice things about a month that shines a light on big names is that it makes room for debut and mid-list authors to get more attention, and that’s certainly reflected in this January’s New Releases list . I started my reading this year with a top choice, The Heart of Winter by Jonathan Evison, and I have no regrets. For even more variety, check out Book Riot’s Best New Books of the Month by Erica Ezeifedi.
Let’s spend time together
School supplies are an underappreciated source of dopamine, and in this economy we take dopamine wherever we can get it. Let’s dig into the best planners and journals for 2025.
What do you read at the beginning of the year? Let us know in the comments!