Why Everyone is Talking About Bookshop.org

Is this really goodbye mass market paperback?

I have many fond memories of devouring mass-market paperbacks during my early reading days. But Elizabeth A. Harris’ report on the decline of this once-ubiquitous format reminded me that it’s been decades since I picked it up. Harris writes about how as e-books, audiobooks, and physical books (“for the gram!”) have become more popular, sales of these books have declined. The MMP is extremely compact and travel-friendly, and I couldn’t maintain the vast library I assembled in my high school locker and backpack in the 90’s without it. But if I had had access to that technology, I definitely would have replaced these beloved treasures with a Kindle and a well-stocked audiobook library on my smartphone. Yet I am still grieving. Read more about the history of MMP and its demise here.

bridgerton The author does not miss this political moment

I’m allergic to comments online that say we should keep politics out of conversations and content. I’m also always baffled by people who think we should keep politics out of books and reading. Neither does Julia Quinn, author of the Bridgerton series. “If you don’t want to hear my political opinions, I don’t care anymore,” Quinn said in a recent Instagram Reel. “You can leave.” Vanity Fair’s Savannah Walsh followed Julia Quinn on her political advocacy work, including ICE agents infiltrating Minnesota, as well as her abortion and vaccine advocacy. Read our interview with Quinn. This interview details the book, the show, and how writing is taking a backseat to activism for the author at this point.

How to become a literary activist

If you’re also looking for opportunities to get involved, we have a detailed article on how you can help support Minneapolis to get you started. You can also learn about the freedom to read bills currently being considered in four US states. In the words of Kelly Jensen, “These bills are only effective when they are implemented, and while they primarily address only one aspect of book censorship, they represent significant progress in slowing the flood of book censorship across the country.”