Today in Books: Key Literary Stories Shaping the Conversation
Welcome to Today in Books, a daily snapshot of the biggest stories influencing the literary world—where books meet politics, culture, media, and publishing trends.
Goodreads Shares Its Most Anticipated Books of 2026
Goodreads has released its list of the most eagerly awaited books for all of 2026, offering readers a long-range look at what’s ahead—not just early-year releases, but even titles expected late next fall. While some readers may find the list a bit underwhelming, the presence of new books from acclaimed authors like George Saunders and Emily St. John Mandel sets a solid baseline for the year.
Class Frankel’s lists also revive the old question about classification. Saunders’ Vigil, with its ghosts, receives the label Historical Fiction, though its own section is devoted to Fiction; Mandel’s broad romance, placed neither in time nor on Earth, represents another write-up for Fantasy. There are those who say otherwise, but both of these apply to Literary Fiction. Ask. The boundaries between genres are getting narrower by the day. From Literary Fiction: In praise of an old-fashioned label in a new age
The Best-Reviewed Fiction of 2025
Book Marks has published its annual roundup of the most critically acclaimed fiction of the year, based on a weighted scoring system that assigns different values to rave, positive, mixed, and pan reviews. While the methodology is more complex than simple thumbs-up or thumbs-down rankings, the list still provides a helpful snapshot of critical consensus.
That said, the scoring system raises questions—particularly why mixed reviews receive positive points and why “pan” reviews are the only explicitly negative category. Books with a larger number of reviews may also have an advantage, making the rankings more illustrative than definitive.
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Why Hamlet Is Everywhere Right Now
It turns out Shakespeare’s Hamlet is having a moment. From traditional adaptations to imaginative reworkings involving time travel and fantasy elements, the play seems to be appearing everywhere this year—confirming that it’s not just an illusion for attentive readers.
A Mini E-Reader That Attaches to Your Phone
There’s a new, compact e-reader that you stick onto a mobile phone that sounds quite interesting at first blush. Although it may seem ironic to add an e-ink screen to a phone, some readers have yet to experience the soft reading experience. And this added motion to turn the unit over might well mean reducing distractions, which is au contraire. Well worth considering— or indeed a substantial present for someone among those who would benefit from this type of e-book.
The Man Who Took Christ Out of Christmas
A recent episode of the Zero to Well-Read podcast explores the cultural impact of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The discussion highlights how deeply the book shaped modern Christmas traditions—even influencing the widespread use of the phrase “Merry Christmas.” The episode blends literary history with thoughtful analysis, offering listeners both insight and enjoyment.
Listeners can tune in via the podcast platform of their choice. Each episode takes a hybrid approach—part book club, part English class—designed to be informative, engaging, and a little nerdy in the best way.
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