Colored Television by Danzy Senna (Riverhead Books), picked by manager Emily
When her novel (dubbed the “mulatto War and Peace”) is rejected by her agent, Jane wonders if pivoting to television might finally give her the life she wants; time and energy to enjoy her family, a nice house in a good school district and an audience that will actually consume and appreciate her work.
Jane is used to life between worlds but will this new venture, and the deception she practices to get there, all finally be too much?
No book is ever about one thing, at least not the good ones, but rarely does a story perfectly mix together life’s big issues. Senna cleverly examines race, class, and cultural consumption while still producing a fun and compelling read.
When it comes to bookish opinions are you ever worried that your hot take might be flaming trash? Do you want to know who exactly is the literary a**hole in any given situation? Author Kristen Arnett can help. She writes the Literary Hub, Am I the Literary A**hole? column and will be doing a live event based on the column, September 13 at The Studios of Key West.
She will answer your questions about how to survive the writing life (and behave in the book world) in this live event. Bring your question with you or click here to submit anonymously ahead of time.
We got her to answer a few general questions before she answers your questions about literary etiquette on Sept. 13.
Q: How did the AITLA column come about?
A: This is a great question because I actually have a really funny answer for it! I was waiting for my friend at a restaurant and they were running (very) late for dinner, so I ordered a bottle of wine to start. Before I knew it, I’d already finished half the bottle. I started thinking about the fact that I really love reading advice column questions. I wondered if there was an advice column for literature, and then I wondered if anyone had ever agreed to write an advice column while they were mind-numbingly drunk. This immediately felt like a very funny idea to me, so I opened up my phone right there at the dinner table and shot off an email to my buddy Jonny Diamond over at Lit Hub. I knew him from a previous column that I did for them, which was about librarianship. Jonny is always up for fun, weird ideas! So I drunkenly emailed him with a subject line that was like “hear me out” and then in one line or so was like “how do you feel about me writing a drunk advice column for you.” I am not joking when I say that within like 10 minutes he’d written back to agree that I should do it. And now the rest is drunken history!
Q: Have you found any common traits amongst all Literary A**holes?
A: Honestly, yes – and that trait is that not many of them are actually a**holes! I find that a lot of the people who write in are actually, for the most part, overly conscientious people who themselves have been treated a little badly. Through the process of developing this column, I’ve (happily) discovered that many people are just out here every day trying their best; most of them are very worried about offending or hurting others. There is a very clear throughline of empathy and care and community building, which is lovely. Of course, for all of the great ones that I select from the slush, there are some that never make it onto the site. The occasional people who write in to complain that they have better ideas on how to run the column! To them, I say: find an editor to email drunk about it and get your own gig!
Q: You’re going to be in Key West as a PEAR – what do you enjoy most about artist residencies?
A: I truly love spending creative time in places that are connected with nature. I am from Florida – third generation – and so much of my work contains regional nods and influences. Being afforded a residency is always a gift, one that I genuinely treasure, because it’s time out of regular life to focus solely on art. And not only art, but also my relationship to it, which is forever changing. I feel like I get to know myself as a writer all over again at each residency. That is so important. I am deeply grateful for it.
Q: What are you looking forward to exploring/doing in Key West?
A: I am deeply interested in observing everything around me while I’m in town. I can’t wait to people watch, to explore nature, to feel embedded in a new space that’s still so closely connected to my own home. I am such an extrovert – truly, can’t contain myself – so I am really looking forward to bar hopping talking and chatting with anybody I happen to run into while I’m out and about!
Q: What are you reading and recommending these days?
A: I loved Laura van den Berg’s latest novel, State of Paradise. Great Florida book, truly. I also recently got done with Liz Moore’s God of the Woods, which was terrific. I am in the middle of revisiting Bryan Washington’s fabulous short story collection, LOT, which always gets my head in a wonderful place and energizes me. Biggest problem for me right now is that there are too many great things I want to be reading and definitely not enough hours in the day to do that!
Q: What’s your favorite/current summer drink?
A: Spicy margarita really hits the spot, I tell you what. I love to make a joke that if you’re having a drink with citrus then you’re being very healthy because you’re preventing scurvy. But you also can’t go wrong with an ice-cold beer. Or an ice-cold coke classic! Jesus, now I’m thirsty!
As we get ready for Banned Books Week, Sept. 22-28, we had the opportunity to talk with Katie Blankenship, Senior Director of PEN America Florida. PEN America champions freedom of expression and literary excellence. The organization’s Florida office was established last year in response to an unprecedented increase in book banning and restrictive educational initiatives.
Katie Blankenship of PEN America Florida; photo courtesy PEN America
Q: What’s going on with book banning in Florida? Why is this such a big issue in the state and nationally?
A: Just last fall, 4,394 book bans were recorded across the country, with 3,135 occurring in Florida, making it the top book banning state in the country by a wide margin. (By comparison, the second most book bans, Texas, had 1,567 recorded bans last fall.) And there are no signs of this trend slowing down—we’re now up to 5,107 in Florida at the time of writing this.
So many of the book bans in Florida are due to a bill passed in 2023, HB 1069, which created a statutory process to ban books based on vague prohibitions against any text that “depicts or describes sexual content.” This has resulted in thousands of books pulled due to any inclusion of sexual content, often taken out of context and without consideration of literary value, and that in practice have disproportionately targeted books featuring LGBTQ+ and BIPOC themes and/or characters. Even worse, counties with the highest rates of book bans also have dismal rates of returning books to the shelves. So not only are books yanked from the shelves without consideration of literary or education value, but the “reviews” of such texts either are not happening or happening at a snail’s pace, resulting in books remaining off shelves for entire school years or longer. The book ban movement is ultimately built on bad faith. Not only has HB 1069 been employed to target books with LGBTQ+ and BIPOC themes and characters, but it’s led to ridiculous outcomes such as the dictionary being pulled because what does it contain? A definition, and thus description, of sexual content!
Book bans go hand in hand with attacks on public education and other infringements on the First Amendment. The Florida legislature has launched a wave of censorship through a number of harmful new laws, such as HB 1 (2021), HB 1557 (2022), HB 7 (2022), SB 266 (2023), HB 1069 (2023), and HB 1291 (2024), just to name a few of the biggest offenders. What this legislation and the wave of book bans have in common is that they aim to censor and stifle Floridian’s speech and undermine our public education system.
Florida has also proven time and again to be a blueprint for other states to pass their own legislation/policies with copycat bills proliferating across the country. So it’s more critical than ever that Floridians stand up and fight back.
Q: What are PEN America Florida’s top priorities to combat book banning?
A: PEN on a national level is dedicated to tracking and fighting back against book bans and educational gag orders, which are bills or policies designed to restrict teaching about topics such as race, gender, American history and LGBTQ+ persons and identities in educational settings. The Florida office is keenly focused on these issues, ensuring that we can serve both as a trusted expert on free speech and expression issues, while also helping to support, connect, and uplift the grassroots movement that is steadily growing in Florida. We are also focused on legislative and legal advocacy and will continue to build a strong presence in Tallahassee.
There is a lot of power and energy behind this movement in Florida, and so much of it comes from individual students, parents, educators and community members, and particularly in counties that other people might assume are lost causes—places where book banning runs rampant. But this is exactly where our energy should be placed and exactly where some of the most impactful work can be done, and our aim is to support the many grassroots organizations across the state in developing joint action to protect the right to read, learn, and be in Florida.
Q: How do these bans impact the general public? Is this only a school issue?
A: Book bans do not happen in a vacuum—they are occurring in Florida alongside legislation like HB 1069/1557 (“Don’t Say Gay”), HB7 (the Stop WOKE Act) and SB 266 (banning DEI and undermining tenure), bills that aim to instill mistrust and fear in our public education system and send the message that certain topics, experiences, histories, and types of people should not have a place in our schools or society. This legislation and this rhetoric is deeply damaging to Florida’s students, particularly queer students and students of color who are directly targeted. Florida’s attack on free speech and expression sends a clear message that these perspectives and identities are not welcome, leading to greater discrimination, bullying, and removal of critical educational resources.
Q: How can people get involved? What’s the #1 thing you’d like people to do to combat book banning?
A: Join the movement in Florida! There is a growing state-wide movement and all are welcome! You can join the Free to Be Network and get plugged in with other folks all across the state.
VOTE!! And encourage everyone in your life to vote.
Attend your school board meetings, meet and speak with your school board members, and get engaged with your local public school system.
READ!! The book ban movement is all about silencing outside or minority perspectives, creating fear around “disfavored” topics. So one of the simplest and best ways for people to combat book banning is to read the books! Share the joy of reading with others, talk about what you read, and engage in real conversations with folks in your community, especially those that may not agree with you.
Q: What brought you to champion this issue?
A: First and foremost, I’m a parent. And I’m a Floridian, with a child entering the public school system this month. This is personal for me and my daughter.
I’m also a southerner, and so I feel a real calling and responsibility to help address the ongoing discrimination, racism, and government censorship that is so rampant in southern states and has cemented so many of our systemic injustices. As a lawyer, I feel a responsibility to do what I can to support efforts to bring greater equality and justice to the South.
Q: And, on a personal note, what are you reading and enjoying these days?
A: This has been a great summer of reading. I’ve gotten to dig into new and classic fiction while also doing a deep dive into the history of the Civil Rights Movement. I just finished Bearing the Cross: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. It was incredibly inspirational, and also reassuring to read as we see authoritarian tendencies on the uptick. The book encapsulates not only the success of the Civil Rights Movement, but also, and so poignantly, all the struggles and pain, internally and externally, that are part and parcel in fighting against discrimination and suppression – the strife and stress of building coalition and community, of building any movement for social change. And now I’m reading The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult, who is certainly one of my favorite storytellers. I also read Flowers for Algernon for the first time this summer and it has haunted me (in a good way) ever since – so good!
“This is a dangerous time for readers and the public servants who provide access to reading materials. Readers, particularly students, are losing access to critical information, and librarians and teachers are under attack for doing their jobs.” – Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom
Book challenges and bans often happen very quietly. A book is challenged and pulled from shelves in a local school or library without fanfare. Readers might not even know what they are missing. A goal of Banned Books Week is to raise awareness of the scope and impact of book censorship and encourage people to get involved, to stand with the banned.
Here at Books & Books @ The Studios, we keep our banned books display up all year because Florida leads the country in challenging and banning books. In response to these extensive efforts to restrict access to books and ideas, PEN America opened a Florida office in Miami last year. We asked PEN America Florida Senior Director Katie Blankenship to explain what’s happening with book banning around the state, https://booksandbookskw.com/a-qa-with-katie-blankenship-of-pen-america-florida.
As Katie Blankenship points out, book challenges often target books by and about people of color and LGBTQIA+ people. We believe that everyone deserves to read and have access to stories that represent their lives and experiences. Visit us during Banned Books Week (Sept. 22-28), read a banned book, and make up your own mind.
About as steamy as any novel I’ve ever read, but also profounding eye-opening politically, having nothing to do with sex. More twists than plateful of fusilli. -George, store co-founder
June 2024 Indie Next List
“A suspenseful story of two women forced to stay in a house in the Dutch countryside. This novel gives tremendous insight on how the Dutch handled the repercussions of the Holocaust, and how a generation lost affects those who survive.” — Josie Williams, Invitation Bookshop, Gig Harbor, WA
Description
LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE
“Remarkable…Compelling…Fine and taut…Indelible” —The New York Times • “Mesmerizing and shockingly good…I was utterly blown away.” —Miranda Cowley Heller, author of The Paper Palace • “A brilliant debut, as multifaceted as a gem.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) • “Moving, unnerving, and deeply sexy.” —Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl with the Pearl Earring • “Fans of Patricia Highsmith and Ottessa Moshfegh’s Eileen will find much to admire here.”—Vulture
An exhilarating, twisted tale of desire, suspicion, and obsession between two women staying in the same house in the Dutch countryside during the summer of 1961—a powerful exploration of the legacy of WWII and the darker parts of our collective past.
A house is a precious thing…
It is 1961 and the rural Dutch province of Overijssel is quiet. Bomb craters have been filled, buildings reconstructed, and the war is truly over. Living alone in her late mother’s country home, Isabel knows her life is as it should be—led by routine and discipline. But all is upended when her brother Louis brings his graceless new girlfriend Eva, leaving her at Isabel’s doorstep as a guest, to stay for the season.
Eva is Isabel’s antithesis: she sleeps late, walks loudly through the house, and touches things she shouldn’t. In response, Isabel develops a fury-fueled obsession, and when things start disappearing around the house—a spoon, a knife, a bowl—Isabel’s suspicions begin to spiral. In the sweltering peak of summer, Isabel’s paranoia gives way to infatuation—leading to a discovery that unravels all Isabel has ever known. The war might not be well and truly over after all, and neither Eva—nor the house in which they live—are what they seem.
Mysterious, sophisticated, sensual, and infused with intrigue, atmosphere, and sex, The Safekeep is a brilliantly plotted and provocative debut novel you won’t soon forget.
The apocalypse will be televised! Welcome to the first book in the wildly popular and addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman—now with bonus material exclusive to this print edition.
You know what’s worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what’s worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction of all man-made structures on Earth, and the systematic exploitation of all the survivors for a sadistic intergalactic game show. That’s what.
Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive the end of the world—or just get to the next level—in a video game–like, trap-filled fantasy dungeon. A dungeon that’s actually the set of a reality television show with countless viewers across the galaxy. Exploding goblins. Magical potions. Deadly, drug-dealing llamas. This ain’t your ordinary game show.
Welcome, Crawler. Welcome to the Dungeon. Survival is optional. Keeping the viewers entertained is not.
“Amanda Jones started getting death threats, all for standing up for our right to read . . . but she’s not stopped fighting against book bans, or stopped advocating for access to diverse stories.”-Oprah Winfrey, in a speech at the 2023 National Book Awards
“Amanda Jones clearly outlines how we got here, who’s leading this false charge against qualified educators, media specialists, and authors-and most importantly, explores the steps we all must take to make the voice of truth and reason louder than their caterwauling.”-Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Part memoir, part manifesto, the inspiring story of a Louisiana librarian advocating for inclusivity on the front lines of our vicious culture wars.
One of the things small town librarian Amanda Jones values most about books is how they can affirm a young person’s sense of self. So in 2022, when she caught wind of a local public hearing that would discuss “book content,” she knew what was at stake. Schools and libraries nationwide have been bombarded by demands for books with LGTBQ+ references, discussions of racism, and more to be purged from the shelves. Amanda would be damned if her community were to ban stories representing minority groups. She spoke out that night at the meeting. Days later, she woke up to a nightmare that is still ongoing.
Amanda Jones has been called a groomer, a pedo, and a porn-pusher; she has faced death threats and attacks from strangers and friends alike. Her decision to support a collection of books with diverse perspectives made her a target for extremists using book banning campaigns-funded by dark money organizations and advanced by hard right politicians-in a crusade to make America more white, straight, and “Christian.” But Amanda Jones wouldn’t give up without a fight: she sued her harassers for defamation and urged others to join her in the resistance.
Mapping the book banning crisis occurring all across the nation, That Librarian draws the battle lines in the war against equity and inclusion, calling book lovers everywhere to rise in defense of our readers.
Pre-order now to get a limited special hardcover edition- available only on the first printing This hardcover features beautifully designed end papers and a spectacular foil finish… perfect for collectors and book-lovers
Award-winning author Dawn Kurtagich masterfully weaves a captivating tale of suspense and horror, in which Dr. Mina Murray returns to the windswept shores of Wales to help her childhood friend fight the mysterious illness that plagues her. When the lines between reality and delusion begin to blur, Mina must face off against a monstrous legacy–or be consumed herself.
Beware what waits in the shadows…
With one unexpected email from her estranged best friend, Lucy, Mina Murray’s carefully curated life is turned upside down. Leaving behind her psychiatric practice in London, she returns home to the windswept shores of Wales. Faced with everything she’s left behind, she soon discovers that Lucy’s symptoms mirror those of her mysterious amnesiac patient hundreds of miles away.
With nothing but an untreatable sickness connecting the two women, and with Lucy’s life on the line, Mina finds herself asking questions and being drawn ever-deeper into a web of secrets, missing girls, and the powerful, nameless force at its center–one that has been haunting her for years.
As terrible, ancient truths begin to reveal themselves, Mina prepares to confront her own darkest secrets, and with them, an evil beyond comprehension. Together with a group of smart, savvy women, Mina seizes one last, desperate chance to stop the cycle that began so long ago. But there are dangers to inviting the attentions of what might not be a man, but a monster…
Neuroscientist and New York Times best-selling author of This Is Your Brain on Music Daniel J. Levitin reveals the deep connections between music and healing.
Music is one of humanity’s oldest medicines. From the Far East to the Ottoman Empire, Europe to Africa and the pre-colonial Americas, many cultures have developed their own rich traditions for using sound and rhythm to ease suffering, promote healing, and calm the mind.
In his latest work, neuroscientist and New York Times best-selling author Daniel J. Levitin (This Is Your Brain on Music) explores the curative powers of music, showing us how and why it is one of the most potent therapies today. He brings together, for the first time, the results of numerous studies on music and the brain, demonstrating how music can contribute to the treatment of a host of ailments, from neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, to cognitive injury, depression, and pain.
Levitin is not your typical scientist—he is also an award-winning musician and composer, and through lively interviews with some of today’s most celebrated musicians, from Sting to Kent Nagano and Mari Kodama, he shares their observations as to why music might be an effective therapy, in addition to plumbing scientific case studies, music theory, and music history. The result is a work of dazzling ideas, cutting-edge research, and jubilant celebration. I Heard There Was a Secret Chord highlights the critical role music has played in human biology, illuminating the neuroscience of music and its profound benefits for those both young and old.
Registration for our 8th annual summer art contest is now open. The registration fee includes a 4×12 canvas. Use the canvas to show your artistic abilities. Paint, collage, pencil, whatever suits your style.
