- K.W. Colyard proposes a list of 50 of the scariest books of all time for us to argue about. (Book Riot)
- Kavita Das has some important questions for writers to contemplate before tackling social issues in their work. (LitHub)
- Leah Rachel von Essen recounts the 1961 Read-In by the Tougaloo Nine at a segregated Mississippi library. (Book Riot)
- R.K. Duncan argues that science fiction and fantasy have a problem with fatphobia. (Tor)
- Maud Newton comes around to “y’all.” (New York Times)
- Elyse Martin would like more purely-evil woman villains, please and thank you, no backstory needed. (Electric Literature)
- Jennifer Schuessler brings us inside the recently (and much more accurately) renovated house of Emily Dickinson. It’s so easy to forget how much folks in the nineteenth century loved their eye-watering colors and patterns. (New York Times)
- It appears that Dorothy Parker really didn’t like Winnie the Pooh. (Bookmarks)
- Are you looking to create the best proposal for your significant other? Gordon Dosset suggests asking your favorite local booksellers. (LitHub)
- Curator Ilona Regulski looks at the Rosetta Stone and its context. (Open Culture)
- Irene Vallejo wanders through the history of roving booksellers and the book trade in Ancient Greece. (LitHub)
- Mathilde Magga invites us to dip our metaphorical toes in Sámi literature, with some recommended reading. (Words Without Borders)
- Reena Advani and Rachel Treisman talked to George M. Johnson, author of one of the books targeted by book banners, All Boys Aren’t Blue. (NPR)
- Emily Temple shares her discovery of the real Castle Frankenstein. (LitHub)
- Nikki DeMarco doesn’t like the term “reluctant reader.” (Book Riot)
- …and a double hit of censorship news, courtesy of Book Riot: October 21 and October 28.
I really enjoyed the article on the redeemed evil women… it crystallized what grated on my nerves when watching Cruella or Magnificent with the kids