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The latest in nonfiction book news includes PEN America’s latest analysis of book bans, censorship posts to revisit by our very own Kelly Jensen, and books about journalists.
Every year, I anticipate Roxane Gay’s roundup of her year in reading. Instead of a simple list of titles, she takes a more superlative-type strategy, noting titles for certain qualities. This year, some of her books include “A memoir I found to be terribly endearing because of the plaintive self-deprecation and self-loathing of the author and also there are interesting interpretations of biblical stories as a structural device,” and “A charming cookbook with not just recipes but charts to help you better understand flavor and ingredient combinations so you can get creative in the kitchen (if you want).”
There’s usually a healthy number of nonfiction titles on the list, and this year is no exception:
After the Trump Administration declared that book bans are a hoax, literary organizations have been pushing back. In a recent report, PEN America details the latest data on the increasing book bans in the U.S. In one of the key findings, they state, “During the 2023-2024 school year, 36% of all banned titles featured characters or people of color, and a quarter (25%) included LGBTQ+ people or characters.”
Since 2021, Book Riot’s Kelly Jensen has written a column about book bans in the U.S. As book bans continue to rise, Jensen has collected some of the key articles she’s written over the years. If you’re looking for a place to start looking into book bans, this article roundup is a great place to start.
Sometimes, I have cravings to read books about specific jobs—give me ALL the nitty gritty details!—and Publisher’s Weekly’s recent list is tailor-made for someone like me. Journalists come from a wide range of backgrounds and specialize in a range of fields. This list of books about journalists gives readers insight into this complex career.
That’s it for this week! You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave or over on Instagram @kdwinchester. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.
