Daily Book News

DAILY SUMMARY:

AI is tearing through publishing like a plot twist nobody saw coming: Hachette yanked horror novel Shy Girl over suspected AI-generated prose while Chicken Soup for the Soul sued eight tech giants, alleging the entire generative AI industry was built on pirated books (it was!). Meanwhile, Baker & Taylor’s surprise Chapter 11 filing rattled the library supply chain, and Penguin shuttered the Dial imprint with layoffs across its children’s division. On brighter notes, HarperCollins’s union secured a new contract and US book output topped four million titles — fuelled largely by the self-publishing boom.

Publishing Industry News

Chicken Soup for the Soul Sues AI Firms for Copyright Infringement

The company has filed suit against OpenAI and seven other tech firms, making the novel claim that the entire generative AI industry was built on a foundation of pirated books first downloaded by one OpenAI employee in 2018.

Baker & Taylor Makes Surprise Chapter 11 Filing

The closed library wholesaler reported that it owes between $100 million and $500 million and has assets of just $1 million to $10 million, with Penguin Random House alone owed more than $23 million.

HarperCollins Union Wins New Contract

Key provisions include pay raises and a new annual increase schedule, putting minimum total compensation at $57,000 in the first year of the contract, as well as workplace protections and improved benefits.

Book Output Topped Four Million in 2025

The total number of books published in the US in 2025 jumped 32.5% over 2024, according to Bowker, driven by a boom in self-published titles. Traditionally published titles rose 6.6% to 642,242.

Layoffs, Moves at Penguin Young Readers as Dial Imprint Shuttered

Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, has been closed, resulting in a number of layoffs and moves within the division.

Hachette Pulls Horror Novel Shy Girl After Suspected AI Use

The publisher will not release the novel in the United States and will discontinue its UK edition, citing its commitment to original creative expression and storytelling. The case has raised wider concerns about the industry’s ability to detect AI-generated fiction.

Scholastic Has a Soft Third Quarter

Sales fell 2% in the period due to declines in the company’s children’s book publishing and distribution segment, as well as its international segment, somewhat offset by higher revenue in its smaller entertainment business.

Book Deals: Week of March 23, 2026

Berkley has acquired YA author Karen M. McManus’s adult debuts in a massive two-book deal, Montlake takes Sara Field’s lupine romances, and more.

Books, Substack-ified

The literary creator economy has long been a concern for traditional publishing. Publishers Weekly examines whether the industry’s fear of Substack and direct-to-reader platforms is warranted.

Bangladesh Book Fair 2026: Final Sales Confirm Sharp Decline

The Ekushey Boi Mela 2026, one of Bangladesh’s most important annual literary events, saw a dramatic fall in sales, confirming earlier fears of an unmitigated disaster for the fair this year.

Longlist Announced for Plutarch Award for Best Biography

The BIO organisation has revealed the longlist for the Plutarch Award for best biography. The same roundup notes the Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize shortlist, ongoing developments in the US House book ban bill, and a film adaptation of Virginia Evans’s The Correspondent.

Self-Publishing & Independent Publishing News

US Book Output Tops 4 Million Driven by Self-Publishing; UK Retreats on AI Copyright Exception

ALLi’s news summary examines the latest Bowker figures showing US book output exceeding four million titles for the first time, with self-published titles driving the surge. The piece also covers the UK government’s decision to drop a proposed copyright exception for AI training, which had been strongly opposed by authors and publishers.

Academic & Scholarly Publishing

NIH APC Caps Proposal: A Summary and Status Review

The Scholarly Kitchen examines the National Institutes of Health proposal to implement article processing charge funding caps, the public responses it has generated, and what may come next as the scholarly publishing community awaits a final decision.

Audiobook News

Warhammer 40K Audiobooks Available for Free via New App

Warhammer 40K has launched a new app called Black Library for Android and iOS, offering eight free e-books and audiobooks for download until April 20th.

Audiobook of the Week: The Barbecue at No 9 by Jennie Godfrey

The Guardian’s audiobook review spotlights Jennie Godfrey’s tale of secrets and lies in suburbia, praising the audio production’s handling of the neighbourhood drama.

Notable Book News & Book Reviews

Sylvia Plath’s Radical Reinvention Re-examined in New Essay

A new Guardian essay explores Plath’s desire to integrate career, family and creative freedom, casting fresh light on a literary figure often reduced to biography.

Romance Novels Where Even the Non-Sexy Parts Make Your Heart Race

The New York Times romance columnist reviews three sparkling new romances, highlighting the genre’s continued ability to deliver emotional depth alongside its signature pleasures.

Playmakers: How Jews Built the Business of Fun

Michael Kimmel’s new book traces and celebrates the immigrant roots of the American toy industry, earning a detailed New York Times review.

The 2,500-Year-Old Greek Heroine Whose Story Never Gets Old

The New York Times explores how adaptations of Sophocles’ Antigone continue to make ancient ideas about democracy and theatre feel urgent and new.

The Motley Crew Who Saved America’s Birds

James H. McCommons’s The Feather Wars pays tribute to the nation’s first conservationists, reviewed by the New York Times.

Killing Time: Terrific New Mysteries Reviewed

The New York Times mystery critic rounds up three terrific new mysteries and a gem-filled story collection.

Fab 5 Freddy Remembers Hip-Hop’s Global Takeover

The original host of Yo! MTV Raps has published a new memoir demonstrating his achievements as a visual artist, filmmaker, TV host and formative tastemaker.

Don DeLillo’s Ribald Hockey Romp Will Return to Stores

The acclaimed novelist’s early pseudonymous novel Amazons, a ribald hockey comedy long out of print, is being reissued.

What the Project Hail Mary Directors Learned From a Firing

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who direct the film adaptation of Andy Weir’s bestselling novel, discuss how being dismissed from Solo: A Star Wars Story shaped their approach.

The Salt Path Author Published Earlier Book Under Alias

The author of the bestselling memoir The Salt Path is revealed to have previously published an earlier book under an alias, despite claims that the memoir was her debut.

Crime Fiction Roundup: From Revenge to Absurdist Detection

The Irish Times reviews new crime novels from Liz Nugent, Harriet Tyce, Ellie Graves, Michael Russell and Oana Aristide, spanning psychological thriller to dark comedy.

Neil Tully on Debut Novel The Visit

The first-time novelist talks to the Irish Times about his inspiration, the influence of JFK on Ireland, and troubled outcasts in small-town fiction.

Tayari Jones on Why Her New Novel Kin Broke Her Own Rules

The award-winning US author had always refused to write historical fiction, but her new novel is set in the 1960s. She tells the Irish Times why she changed course.

Minor Black Figures: Brandon Taylor’s Searingly Intelligent New Novel

The Irish Times praises the acclaimed author’s latest work as less romance and more dissection of art in the age of identity politics.

A Far-Flung Life by ML Stedman: An Epic and Intimate Family Saga

The Irish Times reviews the new novel from the author of The Light Between Oceans, praising the descriptive prose anchoring this story in remote Western Australia.

A Rebel and a Traitor: Thrilling Account of Roger Casement

Rory Carroll’s new book expertly arranges a huge range of characters and locations in an absorbing retelling of the story of Roger Casement.

Debut Novelist Djamel White on Not Fitting In

The debut novelist discusses dropping out of school, studying creative writing, and representing kids who do not quite fit the system.

Sean Hewitt on Dylan Thomas Prize Shortlist

The Irish Times books newsletter covers the Dylan Thomas Prize shortlist announcement and previews the week’s literary pages.

Comedy Podcast Goes Wildly Off Script in Gripping Romantic Thriller

The Irish Independent reviews a new romantic thriller built around a comedy podcast premise.

Melissa Auf der Maur’s Raw Memoir of 1990s Alt-Rock

The Irish Independent reviews the former Hole and Smashing Pumpkins bassist’s memoir about growing up at the epicentre of the 1990s alternative rock scene.

Thriller Inspired by Du Maurier’s Rebecca Dials Up the Suspense

The Irish Independent reviews a new thriller that takes its cue from Daphne du Maurier’s classic, attempting to solve an 88-year-old literary mystery.

Family-Friendly TV Drama Crookhaven Hopes to Be Latest Hit Book Adaptation

The BBC reports on the television adaptation of the Crookhaven book series, which aims to become the latest successful crossover from page to screen.

NPR Interviews Fab 5 Freddy on His New Memoir

Fab 5 Freddy joins NPR’s Bullseye to discuss Everybody’s Fly, his memoir covering his journey through hip-hop culture from early Bronx DJ parties to hosting Yo! MTV Raps and his friendship with Andy Warhol.

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