Welcome to Today in Books, our daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more.

The Friday before a holiday weekend is always pretty slow, so I am clearing out the pantry with a bunch of links that are nearing their expiration date and we really shouldn’t be wasteful and throw them out.

• The Poet Laureate of Madness [The Atlantic]
• Seattle Public Library intercepts Boston readers after Super Bowl bet [NPR]
• PEN America Staff’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026 [Bookshop.org]
• Fiona Davis to Pen First-Ever American Girl Novel for Adults [People]
• ‘Practical Magic’ Musical In Development [Deadline]
• The Hidden Women’s Labor behind Modern Literary Masterpieces {The Public Domain Review]
• Am I the Literary Asshole For Being Tired of My Self-Congratulatory Liberal Book Group? [Lit Hub]
• Love books and hate dating apps? These readers are bringing back the meet-cute. [USA TODAY]
• 7 Wuthering Heights Movie Changes That Will Surprise Book Readers [LA Times]
• The End of The Books Section at The Washington Post [The New Yorker]
• The Book That Blew These Scientists’ Minds [Nautilus]
• Iowa bill says kids need parental consent to read adult library books [The Des Moines Register]
• Julia Quinn Reflects on the Bridgerton Series [The New York Times0