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

Fall publishing season is basically here, and it’s evident in the volume of interesting book-adjacent stories that crossed my desk and popped up in my group chats this week. Here’s a smorgasbord to carry you into the long weekend.

Jeannette McCurdy has announced her debut novel, Half His Age, coming in January. It’s a “dramedy thriller” about a 17-year-old girl’s relationship with her creative writing teacher. Ohhhhhh dear.

These are the 14 best book covers of August. Ruth is terrific and is only about sheep in the metaphorical sense.

Ted Gioia predicts “the glorious future of the book” will arrive when people tire of AI slop, addictive algorithms, and tech companies controlling their access to reading material. I wish I felt so optimistic.

Entertainment Weekly names the 6 hottest romance novels of summer 2025.

To Kill a Mockingbird is still atop the list of books readers say shaped them in high school. I’m counting on Gen Z to kill this trend just as soon as they get done taking down fast casual dining.

Here’s a summer camp for adults where you hang out and read all day.

Dan Brown’s new novel The Secret of Secrets is out September 9, and you can read the prologue here. A neuroscientist comes to in Prague after a near-death experience and muses about the nature of consciousness. Put it in my veins.

Laura Miller did not like Katabasis. I thought the book was fun, but I don’t totally disagree that Kuang’s writing “seldom feels as if it were written for grown-ups.” Should we try to make New Adult happen again?

Librarians pick the best new kids’ books for fall.

Rami Malek and Russell Crowe star in Nuremberg, based on Jack El-Hai’s The Nazi and the Psychiatrist. The trailer had me at John Slattery.

Penguin Random House profits fell 12% in the first half of 2025, mostly due to rising costs. Tariffs and China, folks.

The Twilight Saga will be back in theaters this fall. Here are the dates.

Geraldine Brooks has won the 2025 Library of Congress Prize of American Fiction.

These are the major differences between the Thursday Murder Club book and movie.