Welcome to Today in Books, our daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more.
November’s Best New Releases
Read Up On Reproductive Rights
I’m writing this today from my home in Virginia, the only state in the American south without a post-Dobbs abortion ban or mandatory waiting period. Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, our reproductive healthcare resources have been stretched to a breaking point as women have had to travel from all over the region to access the care they need. Freedom and democracy are on the ballot this year, yes, but let me say it plainly: our lives are on the line. You need look no further than the 56% increase in deaths of pregnant women in Texas since its abortion ban was enacted to understand what’s at stake. Whether you want to deepen your own understanding of the history and context of reproductive rights or beef up your talking points, you’ll find great resources in LitHub‘s list of the 10 best books about reproductive rights. I would add Jessica Valenti’s recently released Abortion: Our Bodies, Their Lies, and the Truths We Use to Win.
The Impossible Book Questions We Want Answered
For today’s episode of the Book Riot Podcast, Jeff O’Neal and I discussed the most interesting questions about the world of books and reading we’d love to have answered but know are probably impossible. If you’re the type of nerd who wonders what percentage of all books that are purchased actually get read, come sit by us.