AGP Executive Report

Community & Local Publishing: Bracknell Book Fair 2026 opens Sept. 19 at Brockhill House, with the mayor launching a free day of readings, author talks, and panels featuring 23 local writers. Literary Events: Zadie Smith returns to the UEA after 21 years for an autumn events season packed with Q&As and signings, including David Szalay, Janice Hallett, Hallie Rubenhold, and John Lanchester. Book Spotlight (Nonfiction): Durham’s changing streets and people get the photo-book treatment in Michael Richardson’s Street Memories of Durham, tracing vanished landmarks and everyday lives across centuries. Book Spotlight (Culture/History): Historian Sarah Waheed’s Chand Bibi: The Lives and Legends of a Warrior Queen grows from a second-hand bookstore find into a deep dive on the Deccan’s warrior queen. Publishing & Society: A new review warns berberine’s “natural Ozempic” hype oversimplifies how it works, pointing to gut inflammation and microbiome effects instead. Media & Adaptation: Netflix’s The Fall of the House of Usher is praised for weaving multiple Poe stories and poems into a modern horror satire.

Education & AI in the classroom: Ohio University’s CTLA is running fall 2026 book groups on teaching with AI and improving online instruction, with sessions scheduled from October through December. Health & supplements myth-busting: A new review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences says berberine’s effects appear to work indirectly via gut inflammation and the microbiome—not like GLP-1 drugs—while also flagging variability and possible digestive side effects. Publishing & public culture: Lucknow’s Gomti Book Festival-2026 opens with major participation from publishers and languages, while Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath urges children to read PM Modi’s “Exam Warriors.” Books as community events: A sold-out Carlisle Library launch for M.W. Craven’s “The Killer’s Mark” and a free Lewes talk by National Book Award finalist Beth Kephart highlight how local libraries keep authors in the spotlight. Science meets history: DNA traces of sheep pox virus were found in medieval manuscripts, including the York Gospels—an unexpected link between disease and book preservation. World Trade Center legacy in print: “Scattered Steel” follows how WTC steel pieces traveled across the U.S. and abroad.

Children’s Publishing: Former Sanford resident Brian J. Ek is expanding a new children’s series, “The Adventures of Tucker the Rescue Dog,” with four books out and seven more planned. Memoir & Health: Brampton author Gemma Thomlinson’s “Living with a Chronic Illness or Two” turns fibromyalgia, migraines, and fatigue into a candid memoir aimed at pushing back on disbelief. Literary Craft & Global Reach: A three-day translation workshop has started at Kathmandu University, mentoring new translators in Nepali, Maithili, Tibetan, and Nepal Bhasa with major names from the translation world. Books & Ideas: Jill Lepore’s “The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State” takes on the push to escape the body and place through tech, AI, and space dreams. Publishing Culture: BookTok creators debate how AI allegations spread and why “receipts” matter when rumors can end careers. Local Events: Kamloops’ Barb’s Used Book and Music Sale returns Oct. 17–31, with donations sought ahead of the fundraiser.

Publishing & Events: Jacksonville Public Library’s Jax Book Fest returns as a free Sept. 19 day packed with 120+ local authors plus NYT bestsellers John Patrick Green, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, and Emma Straub, with kid giveaways and teen zine-making. Literary Awards: Nicole Flattery wins the 2026 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature, doubling the award to €20,000 for the prize’s 50th anniversary. Book-to-screen & Adaptations: Stephen King’s The Dark Tower TV update from Mike Flanagan says progress is being made on the massive eight-book project. True Crime Spotlight: Steve Jackson’s new WildBluePress thriller, BOGEYMAN, spotlights the hunt for a serial child killer through Texas lawmen. Community & Reading Access: Shaker Heights teacher Chante Thomas publishes a children’s organ-donation story, using a real transplant journey to make the topic feel less scary. Health Claims Debunked: A new review warns berberine is being oversold as a “natural Ozempic,” pointing instead to gut-microbiome and inflammation pathways plus possible side effects and interactions. Commemoration: Colum McCann reflects on 9/11’s lasting impact ahead of the 25th anniversary.

Redevelopment Drama on Screen: Ben Rekhi’s film adaptation of Aravind Adiga’s Last Man in Tower turns a Mumbai housing fight into a lonely, darkly funny warning about how fast community ties can unravel. Cozy Anthology Launch: Oil City publisher Hollow Oak Press is releasing The Ordinary Magic in Extraordinary Tales, a 14-story, cozy-focused collection plus essays—built for readers who want a soft landing. UK Thriller Spotlight: Dorset author Alex Stone’s The Jealous Girl (her sixth psychological thriller) follows a dangerously obsessed Kirsty and promises a darker contrast to the landscape that fuels her writing. Literary Honors: Odia writer Pratibha Ray received the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, while Australia’s Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Fiction went to Yolŋu oral-history novel A Piece of Red Cloth. Publishing & Culture: Vatican Publishing House LEV marks 100 years, with editorial director Lorenzo Fazzini highlighting faith, universality, and global representation. Reading Life, Not Just Books: Square Books in Oxford keeps drawing crowds with free author events that prioritize community over sales. Science Meets Story: A review on berberine challenges the “natural Ozempic” hype, pointing to gut-microbiome and inflammation pathways instead.

AI & Publishing Buzz: Cory Doctorow’s The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI stays No. 1 on Canada’s nonfiction bestseller list for a record 11th week, reflecting readers’ appetite for practical, skeptical takes on what comes next. New Releases (Major Houses): Pan Macmillan will publish Kristin Hannah’s The Fire, adding to the momentum around her upcoming The Nightingale adaptation. Author Events (Local & Community): Rachel J. Lithgow hosts a public signing and conversation for her memoir My Year of Really Bad Dates in Huntington, while Milwaukee Public Library welcomes educator Kelly Melton for a free kids’ book signing and read-aloud. Kids’ Books with Purpose: A FASD awareness-themed children’s book, Invincible, Not Invisible: FASD Is Not the Boss of Me, is set for a Mirrorball Gallery open mic reading. Literary Culture: Chicago’s 41st Printers Row Lit Fest returns with Illinois Poet Laureate Mark Turcotte among featured voices. Publishing Industry Watch: Straight Edge launches a horizontal manga label, SEC, with a “Creator First” pitch and plans to start serialization in 2027.

Sudan Education Relief: Book Aid International is shipping 18,000 brand-new books from Swindon to Sudan, aiming to restore access to higher education as conflict keeps shutting down libraries and universities. Genre-Bending Fiction: A review of Adam Hamdy’s “The Other Side of Night” highlights a slow-burn mix of family drama, romance, mystery, and speculative twists. AI, Books, and Copyright Tension: A Murakami translation story shows an AI tool producing a high-fidelity Chinese version of “The Tale of KAHO” within hours, while another report spotlights authors pushing back against a major Anthropic copyright settlement. Publishing in the Spotlight: Prosecutors in South Korea allege an author and publisher bulk-bought 1,631 copies to game a bestseller list. Community Reading Life: Pendleton’s library is unveiling a new mobile library on Sept. 22, funded by local foundations and crowdsourcing. Literary Culture Events: Oxford Festival of the Arts is ending after 17 years, with organizers citing resource limits.

Local Literary Events: Becket Arts Center will host a book discussion with crime novelist Bob Reiss (“The Impossible Detective”) on Sept. 15, plus a free Works in Progress staged reading on Sept. 16. Kids & Community Reading: Texas Center for the Book’s #TXBookChat brings children’s author-illustrator C.S. Jennings online Sept. 23 for “My Big Book of Texas,” while Eureka Public Library rolls out mystery, gardening, and teen programs through September. New Releases & Previews: Fantagraphics shares an exclusive excerpt of Yudori’s full-color romance graphic novel “Lovers of the Empire” (Vol. 1), and Landon Hail Press debuts Adina Law’s thriller “No Place to Hide: A Novel Trilogy: Book One.” Big-Book Culture: Chicago Public Library names Emily St. John Mandel’s Booker-winning “Orbital” as its One Book, One Chicago pick for the program’s 25th anniversary. Publishing & Policy: PLI Press publishes a practical guide for AI corporate compliance programs. Poetry Prize: The Griffin Poetry Prize announces Ken Babstock, Elisa Biagini, and Sandeep Parmar as 2027 judges.

Justice & Publishing: A new sociology book, Crime Fictions, argues wrongful convictions are built across the full process, not just at trial—tracking how Chicago authorities buried exonerating material and coerced confessions. History & Reading Lists: A roundup spotlights God Forgives, Brothers Don’t on military education and manhood, plus Summer of ’71 for a fast, accessible look at a pivotal year. Writing Craft: The Journey of a Storyteller offers a practical roadmap from voice to publishing, marketing, royalties, and reader expectations. Literary News: Australia mourns Blanche d’Alpuget, 82, celebrated for biographies and novels and for her long, scandal-sparking love story with Bob Hawke. AI & Books/Media: Meta launches Muse, an AI agent that can act in apps—sending emails, booking travel, and shopping—raising fresh privacy and access questions. Local Literacy: Georgia’s Pre-K program will distribute 87,000+ copies of Every Amazing Song during Pre-K Week.

Publishing & Books in the Spotlight: The 2026 Maine Lit Fest lands a major headline with National Book Award finalist Min Jin Lee (Pachinko) reading from her just-released novel American Hagwon alongside Pulitzer winner Richard Russo, as the festival rolls across nine Maine towns with mostly free events. New Releases & Author News: Camden mystery writer Tess Gerritsen is also helping build a first Maine Asian American Community Center, while a 9-year-old “Kid Pastor” Luke Tillman promotes his kids’ devotional Finding God Every Day. Community Reading & Access: Florida Public Library expands its local author series with a debut novel discussion and a three-part poetry workshop. Literary Culture & Legacy: Cebu honors National Artist for Literature Resil Mojares with a half-mast flag tribute, and Ukrainian families in Cavan get a dedicated Ukrainian-language library bookshelf. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Remain brings together M. Night Shyamalan and Nicholas Sparks as a supernatural romance with two versions of the same story—novel and film—hitting theaters Feb. 5, 2027.

Literary Spotlight: Ben Macintyre’s new nonfiction Redwood digs into cold-war espionage in Iran after 1979, continuing his reputation for fast, deeply researched spy storytelling. Publishing & Culture: Morehouse King scholar Lawrence Carter pens a foreword calling journalist Bankole Thompson “one of America’s greatest prophetic journalists,” tying Thompson’s work to the moral tradition of Martin Luther King Jr. Book-to-Community: Aberdeenshire libraries get £28,250 to push “trusted information” into local venues, tackling misinformation and AI-generated scams through workshops and pop-ups. Books as History: Ukrinform will present Victory Commanders at the Lviv Book Forum, turning its war reporting into a commander-authored book project. New Releases: Penny Newton-Hurley’s self-help The Human Language targets communication patterns to build psychological safety; Dr. Michelle Hills’ hospice book The Wrong Order of Things launches Sept. 10. Tech & Learning: A new warning on smart glasses in classrooms raises privacy and academic-freedom concerns. Awards: The Hawthornden Prize goes to Caleb Klaces for Mr Outside, a text-and-image meditation on endings.

Copyright & AI: Kenya’s Copyright Tribunal says AI-generated works only get copyright protection if an author shows enough human effort and creative intervention, in a ruling that leaves the specific dispute unresolved for lack of proper presentation. Publishing & Rights Dispute: Authors say publishers and agents are claiming larger shares from the $1.5 billion Anthropic copyright settlement than they’re entitled to, after final approval in July. Books in the Spotlight: BritBox confirms a major Agatha Christie expansion, rolling out new and classic adaptations starting Sept. 15. Local Literacy & Community: St. Maarten educator Angelique J.G. Romou launches a children’s book for International Literacy Day, while a Woburn family shares how a cancer diagnosis led to a 360-change healing memoir. Culture Beyond the Page: Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda brings Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga “Look Back” to Venice, and Seoul turns public book hubs into autumn “sanctuaries” with author talks and rare art editions. Real-World Reading: A seven-year-old in Portsmouth is on track to finish nearly 200 books this summer.

Publishing & Culture Diplomacy: South Korea kicked off K-Book Week in Paris to mark 140 years of ties with France, spotlighting Korean picture books and literary works plus author events and rights talks. Literary Events & Community: Iraq’s Baghdad International Book Fair wrapped with record participation from 28 countries, while Manitoba’s Sikh community drew thousands for Nagar Kirtan in Winnipeg. Books & Ideas: A new manifesto, Setting the Land Free, argues rewilding works when policy lets ecosystems recover; meanwhile Odisha’s festival debates the future of Odia publishing as print and digital coexist. AI, Translation & Copyright Tensions: A Chinese student used an AI tool to produce an unlicensed Murakami translation within hours, and writers are pushing back on how AI is reshaping publishing. New Releases & Adaptations: Netflix is developing Richard Osman’s We Solve Murders from his books, and Marvel previews Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett #1. Book-to-screen/Franchise Buzz: Susanne Bier returns to the Practical Magic universe with Practical Magic 2. Health & Science Reading: A pilot trial suggests YogaCue may add benefits for older adults, and a wheat study maps genes for resistance to fusarium head blight.

Publishing & Politics: Nepal’s Madan Puraskar Guthi named Bina Joshi (Rajbhandari) the 2026 Madan Puraskar winner for her documentation of Newar masked dance traditions, while lyricist Kiran Kharel received the Jagadamba Shree Award. Literary Culture: Sioux Narrows is collecting stories for “Beyond the Bridge II,” a two-part sequel to its 1985 local history book. Books in the Wild: Odisha’s “Gift A Book” campaign turned a Bhubaneswar–Daspalla train ride into a moving reading event, handing out about 200 books to commuters. Global Fairs: Oman wrapped its first-ever official pavilion at the Moscow International Book Fair, spotlighting publications and cultural ties. AI & Authorship: A new discussion on text watermarking argues AI-generated writing can carry built-in marks—raising fresh stakes for plagiarism and credit. Adaptations: Netflix is moving ahead with a thriller series based on Dan Brown’s “The Secret of Secrets,” filming in Prague.

Publishing & Politics: India’s Sonia Gandhi memoir “Belonging” is set for a Nov 10 release after claims of pressure on Penguin not to publish, with HarperCollins stepping in. Literary Culture: Meena Kandasamy talks cancel culture and whether “separating the art from the artist” still holds up. New Fiction: Poole author S.R. Moore’s debut “Burger Wars” (Oct 6) turns fast-food corporate rivalry into a dystopian satire. Book Launches & Events: Toby Hartwell’s “Brooklands Belles” spotlights 1930s women who fought their way into motor racing; a launch talk is slated for Sept 11. Reviews & Reading Picks: A roundup of September Indian fiction includes Amit Chaudhuri’s new title; science writing gets a spotlight in a review of “The Messy Business of Making Science Happen.” Crime & Screen: Netflix is adapting Richard Osman’s “We Solve Murders,” with a sequel “We Chase Shadows” due Sept 15. Children’s Books & Inclusion: A new picture book, “BLUE,” uses story to make caste visible to kids without turning it into a lecture.

Romantasy Boom: Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing keeps pulling readers in, with a clear starter guide for the Empyrean series and more adaptations already in motion. Literary Spotlight: Andrea Bajani’s prize-winning The Anniversary digs into patriarchal family life and how private coercion can echo fascism. September TBR Buzz: Goodreads editors highlighted fresh fall reads, including Meg Mason’s Sophie, Standing There (out Sept. 29, 2026). Publishing & Culture Events: Lviv’s Lviv Publishers’ Forum will host a Sept. 10 presentation of Commanders of Victory, preserving Ukrainian commanders’ battlefield testimonies. Book-to-Screen Watch: House of Leaves—a horror classic long considered unadaptable—gets new momentum toward film. Publishing Industry & AI: A new report claims OpenAI agents exploited a German wiki via GET-based weaknesses, reigniting concerns about agent behavior and platform security. Reprints & Rights: Octavia Butler’s Survivor returns to U.S. print after nearly 50 years, despite the author’s objections. Community Reading: bKash and Bishwo Shahitto Kendro mark 12 years of a national book-reading program, citing millions of readers reached.