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Lit Hub Daily

October 17, 2025

TODAY: In 1973, Ingeborg Bachmann dies.

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Aisling Walsh on the 30-year legacy of His Dark Materials and why Philip Pullman understands that “true evil is never about the distorted cravings of a single person.” | Lit Hub Criticism

Toni Morrison explores the intimacy and humanity in the photography of James Van Der Zee. | Lit Hub Art

Mai Serhan searches for connection with her father and her homeland of Palestine: “I am homesick, whatever home means.” | Lit Hub Memoir

Cloud Delfina Cardona recommends books to feed your inner teenage weirdo by Michele Serros, jo reyes-boitel, Jacinto Jesús Cardona and more! | Lit Hub Reading Lists

Megha Majumdar’s A Guardian and a Thief, Susan Orlean’s Joyride, and Brandon Taylor’s Minor Black Figures all feature among the best reviewed books of the week. | Book Marks

Amber Sparks explores the art and artifice of a dollhouse’s miniature world. | Lit Hub Craft

“The whips were gone. Extended family members saw each other for the first time in years. An unfamiliar lightness of being descended.” How those fleeing slavery found new lives in the North. | Lit Hub History

“It was a Friday at the start of summer when Drew stopped at Ace to buy Sheetrock screws and spackling.” Read “Slant Six” from Thomas McGuane’s new story collection, A Wooded Shore. | Lit Hub Fiction

THE 2025 WORDS WITHOUT BORDERS GALA

Join us in NYC on October 29th for a sparkling celebration of the power of global literature! WWB's annual gala is the literary event of the season, featuring a lively cocktail hour, powerful bilingual readings by WWB authors, and a delicious dinner in the company of our brilliant literary hosts.

Get Tickets

2026 NEW HARMONY BOOK AWARD & RESIDENCY

Welcome to the Inaugural New Harmony Book Award & Residency! The NHBA & Residency will award a $2000 prize (plus $750 travel stipend) and a seven-day residency in historic New Harmony, Indiana, to an exemplary book of fiction published in 2025. Submissions open until December 31st, 2025!

Learn More

FOR FANS OF SEVERANCE AND TONY TULATHIMUTTE