It’s International Beer and Pizza Day, just in case you’re looking for meal ideas before or after checking out one of our best bet picks. This week, we’ve got a trio of festivals, a Greek tragedy, and more. So, keep reading for the best things to do this coming week.
Quilting goes a long way back, with possibly the earliest hint of quilting found in the British Museum, which holds an ivory carving excavated from the Temple of Osiris in 1903 that shows a royal figure in a quilted cloak. To get a sense of how far quilting has come, stop by the International Quilt Festival, which returns to George R. Brown Convention Center on Thursday, October 9, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visitors will find more than 1,100 quilts will be displayed across 33 exhibits, as well as over 575 opportunities to shop and over 275 classes, lectures, and other events. The festival continues through October 12. Daily admission tickets range in cost from free for children 10 and under to $18 for adults, with full show passes available for $58.
The Bayou City Art Festival brings an outdoor gallery to Memorial Park. Credit: Andy Bao
Phoenix-based painter Jonah Ballard will bring his signature pink palette to town as the featured artist of the Bayou City Art Festival when the Art Colony Association, Inc. (ACA) brings the outdoor art gallery back to Memorial Park on Friday, October 10, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. More than 270 artists from 19 art disciplines will display their works, while guests can also enjoy live entertainment, a food truck park, a beer garden and wine bar, putt-putt mini golf, and more. The festival will continue on Saturday, October 11, and Sunday, October 12, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Tickets, $5 for children ages 6 to 12 and $20 for adults, must be purchased in advance online here. Children under five get in free, and VIP options are available for $75 to $150.
Grief and vengeance take the stage over at Classical Theatre Company on Friday, October 10, at 7:30 p.m., when they officially open Sophocles’ Electra at The DeLuxe Theater. Murder begets murder in the one-act play, which finds the titular character out to avenge the murder of her father, Agamemnon, by her mother and her mother’s lover. CTC’s Artistic Director, John Johnston, recently told the Houston Press the play “is an exploration of the dark side of human nature,” adding that once the show “starts rolling it just kicks off and it really hurdles towards the climax. It comes to an end in a very somber and resigned way.” Performances will continue at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, and October 13; 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays; and 2:30 p.m. Sunday through October 18. Tickets can be purchased here for $10 to $30.
On Friday, October 10, at 7:30 p.m., Houston Symphony will present its latest program, Jean-Yves Thibaudet + The Three-Cornered Hat, at Jones Hall. The concert will feature three works by Manuel de Falla, two from his two-act opera La vida breve and The Three-Cornered Hat, and welcome Thibaudet, a Grammy-nominated French pianist, for Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Egyptian” Concerto, which has been described as a work that is “melodious and straightforward and exudes the sophisticated charm and brilliance of a craftsman of the highest order.” The concert will be performed again at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 11, and 2 p.m. Sunday, October 12. Tickets for the in-hall performances are available here for $29 to $140. Saturday night’s show will also be livestreamed, and you can purchase access here for $20.
Celebrate the food, music, and cultural traditions of Korea when the Houston Korean Festival returns to Discovery Green on Saturday, October 11 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Hosted by the Korean American Society of Houston (KASH), the festival promises 40 food and merchandise vendors, arts and crafts, a kimchi eating contest, K-Pop performances, a modern Hanbok fashion show, and, for the first time, a Korean Food Fair and Expo, where visitors can try free samples from top Korean food brands. The festival will continue on Sunday, October 12, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Festival admission is free, and you can register here, but one- and two-day VIP passes with additional benefits (including access to a private VIP tent and cooling stations, seating, and a rice cake making workshop on Sunday) are also available for $50 to $75.
Choir! Choir! Choir! will bring singalong fun to the Hobby Center. Credit: Bill Woodcock Photography
Choir! Choir! Choir!, an interactive show that invites its audience members to sing along to every note, is bringing We Will CHOIR! You!: An EPIC QUEEN Sing-Along! to the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, October 11, at 7:30 p.m. Nobu Adilman and Daveed Goldman, the Canadians behind the choir, said in 2023 that their shows are “a party where singing is the excuse to hang out in a room full of strangers and connect. You’re going to laugh, you’re going to dance, you’re going to find yourself sharing intimate details of your life, you’re going to meet people you would never have before, and yes, you’re also going to sing harmonies to some of the greatest songs of all time.” Tickets can be purchased here for $51.20 to $71.
The 2025/2026 Inprint Margarett Root Brown Reading Series will welcome Adam Johnson to the Wortham Theater Center, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Orphan Master’s Son, on Wednesday, October 15, at 7:30 p.m. to read from his upcoming historical epic, The Wayfinder. Johnson previously told People that telling the story, about a little girl tasked with saving her people, he “needed poetry, myth, dance and breathtaking portraits of the natural world. I needed to capture the vastness of the ocean and the unbroken nature of human lineage. Most of all, I needed characters whose bonds were as precious and pressing as our own as we navigate our own age of uncertainty.” After the reading, Johnson will participate in an on-stage conversation followed by a book sale and signing. Tickets for the reading are available here for $6.50.
Former United States Vice President Kamala Harris on stage at the Tabernacle on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Former United States Vice President Kamala Harris was back in Atlanta on Wednesday night. Harris, who also served as the former Attorney General of California and United States Senator, was on her tour for her latest book, “107 Days.” The book is a diary-like rehashing of her historical presidential run that ended with a loss to the current President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
The line outside the Tabernacle was reminiscent of the lines outside the many arenas, stadiums, and event spaces in Georgia that Harris spoke at during her campaign. The line stretched down Luckie Street and around the corner. It was clear that Harris remained popular in Atlanta.
Upon taking the stage, Harris, in one of her signature looks, a pant suit, said, “It’s good to be back in the ATL.”
The evening’s moderator was social media influencer and Spelman College alumna, Lynae Vanee.
There was a long line outside the Tabernacle hours before the ‘107 Days’ book tour event was scheduled to take place on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Harris’s 107-day campaign was self-described as “American history.” By the looks and sounds of the capacity crowd in attendance, it has left an indelible mark on Georgians. Between applause and laughter from the crowd, Harris retold stories from her book and acknowledged that she had her toughest day at the end of the campaign on Election Day.
“It took a lot of time for me to think, reflect, and feel,” said Harris of her new post-election reality. “Writing this book was part of what helped me do that.”
On more than one occasion, Trump was mentioned by name and in jest. On one more serious note, Harris said of the current administration’s actions towards immigrants, for example, “I predicted all of this.”
That comment was followed by loud applause.
“When this is over, meaning his presidency, there will be a lot of debris,” she added.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
During the conversation, Harris discussed portions of the book, including the pages in which she invited Megan Thee Stallion to perform at a campaign event at the Georgia State University Convocation Center. Harris got pushback from people who supported her and Megan, but thought the rapper wasn’t a good look, Harris recalled.
“I did ask her to come, and I was happy to have her because she is very talented,” said Harris of the Houston-born rapper. “It wasn’t traditional, and it didn’t comport with what people thought was the norm.”
Nothing about Harris’s campaign was normal, and she would have Hip-Hop performers, actors, actresses, and the like make appearances on her campaign throughout the 107 days. Many of these moments are in her book. Other moments described in “107 Days” include former running mate and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the vetting of a potential running mate, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, her relationship with her family, and her relationship with other people in the White House.
With 91 days till Election Day, Harris shared the sights and sounds of the first time she and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, took the stage in Philadelphia. “The roar that met us when we walked out onstage was so deafening we could barely hear ourselves,” Harris recalled (page 100).
In the book, Harris also reveals behind-the-scenes moments from the campaign and her relationship with former United States President Joseph R. Biden, her running mate and friend. One revelation that will get readers’ attention is the lack of support for her campaign by members of Biden’s camp (pages 40-41), and her suspicion that former First Lady Jill Biden hadn’t gotten over some of the barbs Harris and Biden exchanged during the 2019 presidential primary (page 39).
The former vice president was reflective during her time on stage.
“During the 107 days I did not allow myself, nor was there any room for reflection,” Harris said of the whirlwind that was her life last year.
Harris also added that losing that election brought on emotions that she hadn’t felt since she lost her mother.
“I was grieving for our country, because I knew what was going to happen,” she said.
There was no grieving this evening, however. Harris was showered with applause from the start to the finish of her time on stage.
“This is true talk right here,” she said. “It may get worse before it gets better. But we cannot afford to put the blanket over our head and say, ‘Wake me up when it’s over.’ If we give up, then all is lost. We cannot let our spirits be defeated by one election.”
“I have lost a friend, an ally, a confidante and a mentor,” she concluded. “But I know she will live forever in the words she put on the page and on the screen.”
The then Duchess of Cornwall with Jilly Cooper and Prue Leith as they attend a reception to mark The National Literacy Trust’s 25th anniversary in 2018
Tristan Fewings/Getty Images
Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who revealed in 2023 that he was a great fan of Cooper’s books, took to social media with his own statement, writing: “Sad to hear of the passing of Dame Jilly Cooper, a storyteller whose wit and love or character brought joy to millions. My thoughts are with her family and fellow readers.”
The stars of Rivals, on which Cooper worked as an executive producer, have also offered their condolences to the author’s family, with Emily Atack, who will reprise her role as Sarah Stratton in the upcoming second season, writing a particularly heartfelt message on Instagram.
“Oh Jilly, I can’t believe I’m writing this. Almost 3 years ago you gave me Sarah Stratton, and my life changed forever. I’ll never forget the first time we met. Your warmth and kindness soared through me with that first hug, and then every hug since,” read the moving statement.
“To be taken into your world was the hugest honour and a once in a life time privilege. I cannot begin to explain how much we will miss you. Thank you for letting us into Jilly World, there really is no place like it. Sending all my love to Jilly’s wonderful family. Praying that you all feel somewhat comforted by knowing and seeing just how adored she was. What a woman, what a legacy. We love you Dame Jilly.”
The sexual assault lawsuit against Neil Gaiman filed by Scarlett Pavlovich has been dismissed by a Wisconsin federal judge. The judge did not rule on the facts of the case, but rather that the suit should have been filed in New Zealand and not Wisconsin. “All of the relevant events occurred in New Zealand, Pavlovich is a New Zealand citizen, both parties were living in New Zealand during the relevant time, all relevant evidence and most potential witnesses are located in New Zealand,” court docs read. “Under these circumstances, it is clear that New Zealand is the more appropriate forum for resolving this dispute, so the court will dismiss the case without prejudice.”
Pavlovich has accused Gaiman of assaulting her while she worked as the nanny to his and then-wife Amanda Palmer’s child. She filed on human-trafficking charges under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, choosing Wisconsin as the venue for the suit because Gaiman has a residence there. The complaint also named Palmer as a co-defendant, for allegedly putting Pavlovich in danger and for withholding wages. If Pavlovich refiles in New Zealand, and Gaiman and Palmer refuse to be served there, the case could return to Wisconsin. Pavlovich is one of several women who accused Gaiman of sexual misconduct and assault in 2024.
From utopian dreams to dystopian warnings, time travel fiction reflects our hopes and fears for humanity’s future. Courtesy the publishers
For decades, authors and readers have been asking questions about what we would do, or change, if time travel existed—and what we could change. Would the smallest change, one killed butterfly, alter the entire future? Or could we edit here and there, as long as we were careful? And if we did, and then returned to our time, would it really be our time?
Time travel and its potential paradoxes have sent us into delightful questioning, adventures and spirals, from Back to the Future to The Time Traveler’s Wife to Outlander. The genre explores some of our most intriguing questions as humans: what our future might look like, and how our history influences our present and future. With romance, grand sci-fi epics and more, our picks for the best time travel books explore the kinds of opportunities, disasters and battles that time travel could create for us all.
The Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz
The Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz. Courtesy Tor Books
Two groups fight across timelines for the future of women’s and queer rights. A team of cis male time travelers wants a timeline where women are never allowed to vote, ushering in an eventual male-supremacist future. Meanwhile, Tess and her squad want a future of reproductive justice and equality, and she heads back to World Fair-era Chicago to try to take down the Comstock Laws in this battle across history. A tantalizing mix of historical fiction and punk sci-fi.
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal el-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal el-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. Courtesy Saga Press
This epistolary novella is a series of love letters between two spies working for opposite sides of a war across time—nature versus science. It has garnered a cult following, thanks in part to a viral fan tweet. Short but dense with poetic prose, it’s a sapphic love story and an enemies-to-lovers tale as Red and Blue evolve from trying to one-up each other, to impressing one another, to risking the entire war if it means saving the other.
Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy
Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy. Courtesy Ballantine Books
This underrated feminist sci-fi classic from the 1970s follows Connie, a Chicana woman on welfare who is wrongfully institutionalized in a mental hospital determined to break her spirit. She begins to dream of a possible utopian future, only to realize she is the hinge between two timelines—dystopia and utopia. Her ability to endure and remain alive may be the key to everyone’s future.
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston. Courtesy Griffin
The author of the smash hit Red, White & Royal Blue brings time travel into romance with the story of August, who falls for a mysterious stranger on the Q train. Except Jane’s look isn’t just vintage—she’s literally from the 1970s and is stuck in a subway time pocket. Part mystery, part romance and part found-family narrative, this novel weaves in themes of queer identity with McQuiston’s signature warmth.
All This & More by Peng Shepherd
All This & More by Peng Shepherd. Courtesy William Morrow
Time travel was made for the choose-your-own-adventure format, and in this new release, the reader gets to make the decisions. Marsh, 45 and full of regrets, is chosen to compete on a reality show that lets contestants change their pasts. She is determined to fix her life one choice at a time, but as the reader directs her fate, Marsh begins to wonder whether the show is really what it claims to be.
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. Courtesy Del Rey
Few books have won both Hugo and Nebula awards—this one has. Oxford student Kivrin sets out on a simple research project: travel back to the Middle Ages for an observational study. But a timing error sends her not to 1320 but to 1348—the year the Black Death arrived. Stranded in one of history’s darkest chapters, she must fight to survive and find her way back in this sci-fi classic.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, translated by Geoffrey Trousselot
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, translated by Geoffrey Trousselot. Courtesy Hanover Square Press
In a small cafe in Tokyo, if you sit at a particular table, you can travel back in time to meet anyone you wish. The catch? You must return before your coffee gets cold. Rather than leaning on twisty sci-fi mechanics, this international bestseller focuses on emotional resonance. Simple yet cathartic, it follows four visitors as they step briefly into their pasts.
Thrust by Lidia Yuknavitch
Thrust by Lidia Yuknavitch. Courtesy Riverhead Books
Fleeing a raid in 2079 New York City, Laisve discovers she can use small, meaningful objects to travel through time. Over the course of the novel, she connects with the sculptor who designed the Statue of Liberty, the iron workers who built it, a whale named Bal and others. Together, their stories form a meditation on climate change, exploitation and the futures we may yet face.
Here and Now and Then by Mike Chen
Here and Now and Then by Mike Chen. Courtesy MIRA
Kin, a secret agent from the future, becomes stranded in the 1990s. Eighteen years later, he has built a new life and raised his daughter Miranda, only for a rescue team to arrive and attempt to return him to 2142—erasing her in the process. Torn between timelines, Kin refuses to let his daughter disappear, even if it means breaking every rule of time travel.
BROOKLYN NAVY YARD, Brooklyn — Book by book, block by block, the Brooklyn Book Bodega is working to make books as accessible as a bag of chips from your local corner store.
Co-founders Rebecca Cogen and Seema Aghera chose the name “Bodega” with intention.
“When you think of bodegas in New York, you think of a place that is familiar, a place where people come together,” said Aghera.
“Books should have been as accessible as your neighborhood bodega,” added Cohen.
This nonprofit, grassroots organization is actively working to eliminate “book deserts,” neighborhoods where book ownership is scarce.
“Our mission is to increase the number of 100-plus book homes for kids in New York City,” said Aghera.
By providing free, lightly used books, they want to ensure that every child, regardless of their family’s financial situation, has the opportunity to own stories that can shape their world.
“We exist because kids who read do better in life. There’s an impact on their educational outcomes, their financial earnings, and their mental health,” Aghera said.
Brooklyn Book Bodega distributes free books through pop-up events and community partnerships.
“We are set up in the places and spaces where kids spent time,” said Aghera, emphasizing the nonprofit’s commitment to accessibility and community-first outreach.
Volunteers play a vital role, helping to inspect, sort, and distribute books in the nonprofit’s Book Hub. Each book includes a stamp where kids can write their names, marking it as their own.
“There is still so much work to do,” said Aghera.”If we all worked together, we could make a change.”
Brooklyn Book Bodega encourages New Yorkers to get involved through donating used books, volunteering, or simply spreading the word.
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -As scientists ready for next week’s Nobel Prize announcements, one awarding body is warning academic freedom is under threat in the U.S. and elsewhere, with political interference risking long-lasting negative effects.
U.S. President Donald Trump has introduced or proposed a swathe of measures in his second term that critics argue will hamper education and scientific research.
Ylva Engstrom, Vice President of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which awards the prizes for chemistry, physics and economics, said the Trump administration’s changes were reckless.
‘PILLAR OF DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM’
“I think in both the short and long term, it can have devastating effects,” she told Reuters in an interview. “Academic freedom … is one of the pillars of the democratic system.”
The Trump administration denies stifling academic freedom, saying its measures will cut waste and promote U.S. scientific innovation.
Engstrom, who is also a board member of the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities, is not herself on any of the three committees that will award the prizes for chemistry, physics or economics.
The Nobel prizes, regarded by many as the most prestigious science awards in the world, are set to be announced from next week, starting with the award for medicine or physiology on Monday and ending with the unveiling of the winners in economics one week later.
The awards were created by wealthy Swedish dynamite inventor Alfred Nobel and are also handed out for outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry, literature and peace. They come with a prize amount of 11 million Swedish crowns ($1.2 million).
Trump has said several times that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, although experts say his chances are very slim.
BUDGET CUTS AND PRIORITISING ‘PATRIOTIC EDUCATION’
Trump has proposed slashing the budget for the National Institutes of Health, the world’s largest funder of biomedical research, and wants to dismantle the Department of Education, in a bid to shrink the federal government’s role in education in favour of more control by the states.
His administration has also said it would prioritise giving grant money to programmes that focus on “patriotic education,” and demanded that schools cap international undergraduate enrollment at 15%.
“For research, it’s going to be a big dip in what the American scientists can do and what they are allowed to do, what they can publish, what they can get money for. So this is going to have big effects,” said Engstrom, who is chairwoman of the research policy committee at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
The White House said in an emailed response that the United States was the largest funder of scientific research in the world.
“The Administration’s targeted cuts to waste, fraud, and abuse in both research grant funding and visa programs are going to strengthen Americans’ innovative and scientific dominance,” it said.
NOBEL LAUREATE WARNS OF DRAG ON ECONOMIC GROWTH
Trump has also been wrangling with several prestigious universities – some of whose faculty may be among the Nobel prize winners in coming days – threatening to withhold federal funds over issues including pro-Palestinian protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, campus diversity and transgender policies.
British-born American economist Simon Johnson, who won the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2024 for his studies of how institutions affect prosperity, said that, while he thought it was too early to tell how Trump’s actions would affect academic freedom, they would certainly hamper economic growth.
“These policies are absolutely, unambiguously very negative and particularly for job creation,” Johnson, who is a professor at MIT Sloan School of Management, said.
“All engineering and science-type activities, I think, are going to be affected,” he said. “Life Sciences is a particularly dynamic sector at the moment and NIH is, for whatever reason, being targeted with truly massive cuts.”
The Nobel Foundation, which oversees Nobel’s will and legacy, said that there were challenges to academic freedom, as there have been previously in the Foundation’s 124 years, and that it was “keeping a watchful eye”.
“We protect knowledge,” said Hanna Stjarne, chairwoman of the foundation. “We protect … freedom, the opportunity for researchers to work freely, for writers to be able to write exactly as they want, and for peace initiatives to be taken in all kinds of conflicts that exist all over the world.”
(Reporting by Johan Ahlander; editing by Niklas Pollard and Alex Richardson)
Sarah Jessica Parker is opening up about the decision to end “And Just Like That,” HBO’s “Sex and the City” revival, while continuing her passion for publishing through SJP Lit, her book imprint known for championing novels “with a big heart.”
During an appearance on “CBS Mornings,” Parker said ending the beloved series was a difficult decision and that she spoke it about it with “And Just Like That” creator Michael Patrick King.
“I think it’s out of respect for this really singular professional experience that you have to consider what you want to do, have you done it, and sometimes it’s best to gracefully walk away when things feel really right and energetic, versus squeezing and exploiting people’s generosity and hospitality,” she said.
Parker suggested the door might not be completely closed.
“I’m not certain I understand that decision means, because I could just be on hiatus,” she said.
Parker’s book club selection
The actor and publisher shifted the conversation to her latest literary selection, “I Am You” by Victoria Redel, a historical novel set in 1600s Amsterdam that follows two female artists navigating their careers and a secret romance.
Parker said she “fell in love with this book” immediately, praising Redel as a “supremely talented author.” The novel centers on Maria van Oosterwijck and her assistant, the younger painter Gerta Pieters — based on real historical figures about whom little is known.
“The fact that these two women, the subjects of this extraordinary story, are in fact real people that very little is known about,” Parker said. “You have an author who is just incredibly skillful at taking fact and history and making this surprising, sensuous, atmospheric, dramatic, wholly unexpected story come to life.”
The novel explores themes of ambition, power, devotion and transformation as a maid becomes a painter under her mistress’s tutelage, eventually surpassing her teacher, hence the title “I Am You.”
“What happens when you step into your own authority, your own sense of self, and that sounds like a beautiful thing and it is a beautiful thing,” Redel said. “But it’s also a messy thing.”
Analisa Novak is a content producer for CBS News and the Emmy Award-winning “CBS Mornings.” She specializes in covering live events and exclusive interviews for the show. Analisa is a United States Army veteran and holds a master’s degree in strategic communication from Quinnipiac University.
October is here, bringing with it pumpkins, black cats, and several new books about witches—not to mention romantasies, sci-fi adventures, demons, werewolves, vampires, haunted houses, haunted shipwrecks, and so much more. Need a new book or two (or 10)? Read on!
In a magical version of Los Angeles, a folklore student learns she will die the next day unless she can track down a mysterious object called “the Alchemical Heart.” (October 7)
“Drawing on historical, botanical, and occult research, and steeped in the gothic tradition, Atlas of Unknowable Things considers what it means to search for meaning in the scientific, only to come face to face with the sublime.” (October 7)
“A prince, a secret society, a momentous decision—the call of the ravens rings out. From the award-winning creator of the global board game sensation, Catan: Order of the Ravens picks up 18 years later, continuing the riveting tale of family, love, and the bitter struggle for power.” (October 7)
“When Everly’s husband and young daughter die in a car crash she finds out nothing is quite what she thought… Secrets, lies, and grief collide in this funny, tragic, intimate, and utterly compelling horror novella.” (October 7)
“Colin is a low-level employee at a Hell-like multinational corporation solving the world’s most difficult problems in deeply questionable ways. … When Colin meets a shadowy figure promising his deepest desire in return for a small, unspecified favor, he asks for the one thing that will improve his life: a promotion. But that small favor unleashes an ancient evil.” (October 7)
In this historical romantasy, a man seeks to break his curse by uncovering a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I. But when he sneaks his way into the court of Mary Queen of Scots, he clashes with her alluring magical protector. (October 7)
“Beelzebub, the Lord of Gluttony, is no longer his own. He’s been mine ever since he caught me singing to myself, falling prey to the magic of my song. If I can keep my distance, we can both move on. But now, he is caught under my spell, which makes him forbidden to touch. And yet, he is the only one I can trust to get me back to Crystal Hollow.” (October 7)
“In Lansdale’s nightmarish visions, you’ll discover psychotic demon nuns, a psychopathic preacher, cannibals, 80-year-old Elvis, undead strippers, flying ghost fish, Elder Gods, possessed cars, and the worst evil of all: mankind.” With an introduction by Joe Hill. (October 7)
The Apollo Murders series continues with this “edge-of-your-seat thriller about China’s secret role in the space race,” written by veteran astronaut-turned-author Chris Hadfield.(October 7)
“The daughter of legendary Dungeons & Dragons adventurers Drizzt Do’Urden and Catti-brie fights to build her own legacy in a brand-new series from R.A. Salvatore.” (October 7)
“The sequel to The Naturalist Society follows a young scientist unlocking her magical abilities amid a high-seas adventure filled with international intrigue.” (October 7)
The Dust Knights series continues, set in a world where “the worlds of three interstellar civilizations vie for honors in the Olympics … The team from Raylicon, a dying world of scorching temperatures, has never won honors”—until a new generation of gifted speedsters emerges, and the stakes rise exponentially. (October 7)
“In this queer retelling of Nathaniel Hawthorne classic gothic story Rappaccini’s Daughter, a young woman is lured to a lush estate owned by a botanist who might be hiding dark secrets.” (October 7)
This horror debut novel follows “a woman who seeks refuge at an all-trans girl commune only to discover that demons haunt her fellow comrades—and she’s their next prey!” (October 7)
“In this incisive, irreverent, and whimsical cozy dark academia novel, a struggling mage student with intense anxiety must prove that classic literature contained magic—and learn to wield her own stories to change her institution for the better.” (October 7)
“Drawing on Wilson’s unique background as both a threat forecaster for the United States Air Force and a Cherokee Nation citizen, this propulsive novel asks probing questions about nonhuman intelligence, the Western mindset, and humans’ understanding of reality.” (October 7)
“A sexy, dark fantasy reimagining of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, where Katrina Van Tassel doesn’t have to choose between Brom Bones and Ichabod Crane, and there are worse things haunting them than the Headless Horseman.” (October 7)
In 1950s Hong Kong, a young Chinese refugee joins a séance competition among mediums in a haunted house, with revenge motivating her participation. It ended in a confusing disaster—and decades later, she returns to the scene to find out the truth about what happened there. (October 7)
“Theodosia’s already survived being the evil stepsister in one fairy tale, but surviving fae bargains, fairy rings, and being turned into a hedgehog will be a whole new challenge in this hilarious sequel to Laura Mayo’s How to Summon a Fairy Godmother.” (October 7)
“When a young girl goes missing, the ghosts of the past collide with her family’s secrets in a mesmerizing Native American Southern Gothic.” (October 7)
“When a young woman is bequeathed a shuttered dance hall, she begins to dream of its heyday—and learns to see her present-day entanglements in a new light.” (October 7)
The Grand Illusion series continues as “Dominic Mikail Ysella―ancestor of Avraal Ysella―is the grandson of the last king of Aloor. Stripped of most of their land, Dominic, as the third son, must support himself. He becomes a legalist and is elected to the Imperial Council quietly working as an isolate, someone unreadable by government telepaths.” (October 7)
“Someone is killing werewolves. At least, that’s the way Vincent Van Gogh tells it when he shows up at Mark Abernathy’s art gallery seeking protection. For gallery assistant and art history addict Hanna Harvey, meeting Van Gogh is a dream come true―until death follows the troubled artist to town and Hanna becomes the murderer’s next target.” (October 7)
“Malevolent doppelgangers, bizarre murders, ancient evils, Western ghosts, mirror monsters, poisonous playthings, and more populate the pages of this brilliant–and petrifying–collection of stories.” This expanded edition includes six new stories. (October 7)
The Singing Hills Cycle continues. “Wandering Cleric Chih of Singing Hills and their hoopoe companion Almost Brilliant come to the river town of Baolin chasing stories of a legendary famine. Amid tales of dishes served to royalty and desserts made of dust, they discover the secrets of what happens when hunger stalks the land and what the powerful will do to hide their crimes.” (October 7)
“When her sense of safety is shattered, a young girl realizes she must become something untamable—even otherworldly—to find freedom, in this visceral coming-of-age horror debut.” (October 7)
A struggling sailor takes a high-paying job helping bring an aging boat from Seattle to England, but soon finds she may be in over her head when the vessel reveals it’s haunted. (October 7)
In this romantasy tale, a young illusionist tries to break free from her cruel uncle by gaining entry to an elite magic school—with challenges that may spell her doom if she’s not careful. (October 7)
“From the breakout SFF superstar author of Murderbot comes the remarkable sequel to Witch King. A fantasy of epic scope, Queen Demon is a story of power and friendship, of trust and betrayal, and of the families we choose.” (October 7)
“In the gripping conclusion to the Warring Gods duology, two women find themselves caught in an ancient feud between ruthless entities, and embark on an epic quest for power and liberation.” (October 7)
“A magical theater atop a cobblestone path alters what a couple knows about themselves—and each other—in this scintillating debut brimming with nostalgia and life-affirming wonder.” (October 7)
In 1932, a Milwaukee private eye sets out to find a missing heiress—and soon becomes “entangled with Nazis, Soviet agents, British counterspies, swing musicians, practitioners of the paranormal, outlaw motorcyclists, and the troubles that come with each of them, none of which Hicks is qualified, forget about being paid, to deal with.” (October 7)
In a small Louisiana town, intersecting characters look toward an uncertain future while sharing a connection to a “malevolent shape-shifting entity whose rage and despair stems from a tragic history of misogyny, maternal loss, and stolen ambitions.” (October 7)
“A sharply personal and expansive memoir-in-essays dedicated to the strange and absurd beauty of horror films, exploring the complications of gender, the insidiousness of class ascension, and the latent violence hidden in our own uncanny reflections.” (October 7)
“Embark on a thrilling alternate historical mystery with Sir Seaton Begg and Doctor Sinclair as they chase the enigmatic Red King assassin through the streets of Istanbul.” (October 14)
“Award-winning author Ken Liu returns with his first sci-fi thriller in a brand-new series following former ‘orphan hacker’ Julia Z as she is thrust into a high-stakes adventure where she must use her AI-whispering skills to unravel a virtual reality mystery, rescue a kidnapped dream artist, and confront the blurred lines between technology, selfhood, and the power of shared dreams.” (October 14)
“Set in the near future, A Better Paradise tells the story of the ill-fated development of an ambitious but addictive video game project that goes very wrong. As the software they developed starts to produce unexpected and disturbing results, the project is shut down and abandoned. Until now.” (October 14)
The sequel to NecroTek is “an action-packed sci-fi thriller full of weird science, kick-ass heroes, humor, passion, heroism, and sacrifice.” (October 14)
“In the far future, one young woman finds herself torn between two loves—and two sides of a rebellion boiling under the surface—in the first novel of a sweeping dystopian romance series.” (October 14)
“In a world where the line between proper and forbidden magic blurs, Quell and Jordan, along with two unlikely allies, must navigate a treachero’s path where freedom hangs by a thread. Can love tip the scales toward freedom? Or will rivalries and deadly betrayals shatter their hearts and destroy the world they once knew?” (October 14)
“A poignant, heartfelt, and funny memoir about how, in 1985, Michael J. Fox brought to life two iconic roles simultaneously―Alex P. Keaton in Family Ties and Marty McFly in Back to the Future. An amazing true story as only Michael J. Fox can tell it.” (October 14)
“In this darkly funny gothic tale, a reclusive mother and her saturnine daughter move into a haunted building brimming with eccentrics―and secrets.” (October 14)
“Based on a true story, this sparkling and witty novel whisks you to 1956 Manhattan, where famed director Alfred Hitchcock is hosting a star-studded party in an allegedly haunted house…only for the soiree to be interrupted by a ghostly party crasher.” (October 14)
“Based on the incredible true story of a woman who challenged a man who went on to become one of Europe’s most notorious and cruel witchfinders, this novel offers a jewel-bright portrait of female power.” (October 14)
“City-by-city, kingdom-by-kingdom, the Palleseen have sworn to bring ‘Perfection’ and ‘Correctness’ to an imperfect world. But before these ruthless Tyrant Philosophers send in their legions, they dispatch Outreach—the rain before the storm.” (October 14)
Set in New York City circa 2075, this Great Gatsby riff follows “a corporate hacker. An elusive billionaire. A society trying to survive the American Nightmare.” (October 14)
After losing a battle, a woman is married off to a fae prince as a way to join their kingdoms. She ends up falling for him as a new conflict looms, leading to more life-or-death romantic complications. (October 14)
“When she’s accused of witchcraft, Fortune must flee her village to spare her neck, marrying a man she barely knows. But is the man who promises to be her saviour all he seems?” (October 14)
“A princess desperate to win back the prince who broke her heart follows him to his kingdom’s prestigious military academy—and in doing so, falls in love, saves the realm, and continues to look fabulous in this delightful debut fantasy.” (October 14)
“A dark and deadly contemporary fantasy of magical warfare, star-crossed ambition, and the pursuit of perfection at any cost, set in a glittering alternate Los Angeles.” (October 14)
“A one-of-a-kind novel that grapples with the supernatural mysteries of life, death, and human connection—an unprecedented collaboration between the globally bestselling author of love stories like The Notebook and the renowned writer and director of blockbuster thrillers like The Sixth Sense.”(October 14)
“Magic stirs in the darkness, strengthening all who believe in it. But will it be enough to save Tamsyn, the pride, the kingdom…and a fiery love fated to endure for centuries, as deep as a scar in the bone?” (October 14)
“After winning an old casefile at auction outlining the disappearance of a hunting party back in the nineties, Kory and his pregnant wife invite their friend and mentor, Professor Frank Colista, and others, for a casual long weekend of exploring the mystery onsite … When one of their factions disappears without a trace, Kory and Colista fear the past may repeat itself.” (October 14)
“As an exterminator, Guy hunts the uncanny creatures that crawl up from the river. His latest quarry is different: a centipede the size of a dragon with a deadly venom and a ravenous taste for artwork … No sane person would hunt it, if they had the choice. Guy doesn’t have a choice.” (October 14)
“A collection of the year’s best science fiction and fantasy short fiction selected by award-winning author of Death of the Author and the Binti Trilogy, Nnedi Okorafor, and series editor John Joseph Adams.” (October 21)
“When the deadly werewolf Asil is gifted five blind dates by some anonymous ‘friends,’ his reclusive life will never be the same in this enthralling novel in stories.” (October 21)
“A down-on-her-luck woman makes a deal with a crafty demon to win back her ex-girlfriend after a proposal gone awry, only to discover the girl of her dreams might be the devil she knows.” (October 21)
“In this hilarious contemporary fantasy romance, an exasperated low-level investment banker is trapped in a magical realm by a faerie prince, where she must survive in a strange new world with only her wits—and a solid wi-fi connection.” (October 21)
The Cunning Man series continues as “Hiram Woolley and his son Michael carry an itinerant preacher across the border into Mexico … where they’re dragged into investigating an impossible murder … They battle bandits and also an elusive ghostmaster who blights the land with the spirits of the uneasy dead.” (October 21)
“In this thrilling sequel to The Hollow and the Haunted, the web of dark magic around two rival families becomes ever more difficult to untangle. Time is running out, and the dead are hungry.” (October 21)
“A chilling tale of modern-world dangers, dark academia, and the unexpected consequences of revenge as six friends dabble in the occult and are tragically, horrifyingly successful… calling forth an evil entity that demands regular human sacrifice.” (October 21)
In this thriller, “a group of strangers with tinnitus begins seeing numbers—numbers they soon realize are a code that will change the world.” (October 21)
“Two expertly crafted crime stories set in a far-future science fiction universe, from two award-winning authors known for their gripping plots and unforgettable characters—a short novel and a long novella that will thrill fans of space adventures, mystery, and intergalactic intrigue in this Saga Double.” (October 21)
“When mysterious drownings plague her small town, a detective haunted by her serial killer father must uncover whether revenge, ancient legends, or something darker lurks beneath the surface.” (October 21)
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Golden Girls in this humorous contemporary standalone fantasy about a group of former Chosen Ones coming out of retirement to save the world one last time.” (October 21)
“Following the end of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the Resistance rescues a ship full of young passengers who had been kidnapped by the First Order. As Finn and Jannah set out to find the First Order officer responsible before he can endanger any more children, the two former stormtroopers must wrestle with their own complicated pasts as soldiers of the oppressive regime.” (October 21)
“You’d think I’d have learned by now: don’t mouth off to deities. Don’t fall for the King of the Underworld. And definitely don’t get dragged into a divine death match where I’m the cursed mortal prize.” (October 21)
“Singapore, 1972: Newly independent and grappling for power in a fast-modernizing world. Here, gangsters in Chinese secret societies are the last conduits of their ancestors’ migrant gods, and the back alleys where they fight are the last place magic has not been assimilated and legislated away.” (October 21)
The Book of Dust Trilogy concludes: “Picking up right where The Secret Commonwealth left off, this story finds Lyra alone in a city haunted by daemons, searching for her beloved Pan. Malcolm Polstead isn’t far behind, searching for Lyra. And they are both racing toward the desert of Karamakan, following the trail of roses said to hold the secret of Dust.” (October 23)
“From the bestselling author of the Japanese sensation The Full Moon Coffee Shop, this charming and heartfelt novel showcases the magic of Christmas as lost souls find themselves—with a little help from an enchanted café run by cats.” (October 28)
“The sequel to Blood of the Old Kings is an epic fantasy adventure where the corpses of sorcerers power an empire and ordinary people rise up to tear it down.” (October 28)
“In this chilling follow-up to Blood Like Mine, one mother faces the ultimate supernatural horror: the monster she must become to protect her child.” (October 28)
“Packed with spicy romance, Greek mythology, and dangerous husbands, Bonds of Hercules is perfect for fans of tension, betrayal, and choosing sides.” Sequel to Blood of Hercules. (October 28)
“Humanity has reached the stars—as has corporate greed—but the discovery of an alien artifact will change everything in this epic first-contact story.” (October 28)
“A modern twist on the Faustian tale about a gilded street in a Pacific Northwest town where the charmed residents have made a frightening deal… resulting in devastating consequences.” (October 28)
“Great powers clash and epic action unfolds in book three of the Craft Wars series. The time until the end-times is ticking away. If the world has any hope of surviving, it must come together now.” (October 28)
“Within McKillip’s magical landscapes, a mermaid statue comes to life; princesses dance with dead suitors; a painting and a muse possess a youthful artist; seductive sea travelers enrapture distant lovers; a time-traveling angel endures religious madness; and an overachieving teenage mage discovers her own true name.” (October 28)
“A moving and genre-defying quest about the lady-knight whose legend built a nation, and the cowardly historian sent back through time to make sure she plays her part–even if it breaks his heart.”(October 28)
“A goddess awakens to a new world in the second thrilling book in the Witness series, continuing the iconic saga of the Malazan Book of the Fallen.” (October 28)
“Enter a new world of romantic fantasy—a journey of powerful magic, enemies-to-lovers, and political intrigue—as a warrior-princess and a vengeful king from rival fae courts form a fierce alliance to take down a merciless despot.” (October 28)
“Adam Binder’s life has never been better. Sure, he has no money, no car, no home to call his own, and he’s worried about creating a future with his boyfriend Vic, but he’s closer to his family than ever before. He’s also Page to the Elven Court of Swords, and that appointment is not without its perks—like the invisible sword strapped to his back. But on Halloween night, Adam’s life takes a disturbing turn. Annie, his brother’s long-lost wife, turns up on her husband’s doorstep alive and well, with no memory of her death. But is it really Annie, or a Trojan horse from some new magical enemy?” (October 28)
“From the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Arrival comes a phenomenal speculative thriller about a federal agent and a therapist who team up to stop an otherworldly killer.” (October 28)
A true-crime podcaster sets out to investigate the decades-old case of an experimental artist who killed his family and himself after recording sounds at an abandoned military base. What she finds in his tapes is far more unsettling that she could have imagined. (October 28)
“In a remote castle perched atop a windswept island, a long-awaited royal heir is born. In accordance with ancient custom, a blessing ceremony takes place to bestow the princess with magical gifts—along with a terrible curse. But this is not the love story you may think you know … Just three women, who together concoct a desperate plan of misdirect that changes the course of all their lives.” (October 28)
“At a top-secret Army training facility in the Mojave Desert, Special Agents Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor plunge into a deadly web of military intrigue, AI technology, and robot soldiers as they unravel the shocking murder of a senior scientist in this gripping thriller.” (October 28)
“The first book in the Reckoning Storm duology, To Bargain with Mortals is a stunning reflection on politics and purpose, blood and allegiance—and what we do with the histories we inherit.” (October 28)
“For sure no one expected the dead to rise, but they did. No one expected the mountain to fall either, but it did. No one expected an act of courage so great, and likewise so appalling, that it still staggers the heart and mind of anyone who knows anything about the Katanogos massif, to say nothing of Pillars Meadow.” (October 28)
“The outcast daughter of a powerful family of witches returns home to New York City and is immediately embroiled in a supernatural power struggle in this wickedly funny fantasy debut.” (October 28)
“Journey to a magical hotel in the Swiss Alps, where two lost souls living in different centuries meet and discover if a second chance awaits them behind its doors.” (October 28)
“When a librarian discovers she’s descended from a long line of powerful witches, she’ll need all of her bookish knowledge to harness her family’s magic.” (October 28)
“In a deep medieval future, a band of players travels across France to perform the same old tales in the same old towns. When passing soldiers entrust them with a mysterious box that they say must be delivered to the Imperator, old playwright Master Guillaume and young escaped thief Rufus puzzle at what the box might contain. When Rufus overhears strange conversations between his Master Guillaume and the thing in the box, he must choose between his loyalty to the man who saved him from the noose and fear of the ancient intelligence working in their midst.” (October 31)
Lynn Smith on new book teaching kids resilience – CBS News
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Author and journalist Lynn Smith joins “CBS Mornings Plus” to talk about her children’s book “Just Keep Going,” following a character named Mouse who learns to face challenges with perseverance and friendship.
Kate McKinnon, who starred on “Saturday Night Live” for 11 seasons and earned two Emmy Awards, is sharing details about her new book for young readers, her inspiration and the importance of comedy in today’s world.
McKinnon’s book, “Secrets of the Purple Pearl,” is part of “The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science” series. It follows the Porch sisters, who again team up with their professor, Millicent Quibb, to save the guests of the Purple Pearl Hotel from a looming threat.
“The bad guys have gone to the Purple Pearl Hotel and they’ve got to find the legendary purple pearl and rescue everybody before stuff goes down,” the bestselling author explained in an interview with “CBS Mornings” on Tuesday.
McKinnon said there’s a central theme among the characters, saying, “they are quirky girls and they are under the tutelage of Millicent Quibb, the infamous mad scientist who is also quirky – kind of a theme running through the work if you can … piece it together.”
She encourages those reading her book to embrace their quirky personality, acknowledging sometimes it feels isolating.
“I would say just you got to keep doing it,” she said. “Do not hide it because that’s what the world wants from you ultimately, even if it says don’t do it, that’s what we need to move forward is just for people to be themselves.”
McKinnon said she finished recording the audiobook with her sister, who she said is also a comedian.
“Everything for me starts with a voice and a hairdo,” she said. “I do it out loud and then I think of what the hairdo is and then I know everything that I need to know about that character. “
She called her sister “the love of my life” and dedicated the book to her.
“She’s my best friend. She’s my everything and that’s really how the girls in the book feel about each other and what carries them through,” McKinnon said.
Comedy in today’s world
When asked about comedy and its place in the world today, McKinnon said, “political satire is a very important part of a functioning society.”
“I also think that just goofiness and laughter are vital, not only art, but in between people. It is healthy and I think just kindness and joy and laughter are such important things and just the reason we are alive, and so that’s what I like to bring to people,” she said.
The SNL alum said she misses her former colleagues, but added, “I miss it, but I really love to go to bed early and that’s what I have been doing more of and I really enjoy it. … I miss the people so much.”
Kelsie Hoffman is a push and platform editor on CBS News’ Growth and Engagement team. She previously worked on Hearst Television’s National Desk and as a local TV reporter in Pennsylvania and Virginia.
One of my daily challenges as a parent is getting my fourth grader to read for 30 minutes as part of her homework.
It’s not because she struggles with her reading skills; she actually reads well-above grade level. Like many kids of her generation, though, my daughter has zero interest in picking up a book. Why would she, when she’s got an iPad offering her nonstop entertainment via videos expertly designed for her short attention span?
Allie, a mother of three in Connecticut who asked to use just her first name to protect her privacy, can relate: While she confirmed all of her kids can read and write at grade level, she told HuffPost that “they just don’t WANT to.” Allie believes the prevalence of screens is “a huge factor” when it comes to her kids’ lack of interest in reading. “Books can’t compete with screens,” she lamented.
But Allie has also noticed some potential long-term effects stemming from her kids’ reading indifference: She said that when her teenage son took a private school entrance exam, “his reading/vocab section was abysmally low.” And this was despite getting A’s in English honors classes! “Because he wasn’t reading recreationally,” Allie observed, “he wasn’t being exposed to enough opportunities to ‘absorb’ new vocabulary and exercise his reading comprehension skills.”
Katiuscia Noseda via Getty Images
Supporting literacy and growing a love of reading requires more than just sight words and phonics.
It’s not just my daughter or Allie’s kids who are exhibiting reading apathy; there has been a steady decline over the past 40 years. Thirty-one percent of 13-year-olds reported in 2023 that they “never or hardly ever” read for fun. This is compared with the 29% reported in 2020 and the 8% reported in 1984. In addition, only 30% of eighth graders in the United States read at or above the proficient level, with one-third of 12th graders lacking basic reading skills.
For Gen X parents like myself and Allie, who were raised on the “take a look, it’s in a book” approach, it’s hard to watch our kids treat reading as something that’s as obsolete as, well, “Reading Rainbow.” As Allie put it, not only are our kids not “getting the exposure to vocabulary and comprehension” that they need, but “they are also missing out on the joy of reading (and what they can learn about the world).”
How did we get here?
So, how did this happen? Was it the COVID-19 pandemic that forced students into virtual classrooms? Is it the screens? The shifts in education methods?
“The pandemic created disruptions to foundational literacy instruction,” confirmed Chrystine Mitchell, Ph.D., director of early childhood education operations at ChildCare Education Institute. These disruptions in the 2019-2020 academic year, she said, included inconsistent learning approaches that varied by school, with many of the solutions (virtual learning, hybrid learning, etc.) unfairly assuming “universal access to technology, which simply wasn’t the reality for many families.” As a result, NWEA research in 2021 “found students returned to school with approximately 10 weeks less learning in reading compared to a typical year.”
In addition, noted Mitchell, “the pandemic severely limited opportunities for read-alouds and meaningful text exploration, which are the cornerstones of developing a love for reading.”
“Without these rich literary experiences and deep conversations around texts, many students missed crucial exposure to language patterns, vocabulary and the joy of reading itself,” she said.
Culprit #2: Phonics vs. Reading Comprehension
Phonics is a common method of teaching children how to read by matching the sounds of spoken English with individual letters or groups of letters. While phonics is an excellent tool for helping kids learn to read, the shift over the past 25 years toward a more decoding-centered approach in schools is another possible reason our kids aren’t reading as much anymore.
This approach, Mitchell explained, is “grounded in decades of brain research and formalized by the National Reading Panel (2000).” Unfortunately, “the pendulum has swung so far toward phonics-heavy instruction that comprehension work, read-alouds and explicit strategy instruction have been significantly reduced or eliminated entirely.”
“This means that students are becoming proficient decoders without developing the critical thinking and comprehension skills necessary for true literacy.”
The Atlantic highlighted the effects of the overall devaluation of reading comprehension in a 2024 article that examined how students arrive at college ill-equipped to read full books. This is likely the result of teachers using excerpts and brief texts to teach reading comprehension in schools rather than whole books. “Not only is that less engaging for students,” said Wexler, “it fails to build their reading stamina and their ability to dig deeply into a text.”
Culprit #3: Yeah, It’s The Screens
While Mitchell admitted the move toward technology as the “primary medium or tool for instruction” began before COVID, “there was a significant increase following the pandemic.” This shift, she said, “contributed to screen time in schools replacing traditional reading time (with high-quality texts).” According to a 2021 report from Common Sense Media, children’s daily screen time increased by 17% during the pandemic, with 8- to 12-year-olds averaging four to six hours daily.
“It’s hard to compete with the constant stimulation provided by screens,” acknowledged Wexler. But when you pair the technology increase in schools with the number of hours spent at home on iPads, smartphones and other devices, it can lead to changes in students’ attention spans.
“Excessive screen time trains students’ brains for rapid, surface-level information processing rather than sustained, deep reading,” Mitchell said.
There are long-term effects of poor reading skills.
“Reading — the ability to decode and make sense of text — is one of the most important skills a person can have,”Naomi Hupert, a senior research scientist and expert in K-12 literacy and digital learning at the Education Development Center, tells HuffPost.
Therefore, if reading doesn’t become part of a child’s routine early on, they’ll be at risk of “missing out on an important way of acquiring knowledge about the world,” said Wexler, not to mention “a source of self-fulfillment and pleasure.”
Although Mitchell emphasized the importance of phonics when a child is first learning to read (“Research shows that 95% of children can learn to read when taught with systematic, explicit phonics instruction”), she cautioned against the idea of “phonics instruction dominating at the expense of rich read-alouds and meaningful text discussions.” Such a phonics-heavy approach may result in “students becoming proficient decoders who don’t enjoy reading.”
“One of the benefits of reading, beyond enjoyment, is that it can expand a reader’s vocabulary and conceptual understanding of things that may exist beyond that reader’s everyday experiences,” added Hupert.Without substantial reading skills, “the risk is that future generations will simply be unable to think as deeply and with as much complexity as in the past,” observed Wexler.
What can we do to help children develop a love of reading?
Mitchell acknowledged that for teachers, “the challenge lies in striking the right balance” between phonics and reading comprehension. “Systematic phonics instruction is essential, but it must be paired with opportunities for students to wrestle with ideas, encounter complex texts and engage in discussions that spark critical thinking,” she advised.
Beyond encouraging reading at home and at school, don’t sleep on your local library: Public libraries are “spaces where families can access story hours, tutoring programs and cultural events that bring stories to life,” Mitchell said.
Ultimately, solving any literacy crisis is about discovering new and different ways to incentivize children to engage in reading — and that will usually depend on their individual interests. “Helping [children]find the right reading materials (even digitally) can remind them that reading is not a chore and can help them learn about their favorite sports stars, unique animals in nature, how to solve a problem, etc.,” Mitchell advised.
One thing parents can do is model good reading habits for their children. (Yes, that includes you, Gen Z parents.)
This starts with reading to your kids while they’re still babies and toddlers. Even if the child is too young to read, there are several benefits of constant exposure to books. This can include “pretend reading for non-readers, or re-reading familiar books over and over again,” said Hupert. “Each of these kinds of activities helps children reinforce some of the foundational skills needed for later successful reading.”
“Something as small as reading aloud with expression to children offers repeated exposure to story structure, vocabulary and fluent phrasing,” said Mitchell. “Diving deeper into the text by having parents ask questions about the text, whether retelling the story or making inferences about the characters, can deepen their understanding of the text and thus create more engagement around reading.”
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We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.
Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.
And once they’re old enough to read on their own, keep setting that positive example: Grab that romantasy paperback that’s been collecting dust on your nightstand, pour yourself a cup of tea, and rediscover the art of reading yourself. “Preferably in print rather than on a screen,” reiterated Wexler. “Reading comprehension often suffers when people read on a screen.”
Prince William sees Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson as a “threat” — and this time, his father is backing him up to freeze them out.
The claim was made by royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams, who said King Charles and his heir finally see eye to eye on how to handle their ongoing “Andrew problem.”
“The king does have empathy as Andrew is his brother, but William sees the couple as a threat to the monarchy,” Fitzwilliams claimed to Fox News Digital.
From left: Prince Andrew, Duke of York, King Charles III and Prince William, Prince of Wales, attend Katharine, Duchess of Kent’s mass service at Westminster Cathedral on Sept. 16, 2025, in London, England. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
“The king welcomed Sarah Ferguson at Christmas out of sympathy for her illnesses and to give his beleaguered brother some slack,” he explained. “That’s no longer the case. The king will reportedly insist on a lower profile.”
“Prince William is focused on protecting the monarchy’s future and its public image, wanting Andrew completely frozen out,” British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. “He has been lobbying behind the scenes for more decisive measures, possibly pursuing the full removal of Andrew’s titles and formal roles — and even parliamentary action once he becomes king.”
Multiple royal experts claimed to Fox News Digital that Prince William (left, seen here with his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales) wants to swiftly address the “Andrew problem.”(Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images)
Fitzwilliams and Fordwich’s comments came shortly after sources close to the king, 76, told the U.K. Times he will not welcome the Duke and Duchess of York during the holidays this year.
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, attends the Christmas service at Sandringham Church on Dec. 25, 2023 in Sandringham, Norfolk.(Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
According to insiders, Charles said he would keep the couple “at arm’s length” after it was revealed that Ferguson maintained ties with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein despite publicly denouncing him in 2011. The outlet also reported the king prefers the pair to remain “invisible.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace for comment.
Prince William reacts as he meets people during his visit to a new mental health hub run by the Jac Lewis Foundation in Wales on Sept. 10, 2025. (CHRIS JACKSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
“Prince William takes a far more appropriate approach to future-proofing the monarchy,” Fordwich said. “The king’s reluctance has been on full display. His hesitation has been seen publicly as naïve and risky, eroding faith in the monarchy.”
Author Andrew Lownie told Vanity Fair’s Katie Nicholl in a new report that Prince William (right) has “no time” for his disgraced uncle.(Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
“Andrew isn’t going to behave. The king can’t remove his brother, so they need to manage him since his presence is an existential threat,” said Fordwich. “Prince William supports a clean break and has reportedly considered banning Andrew from all official events.”
Prince Andrew, the disgraced Duke of York, stepped back as a senior royal in 2019.(REUTERS/Chris Radburn)
“It’s something that William is acutely aware of and wants resolved,” a family friend told Nicholl. “Charles is not a confrontational person and doesn’t want any more family feuds, but he recognizes that his brother poses challenges. William takes a harder line and has made it clear that he thinks his uncle and aunt could cause the monarchy real reputational damage.”
WATCH: PRINCE ANDREW, JEFFREY EPSTEIN HAD MONEY AND SEX IN COMMON: AUTHOR
“My prediction is that over the next few months, we’ll see more overt moves from William,” Fordwich said.
Andrew Lownie, author of “Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York,” told Nicholl that Charles and William had disagreed on what to do. His book takes a deep look at the Duke and Duchess of York’s ties to Epstein.
Jeffrey Epstein (far left) is seen here during Royal Ascot. According to published reports, this took place in 2020. Epstein was said to be invited by Prince Andrew.(Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
“I’m told William’s view is that his father needs to take a firmer line with Andrew,” Lownie claimed to Nicholl.
“William, as future king, will have to deal with the fallout from this. He wants this problem solved and has no sentimental attachment to Andrew. He has no time for Andrew, and he can see how toxic the Yorks are.”
“Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York” by Andrew Lownie is available now.(Westminster Press)
Last week, Ferguson was dropped as a patron for several charities after leaked emails showed she once called Epstein a “steadfast, generous and supreme friend.” A representative for Ferguson, 65, did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
“I know you feel hellaciously let down by me from what you were either told or read, and I must humbly apologize to you and your heart for that,” Ferguson allegedly wrote, as reported by the U.K.’s Daily Mail.
The U.K.’s Daily Mail reported that Sarah Ferguson is at risk of losing her “Freedom of the City” title.(Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
“I was advised, in no uncertain terms, to have nothing to do with you and to not speak or email you, and if I did, I would cause more problems to you, [Prince Andrew] and myself,” she continued. “I was instructed to act with the utmost speed if I were to have any chance of holding on to my career as a children’s book author and a children’s philanthropist.”
Prince Andrew isn’t the only one being examined in Andrew Lownie’s book. The royal’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, is also heavily discussed in the book.(Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
In a statement to The Guardian, a representative for Ferguson said she stands by her public condemnation of Epstein.
“Like many people, she was taken in by [Epstein’s] lies. As soon as she was aware of the extent of the allegations against him, she not only cut off contact but condemned him publicly, to the extent that he then threatened to sue her for defamation for associating him with pedophilia,” the statement read. “She does not resile from anything she said then. This email was sent in the context of advice the duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats.”
King Charles was crowned in May 2023.(Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images)
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that William’s no-nonsense leadership is needed now more than ever at the palace.
King Charles attends a commissioning ceremony for HMS Agamemnon, an Astute-class nuclear-powered submarine, at BAE Systems’ shipyard on Sept. 22, 2025, in Barrow-in-Furness, northwest England.(Paul Ellis – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“King Charles moved ahead with the soft, kid-gloves approach,” she said. “It hasn’t worked. He has no choice but to take Prince William’s hard-line stance. William has no time for his uncle or for Fergie. He wants them banished — or at least kept out of sight, out of mind.”
Friends of the duchess told the U.K. Times she was “devastated by the embarrassment” from the email scandal and “will explain herself to the wider royal family in due course.”
Prince William (seen here with his wife Kate Middleton), is heir to the British throne.(Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)
A friend of the king also told the U.K. Times the monarch wants the couple out of the spotlight.
The Duke and Duchess of York were married from 1986 to 1996.(Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)
“The king is not of the mind to banish someone worshipping at church or attending family occasions like a funeral,” said the source. “But he would hope they would find a more discreet way of attending these events. In the Duke of York’s case, he seems to relish the prospect of not being low-key about it.”
It’s a major blow for Ferguson, who was brought back into the royal circle after the king’s ascension in 2022. Since becoming king, he has welcomed her to royal gatherings.
The Duke and Duchess of York divorced in 1996.
Queen Elizabeth II is seen here attending the Service of Thanksgiving in 2022 with Prince Andrew. England’s longest-reigning monarch died later that year at age 96.(Richard Pohle – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“I’ve known the king all my life and I absolutely adore him,” Ferguson told the U.K. Times last year. “He’s kind and makes me laugh, and I love that he still calls me Fergie.”
Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were both indicted on federal sex trafficking charges stemming from Epstein’s years of abuse of underage girls. (Joe Schildhorn/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
She also expressed her wish to do more public work for the royal family, telling the outlet, “I wish they’d ask me to do more.”
According to a spokesman for the duchess, she sent the email after Epstein threatened to “destroy the York family” during a “Hannibal Lecter-style” phone call. Ferguson was said to be “mortified” and had been advised that taking a personal approach to Epstein could end his legal threats.
According to reports, the publication of Sarah Ferguson’s children’s book has been postponed.(Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
But the damage is done. Ferguson’s children’s book, which was scheduled to be published next month, has been postponed until next year. Actress Natalie Dormer, who plays the duchess in an upcoming ITV drama, has also pulled out of promoting the show. Instead, she is donating to charities for abused children.
Natalie Dormer attends the White Hat Ball 2025 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel on Jan. 24, 2025, in London, England. The actress is refusing to promote the upcoming show “The Lady” after Sarah Ferguson’s 2011 email referring to Jeffrey Epstein as a “supreme friend” became public.(Dave Benett/Getty Images)
The Daily Mail reported that Ferguson is at risk of losing her honorary “Freedom of the City of York” title. The City Council will consider the move before its November meeting.
Andrew lost the same title three years ago. He stepped back as a senior royal in 2019 due to his controversial ties to Epstein.
“The Epstein circle of shame and intense scrutiny will continue,” Chard warned. “Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s mere association with Epstein has brought public humiliation and damage to not only their reputation but that of the monarchy’s, too. This is a long-term scandal that I believe is here to stay. This scandal will do irreversible damage to the monarchy if Andrew and Sarah are continuously seen out and about with the royal family, whether in private or not.”
Prince Andrew, Duke of York, attends the traditional Easter Sunday service at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle on April 20, 2025, in Windsor, England.(Justin Goff Photos/Getty Images)
“Prince Andrew pushes boundaries — give him an inch and he’ll take a mile. Andrew and Sarah have become a toxic brand,” Chard added.
Jeffrey Epstein was found dead on Aug. 10, 2019.(Rick Friedman/Rick Friedman Photography/Corbis via Getty Images)
Epstein was found dead in his New York jail cell weeks after his 2019 arrest. The American financier, 66, was awaiting trial on U.S. federal sex trafficking charges involving dozens of teenage girls and young women, some as young as 14. Investigators ruled his death a suicide.
Epstein’s former girlfriend, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, was convicted in 2021 of helping lure teenage girls to be abused by him. The 63-year-old is serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, attends the traditional Easter Sunday service at St. George’s Chapel on April 20, 2025, in Windsor, England. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Ferguson, who remained close to Andrew after their divorce, stood by her ex-husband as he faced sexual assault allegations tied to Epstein.
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Prince Philip was known for firing off swear-filled remarks — and palace staff quickly learned to keep up.
Grant Harrold, King Charles III’s former butler, has written a memoir, “The Royal Butler: My Remarkable Life in Royal Service.” In it, the etiquette expert described how he overheard “a few choice words” from the late Duke of Edinburgh at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in 2018.
“Once all the formalities were over, we watched as the happy couple, and then the other members of the royal family, filed out of the chapel,” Harrold wrote. “When Prince Philip came out, he turned to the queen and said, ‘Thank f— that’s over.’”
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (right) and Queen Elizabeth II depart a Service of Commemoration for troops who were stationed in Afghanistan on March 13, 2015, in London, England.(Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Archewell, which handles the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, told Fox News Digital they had no comment.
Prince Philip had a few choice words at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018.(Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images)
“One thing I became very aware of was that he said it as it was,” Harrold said. “He didn’t hold back. He was well known for using his alternative words, let’s put it that way. As I mentioned regarding his comment, when he came out of the chapel, that was what I had witnessed over the years. That’s how he was.”
WATCH: PRINCE PHILIP WAS AN OUTSPOKEN ROYAL WHO NEVER HELD BACK: BUTLER
“He would come out with these classic lines and then follow up with … a swear word or something,” Harrold said. “I always remember this one time … I think I was cleaning up after breakfast in the dining room. I looked outside and saw this gentleman walking around. Immediately, I recognized it was Prince Philip. … I went to one of the other butlers and said, ‘Should we go out and see if he needs anything?’ They all looked at me and said, ‘No!’ And I said, ‘Why?’ They all continued, ‘No, no, no!’”
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh attends the wedding of Princess Eugenie of York to Jack Brooksbank at St. George’s Chapel on Oct. 12, 2018, in Windsor, England.(Alastair Grant – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“I think they were a bit nervous of him,” Harrold said with a chuckle. “He was blunt … he wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, if I can say that. … But I adored Prince Philip. That’s what I liked about him. I liked the fact that he didn’t suffer fools, and he did speak his mind.”
Grant Harrold’s memoir, “The Royal Butler: My Remarkable Life in Royal Service,” is out now.(Pegasus Books)
“The household’s a big organization. There are a lot of people telling you what to do, where to go, your schedules, who you’re meeting, who you’re speaking to, this car’s going to get you there, this helicopter’s going to do this. Normally, the royals just go with it. But Philip would be like, ‘Why?’”
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, smiles after unveiling a plaque at the end of his visit to Richmond Adult Community College on June 8, 2015, in London, England. (Matt Dunham – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“He didn’t mince his words,” Harrold said. “If he swore at you, he swore at you. But people liked it when he swore at you. … If he swore at you, that was you getting to see the real Prince Philip, which many people liked.”
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard shared a similar sentiment.
“Perpetually in hot water over his inappropriate comments, Prince Philip was a hoot to be around. With a permanent glint in his eye, Philip was the rock that kept Queen Elizabeth smiling. Although on one occasion she was horrified when a family member remarked on her flawless complexion and Philip piped up, ‘Yes, and she’s like that all over.’”
“As a photographer, I suffered the wrath of Prince Philip’s tongue,” Chard recalled. “An impatient Philip peered at me and quipped, ‘Oh no, not you again.’ I didn’t take it personally. It actually broke the ice, and I clinched that winning shot.”
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is seen riding a mini ‘Easy-Rider’ motorbike as he attends the Royal Windsor Horse Show in Home Park on May 16, 2002, in Windsor, England.(Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Famously, in 2015, Philip attended an event in London to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain between the Royal Air Force and the German Luftwaffe. On video, a frustrated Philip was heard telling a photographer, “Just take the f—–g picture!”
British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital the U.K. press loved capturing the one-liners Philip was bound to make at royal engagements.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip married on Nov. 20, 1947, at Westminster Abbey in London.(Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
“Regarding his daughter Princess Anne’s love for horses, he said in the 1970s, ‘If it doesn’t fart or eat hay, she isn’t interested,’” Fordwich said. “In the 1980s, he remarked about the Duke and Duchess of York’s house that ‘it looks like a tart’s bedroom.’”
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Queen Elizabeth II watch the England vs. Wales women’s hockey match at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre on July 24, 2014, in Glasgow, Scotland. Over the years, Philip’s remarks got him in hot water.(Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
During the recession in 1981, Philip was reported to have said, ‘Everybody was saying we must have more leisure. Now they are complaining they are unemployed.’”
Philip developed a reputation for being impatient, demanding and blunt to the point of rudeness, The Associated Press reported. The outlet said many criticized his behavior, labeling it racist, sexist, or out of touch.
In this Aug. 1951 photo, Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, stands with her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and their children Prince Charles and Princess Anne at Clarence House, the royal couple’s London residence.(AP Photo/Eddie Worth)
In 1995, for example, he asked a Scottish driving instructor, “How do you keep the natives off the booze long enough to pass the test?” Seven years later in Australia, while visiting Aboriginal people with the queen, he asked, “Do you still throw spears at each other?” On a visit to a military barracks, he asked a sea cadet instructor if she worked in a strip club.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh during a visit to Hereford, U.K., circa 1996.(Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
Fordwich noted that in 1986, during a state visit to China, Philip reportedly told a British student, “If you stay here much longer, you will go home with slitty eyes.”
In 1994, while visiting the Cayman Islands, he also reportedly said, “Aren’t most of you descended from pirates?”
Prince Harry (left) salutes as he stands alongside his grandfather, Prince Philip, during their visit to the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey in central London on Nov. 10, 2016.(Eddie Mulholland/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner previously told Fox News Digital he was familiar with Philip’s blistering words.
In this Aug. 2, 2017, photo, Prince Philip, in his role as Captain General of the Royal Marines, attends a parade on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace, in central London. (Hannah McKay/Pool via AP)
“There are many expletives that could describe Philip, who was known for his outspoken views on anyone who would care to listen,” Turner said. “I used to be a royal photographer. Whenever I was given that task, I would check my life insurance, as he could be dangerous at times, especially when he was on his horse and carriage.”
“More than once, he would … full charge towards me,” he recalled. “Once I had to dive into a thorn bush to get out of his way, and he muttered a similar oath to me, even though I was doing his carriage championships a massive favor. In reality, he was my least popular royal to work with. He led his own life. … So, swearing after [Meghan and Harry’s] wedding is just par for a man who thought he could get away with his behavior.”
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh pictured on Jan. 6, 2020, in the quadrangle of Windsor Castle.(Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty Images)
Philip spent more than seven decades supporting his wife, England’s longest-reigning monarch. In his lifetime, he fulfilled more than 20,000 royal engagements to promote British interests at home and abroad. He died in 2021 at age 99.
Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com.
What is it all for, these early mornings and evenings in the park with her notebook? The bruises and the pain? She wonders about it many times, but is quiet, self-conscious. She does not spend too much time trying to answer the question. And whatever answers she comes by are less interesting, anyway, than the quality of the light at dawn, and the crash of bodies, and what she’s recording in the notebook.
The boys don’t wonder—not about her, whom they do not see, or about injuries, which happen all the time. She envies them for their obliviousness. She worships—not too strong a word—their hardening, growing bodies, their virility, their youth. They play footy, Australian-rules football, as if it is their birthright, and, in her view, it is.
She is Helen Garner, one of Australia’s best-known writers, renowned for her unsparing novels and journalism, and for her complex view of intimacy and power relations. Garner hasn’t written a stand-alone book in a decade. She hesitates to tell people she is writing one about watching her grandson playing for the U-16 Flemington Colts. “I keep quiet about this,” she writes in “The Season: A Fan’s Story,” “ because I don’t want people to think I’m romanticising it, or to reproach me for not writing about women’s footy.” But she is romanticizing it, and she is certainly not writing about women’s footy. Later in the book, she notes, “I’m surprised how many people jump to the conclusion that it’s something polemical, a critical study of football culture and its place in society, informative, analytical, statistical.” It is, in fact, specifically uncritical—admiring, even awestruck. What she wants to create, instead, is “a little life-hymn. A poem. A record of a season we are spending together before he turns into a man and I die.”
To do this, “I’m going to have to find a way to efface myself, to become a silent witness,” she writes. Because it is a man’s world, a young man’s world at that, and she is neither a man nor a young person. She is not interested in condemning men and their regimes, not now, at the end of her life. The opposite: before she dies, she wants to feel close to her grandson. She wants to take this chance “to learn about boys and men from a fresh angle, to see their delicacy, their fragility, what they’re obliged to do to themselves in order to live in this world, the codes of behaviour they’ve had to develop in order to discipline and sublimate their drive to violence.” So she watches them shove one another, and embrace one another, and yell. She notes their haircuts, the shape of their shoulders, and records their insults, grievances, their hopes and dreams. She says she does not know much about the nuances of the sport, which is hard to believe; she has been fervently following the local team for more than twenty years. But it is easy to forgive her, at least for a reader from the United States, who is unlikely to know even the basic rules. And it might as well be about American football, or hockey, or basketball, or any other activity in which people collide into one another and call it sport. What is a “torp”? Who cares. What matters is the “crazed, cracked-voiced yelling” when the kick soars enormously into the air: “And ’e’s gorn the TOOOOOORP!”
The rich language around the game makes her feel alive. Her grandson, Amby, makes her feel alive. He is shining with life, and so are his teammates. She basks in their glow. She offers them orange slices like a supplicant: “It’s an honour and a joy to serve them.” At times—at many times, to be honest—it’s all a little too much. An honor? Reading the book, I felt as skeptical as the old lefty atheist who snorts when Garner calls a stadium a “shrine.” But she is sincere, and she has the weight of so much history, and so many cultural legacies, behind her. She may or may not know footy, but she knows Milton and Homer. She sees her grandson and his teammates in epic terms, and writes about them with a bard’s sonorous cadence. “Here again tonight, hanging over the rail, I see the softness in the faces of these boys, the slenderness, still, of their bodies. How lightly they leap towards the approaching ball, present their chests and bellies to it front-on!”
How would this go over if she weren’t a nana? Not very well, I suspect, and maybe not very well anyway. Garner’s an avowed feminist, but her investigations into the ways that people—which is to say, usually, but not exclusively, men—use sex and gender to arrange power relations have, at times, been sympathetic to men, and have not always absolved women of the roles they play. (Her book about a 1991 sexual-assault scandal at a university, “The First Stone,” is subtitled “Some Questions About Sex and Power.”) Even here, women don’t always come out very well, if they’re there at all. She tells Amby the story of Achilles, whose “cold, angry mother” refused to let the name of the exiled Patroclus be written on Achilles’ tombstone. There’s a “woman in black” who mysteriously ignites a brawl. “Girls,” Amby says at one point, “the bane of my existence.” At one point, he tells his nana that he called someone on the field “a cunt” in a match. “Was he offended?” Garner asks. “I don’t think so,” Amby replies. Was she offended? She never says.
A federal judge on Thursday approved a $1.5 billion settlement between artificial intelligence company Anthropic and authors who allege nearly half a million books had been illegally pirated to train chatbots.
U.S. District Judge William Alsup issued the preliminary approval in San Francisco federal court Thursday after the two sides worked to address his concerns about the settlement, which will pay authors and publishers about $3,000 for each of the books covered by the agreement. It does not apply to future works.
“This is a fair settlement,” Alsup said, though he added that distributing it to all parties will be “complicated.” About 465,000 books are on the list of works pirated by Anthropic, according to Justin Nelson, an attorney for the authors.
“We have some of the best lawyers in America in this courtroom and if anyone can do it, you can,” Alsup said.
The Association of American Publishers called the settlement a “major step in the right direction in holding AI developers accountable for reckless and unabashed infringement.”
“Anthropic is hardly a special case when it comes to infringement. Every other major AI developer has trained their models on the backs of authors and publishers, and many have sourced those works from the most notorious infringing sites in the world,” said Maria A. Pallante, president and CEO of the publisher group.
San Francisco-based Anthropic said it is pleased with the preliminary approval.
“The decision will allow us to focus on developing safe AI systems that help people and organizations extend their capabilities, advance scientific discovery, and solve complex problems. As we’ve consistently maintained, the court’s landmark June ruling that AI training constitutes transformative fair use remains intact. This settlement simply resolves narrow claims about how certain materials were obtained,” said Aparna Sridhar, deputy general counsel at Anthropic.
The Authors Guild, meanwhile, said the settlement “marks a milestone in authors’ fights against AI companies’ theft of their works. It sends a clear signal to AI companies that infringement of authors’ rights comes at a steep price and will undoubtedly push AI companies towards acquiring the books they want legally, through licensing.”
A Monday filing sought to convince the judge that the parties have set up a system designed to get out robust notice to all authors and publishers covered by the agreement, ensuring they get their cut of the pot if they want to sign off on the settlement or opt out to protect their legal rights moving forward.
They also tried to assure him that the author and publishers group that cobbled the deal together are not doing any “back room” dealings that would hurt lesser-known authors.
Alsup’s main concern centered on how the claims process will be handled in an effort to ensure everyone eligible knows about it so the authors don’t “get the shaft.” He had set a Sept. 22 deadline for submitting a claims form for him to review before Thursday’s hearing to review the settlement again.
The judge had raised worries about two big groups connected to the case — the Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers — working “behind the scenes” in ways that could pressure some authors to accept the settlement without fully understanding it.
Attorneys for the authors said in Monday’s filing they believe the settlement will result in a high claims rate, respects existing contracts and is “consistent with due process” and the court’s guidance.
Alsup had dealt the case a mixed ruling in June, finding that training AI chatbots on copyrighted books wasn’t illegal but that Anthropic wrongfully acquired millions of books through pirate websites to help improve its Claude chatbot.
Bestselling thriller novelist Andrea Bartz, who sued Anthropic with two other authors last year, said in a court declaration ahead of the hearing that she strongly supports the settlement and will work to explain its significance to fellow writers.
“Together, authors and publishers are sending a message to AI companies: You are not above the law, and our intellectual property isn’t yours for the taking,” she wrote.
Alsup also said in the courtroom Thursday that he plans to step down from the bench by the end of the year. President Bill Clinton nominated him for the federal bench in 1999.
Prince William was determined to win Kate Middleton back for good.
In 2007, the couple got back together after their headline-making split earlier that year. And on Valentine’s Day 2008, the now heir to the British throne was eager to show his former flatmate that he was in it for the long haul.
Grant Harrold, King Charles III’s former butler who served a romantic dinner for the pair, has written a memoir, “The Royal Butler: My Remarkable Life in Royal Service.” The etiquette expert told Fox News Digital that William wanted to prove to Kate that he was “serious” about their relationship’s future.
Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales (left) and Prince William, Prince of Wales attend a ceremonial welcome for France’s president and his wife at Windsor Castle on July 8, 2025.(Dominique Jacovides/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
“When they got back together, it was fresh, it was like a double boost,” said Harrold. “They both were making more of an effort. … [They had] this romantic dinner for Valentine’s Day, which they asked me to do, which they had never done before. They hadn’t done anything like that before. Suddenly, they wanted to do that. I felt that [William] was saying, ‘Look, I’m serious. This is going to up a level.’ That’s what I felt.”
“And, of course, a few years after that, they carried on,” Harrold shared. “It was almost like a reset button, but this was serious. The first time around, it was boyfriend-girlfriend, ‘Oh, let’s eat here, let’s chill here, let’s do that.’ Suddenly, it was a bit more, ‘I’m serious, and I’m going to show you I’m serious.’ That’s how it came across, which was amazing.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales met as students studying at St. Andrews University in Scotland. (John Stillwell – Pool/Getty Images)
William and Kate first went public with their relationship in 2004. Over the years, Harrold suggested to William and Kate that they have a formal dinner where he could serve them. The couple “laughed it off,” telling Harrold that they didn’t want too much fuss. But leading up to Valentine’s Day 2008, William suddenly approached Harrold one day and said, “OK, let’s do a dinner, if you’re happy to.”
WATCH: PRINCE WILLIAM’S ROMANTIC MOVE FOR KATE MIDDLETON REVEALED BY ROYAL BUTLER
Harrold told Fox News Digital he was delighted to help the lovebirds enjoy a cozy dinner at Highgrove House, the royal family’s country retreat. William and Kate had been back together for nearly six months at the time and were “closer than ever.”
Harrold admitted he was “really gutted” after William and Kate initially called it quits.
Kate Middleton (seen here) and Prince William broke up in 2007. They quickly got back together later that year.(Jules Annan/Avalon/Getty Images)
“I got to know her from the early days as much as I knew William and got on with both of them,” he explained.
Grant Harrold’s memoir, “The Royal Butler: My Remarkable Life in Royal Service,” is out now.(Pegasus Books)
“From a selfish point of view, I always thought, ‘It’s going to be so cool when they get married and eventually become the Prince and Princess of Wales because I was there in the early days.’ … I wanted them to be the perfect royal couple. So, when they split up, I think the first I knew of it was, well, she disappeared. We didn’t see her. And then I started hearing the news reports.”
“I didn’t say anything to William because … the whole thing was just awkward,” Harrold admitted. “But she had disappeared, and I hated it. And a few of the household members, we spoke about it. We all thought it was quite sad.”
Kate Middleton and Prince William attend Harry Meade and Rosie Bradford’s wedding at the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul on Oct. 23, 2010, in Northleach near Cheltenham, England.(Indigo/Getty Images)
In his book, Harrold wrote that he was “absolutely gutted” when William and Kate broke up. He had befriended Kate and felt she was a perfect match for the prince. Still, Harrold noted that the press scrutiny Kate experienced in the early days of her courtship with William was “awful.”
Few people knew they quietly got back together before it hit the news.
WATCH: PRINCE WILLIAM, THE FUTURE KING, IS FULL OF SURPRISES: ROYAL BUTLER
When it came to Valentine’s Day, Harrold wanted to help William make it extra special for Kate.
“I felt truly honored and delighted that William had taken me up on my offer,” he wrote. “Even though it was a typically chilly February evening, we planned for it to be outside the main house, at the top of the Thyme Walk, the stunning avenue of clipped golden yew and herb bushes bound on two sides by a pleached hornbeam hedge that leads down to the lily pond at the bottom.”
Prince William and Kate Middleton pose for photos at St. James Palace on Nov. 16, 2010, in London, England after announcing their engagement.(Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
“What a far cry it was from the previous summer when, at a big party held in the Orchard Room (the large venue across from Highgrove, which was perfect for hosting private and public events), I’d seen Kate standing on her own with no one talking to her,” Harrold continued.
Grant Harrold served as butler for Kate Middleton and Prince William’s romantic Valentine’s Day dinner in 2008 at Highgrove House in the U.K.(Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
“It was a time when she and William had just gotten back together, but at the party, no one was taking any notice of her. Not everybody was aware they were back together, so some people didn’t know whether to speak to her or not.”
“When you think of the stunning, elegant princess she blossomed into, it was possibly the last time she could have been at an event and remained anonymous,” he added.
Prince William and Kate Middleton visit the University of St. Andrews as part of its 600th anniversary celebrations on Feb. 25, 2011, in Glenrothes, Scotland.(Indigo/Getty Images)
Harrold worked in the king’s household from 2004 to 2011. He was there for William and Kate’s wedding in 2011.
Prince William and Kate Middleton were married on April 29, 2011, at Westminster Abbey in London(Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)
“I left after they got married, so at least I got to actually see that part of their lives,” he said. “And it was a good time also to have left because they left Highgrove. My role would [not have] been looking after them anymore, and I loved looking after them.”
Kate Middleton (center) is seen here with Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince William and her two young children, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, during King Charles III’s coronation in May 2023 in London.(Neil Mockford/Getty Images)
“I [knew it] before the breakup,” he said. “They were so sweet together. I remember thinking I couldn’t see William with anyone else. I couldn’t see them with anyone else. It wouldn’t feel right, it was with anyone else.
Kate Middleton visits the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, on Feb. 25, 2011. She married Prince William in April of that year.(CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images)
“I could see qualities that she’d be very good at royal duties. You could see she was very focused. She was very good at keeping him right. … When he used to go off and do stuff, she would give him the once-over and give him encouragement. I’m thinking that’s amazing because that’s exactly what I imagine you want your future wife to be like.”
Grant Harrold told Fox News Digital Kate Middleton reminds him of her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana. (Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
“Now, they always say that you marry your mother, don’t they?” said Harrold. “That’s what they say. They always say you marry the mother from the man’s point of view. … I didn’t know Diana, but what I’ve been told and what I’d seen of her … you’d see that shyness, that softly spoken voice, and a very elegant, gentle way of doing things. And the public had taken to her the same way they did with Diana. … Thankfully, history is very different this time around.”
Catherine, Princess of Wales meets schoolchildren during a visit to Farnborough Road Infant and Junior School on Sept. 23, 2025 in Southport, England. The Prince and Princess of Wales carried out engagements to show their ongoing support for the community following the attack in July 2024, in which three girls were tragically killed at a dance class in the town.(Eddie Mulholland – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“Obviously, it’s sad what she’s gone through, which is awful for her,” he said, referring to Kate’s recent cancer battle. “But it’s also given her even more support openly from the British public, the Commonwealth, and other countries. Even though it’s horrendous for her to go through this … it’s shown her the love there is for her. … I think Diana’s support came from the divorce. That’s where she got a lot of support. But for Kate, she’s getting support through her health battles.”
Kate and William’s enduring bond also reminds Harrold of the late Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip. The Duke of Edinburgh, described by the monarch as her “strength and stay,” spent more than seven decades supporting his wife.
In this Aug. 1951 photo, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, stands with her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and their children Prince Charles and Princess Anne at Clarence House, the royal couple’s London residence.(AP Photo/Eddie Worth)
“The love, the companionship, the support, the working relationship, the friendship — it reminds me of the Queen and Prince Philip,” he said. “[And Kate’s] very much the fairytale that we thought we had back in 1981 when Prince Charles and his then Princess of Wales [got married]. Once again, we have a Prince and Princess of Wales that everybody loves.”
Kate Middleton is seen arriving at the state banquet with Prince William on Sept. 17, 2025 in Windsor, England.(PHIL NOBLE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
“I think this is … a long-term partnership between the two of them,” he said. “They’re in it for the whole way, literally till death do them part completely.”
Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com.
Princess Diana had an unexpected political ally during the public breakdown of her marriage.
Royal author Valentine Low has written a new book, “Power and the Palace,” which details the relationship between the British royal family and the government over the years.
In the book, Low describes how former Prime Minister Sir John Major quietly served as a mediator between the “warring Waleses” while also being a “sympathetic listener to Diana at a time when she felt at her most alone.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales attend a welcome ceremony in Toronto at the beginning of their Canadian tour, in October 1991. Their separation was announced the following year.(Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images)
Fox News Digital reached out to Major, 82, for comment.
“People don’t realize this about John Major, but he … is a very warm, empathetic man,” Low told Fox News Digital. “He did his best to talk to both Charles and Diana at that time. … He wasn’t going to try and bring them back together again, but he was trying to make sure that the whole crisis passed off without too much unnecessary drama, unnecessary unpleasantness, and that afterward, Diana would find some kind of role.”
Prince Charles and Princess Diana married on July 29, 1981, at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.(Anwar Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)
“I think it was very important in John Major’s eyes that Diana found a role after separating from Charles,” Low added.
WATCH: PRINCESS DIANA FOUND AN UNEXPECTED ALLY DURING MARRIAGE CRISIS: BOOK
According to the book, Alex Allan, Major’s private secretary, said the prime minister had “a number of sessions with both Charles and Diana.” When one royal had a meeting with him, the other would quickly ask if they could have a sit-down too.
Allan noted that while Major was not trying to stop the separation, he was “quite concerned” about Diana, in particular. Lord Butler, who was cabinet secretary at the time, felt that Major offered Diana “a shoulder to cry on.”
The former Prince Charles, seen here in an undated photo attending the Smith’s Lawn Polo Club with Princess Diana, couldn’t give up his longtime love, Camilla Parker Bowles.(Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
“Diana tragically relied on numerous mystics, astrologers and spiritualists as she was so desperately lonely,” royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital. “Major was soft-spoken and had a personable manner. His approach as broker endeared him to both Charles and Diana, winning the trust of the warring parties, in itself a monumental feat.”
Valentine Low’s book, “Power and the Palace,” is out now.(Headline Press)
“Diana talked to people when she felt relaxed in their company,” British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital. “I imagine Major offered Diana a safe space. However, he would have also been concerned about … Diana’s future position. He wanted to ensure a smooth separation process.”
Princess Diana and Prince Charles visited South Korea in Nov. 1992,for an official royal tour. That visit was dubbed “the glum tour” by the press. Just a few weeks later, then–Prime Minister John Major announced their separation.(Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
“Major would come and visit Diana quite frequently in the run-up to the separation and afterward,” said Jephson.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, seen here in 1991, became known as “the warring Waleses.”(Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
“They would have tea, just the two of them. It was great, because always afterward, she was encouraged, she was buoyed up. She would refer to him fondly as ‘the Hon. John.’ … I got the very clear message that he enjoyed those meetings. He was there to be an honest broker, to be a source of practical help if she needed it, and to help her find happiness. Or at least contentment in what she was doing.”
Low told Fox News Digital that Major has always been fiercely protective of his private conversations with Diana. Major never wanted to exploit Diana’s trust, Low pointed out.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana during their honeymoon at Balmoral in Scotland.(Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
“I’d like to say something about what John Major’s private conversations with Diana revealed, because I’m sure they revealed all sorts of absolutely fascinating things,” said Low. “But John Major is one of the most discreet people known to man and has given away no details whatsoever about his conversations with any member of the royal family and never will.”
Portrait of British Prime Minister John Major at a press conference in Beijing, China, circa 1990s. Major was in office from 1990 to 1997.(Forrest Anderson/Getty Images)
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital he believed that Major’s concerns for Diana were the real deal.
“I worked behind the scenes with the John Major government,” he explained.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s divorce was finalized in 1996.(Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
“I played a very small part in him becoming prime minister and then was asked to take his official inaugural photographs … The reality is, John Major understood loneliness. … When he saw the emotions in Diana, he reached out to help her. He saw it as his constitutional duty, but also, Major came from a middle-class background, unlike his contemporaries, who came from wealthy backgrounds.”
Diana, Princess of Wales, is seen here in an undated photo attending a banquet in Munich, Germany, wearing the Spencer Tiara. She became known as “The People’s Princess.”(Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
“Diana was ‘The People’s Princess,’” Turner pointed out. “Major was very much a man for the people. So intuitively, he offered support. It was in his power to help, but also in his heart too.”
Still, Fitzwilliams believed Major “undoubtedly misled Parliament” when he announced in 1992 that Charles and Diana had decided to separate but had “no plans to divorce.”
“That was hardly practical,” said Fitzwilliams.
Diana, Princess of Wales, wearing a stunning black dress commissioned from Christina Stambolian, attends the Vanity Fair party at the Serpentine Gallery on Nov. 20, 1994, in London, England. The famous black “revenge dress” was a spectacular coup by the princess, worn on the very evening that Prince Charles made his notorious adultery admission on television.(Anwar Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)
For four more years, Charles and Diana continued to tear each other apart in public, Esquire reported. Each gave televised tell-alls about their crumbling union. In 1995, Diana famously sat down with the BBC’s “Panorama” and declared, “There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.” She was referring to her estranged husband’s mistress and longtime love, Camilla Parker Bowles.
The outlet noted that this was the last straw for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, who were still hoping the pair could work out their differences. The queen finally allowed them to get an official divorce.
The divorce was finalized in 1996.
Princess Diana’s famous “Panorama” interview with Martin Bashir aired on Nov. 20, 1995.(Pool Photograph/Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
“Diana essentially reinvented herself,” said Chard. “She recognized her superpower as ‘The People’s Princess’ and threw herself into charity work … and connecting with people.
The Prince and Princess of Wales sitting alongside Prime Minister John Major and the Duchess of York during the Pavarotti open air concert in Hyde Park on July 30, 1991.(PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)
“This led her to being known and loved as the ‘Queen of People’s Hearts.’ She felt free and independent away from the institution and realized how the media helped her tell her story and sway public opinion. She used the press strategically.”
A former royal aide also told Low that Major did his best to make Prince William and Prince Harry feel they were cared for as their parents’ breakup played out on the world stage.
“He was an important, sympathetic, helpful mentoring figure,” said the aide.
Prime Minister John Major announces the separation of Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, in the House of Commons on Dec. 9, 1992.(PA Images via Getty Images)
“He is a very genuine person, very natural,” Sir Malcolm Rifkind said, as quoted in Low’s book. “He is a very warm but also very astute person. He is the sort of person that, if you did have something very personal that you wanted to discuss in private, you would feel comfortable doing that.”
Princess Diana attended a performance of “Swan Lake” at the Royal Albert Hall in London on June 3, 1997. She died two months later.(Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
Major was in office from 1990 to 1997. Town & Country reported that following Diana’s death, Major was appointed special guardian to her sons, a role suggested by Charles. This made Major responsible for the legal and administrative matters relating to the princes.
Former Prime Minister John Major arrives at St. George’s Chapel during Garter Day, the 660th Anniversary Service, on June 16, 2008, in Windsor, England. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
In 2005, the queen appointed Major a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. Then in 2012, he became chairman of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust.
His relationship with the royal family remained close. Over the years, he appeared at events supporting the Trust, often alongside the queen or other members of the royal family, the outlet shared.
Prince Harry, Peter Phillips and former Prime Minister John Major (front) enjoy the atmosphere as they watch the Track Cycling on Day 11 of the London 2012 Olympic Games on Aug. 7, 2012, in London, England.(Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Major attended both Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton in 2011, and Prince Harry’s marriage to Meghan Markle in 2018. He also attended the queen’s funeral in 2022 and the more private service afterward.
Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com.
