Cormac McCarthy’s long-secret muse revealed to be a 16-year-old girl’s
Augusta Britt was just 16 when she met 42-year-old Cormac McCarthy at a Tucson motel pool. At the time, she was in and out of foster care – where she faced a lot of abuse and inappropriate attention from men – and saw some sense of security in McCarthy.

In a recent interview with Vanity FairShe recalls their long-standing relationship, which inspired many of the highly acclaimed author’s stories and characters. Some characters seem to reflect the unfair power dynamics that existed between Britt and McCarthy.

And, despite her slight discomfort in labeling McCarthy a complete groomer – although she called him out twice during the interview, and pointed out that he had been convicted of statutory rape (she was 17 and he was 43) and human trafficking. How the police were after her – she feels like they violated her, at least emotionally.

when he sent her the manuscript all the beautiful horsesShe expressed how sad it felt to see so much of her trauma on the page.

“The first thing I look at, obviously, is the title. And I thought, Oh my God! I started reading it, and it’s so full of me, and yet I’m not. It was very confusing. Very sad to read about Blevins being killed. I cried for many days. And I remember thinking to myself that being such a lover of books, I was surprised that writing about it didn’t seem romantic. I felt kind of violated. All these painful experiences resurfaced and turned into fantasy. I didn’t know how to talk to Cormac about this because Cormac was the most important person in my life. I wondered, was that all I was to him, a train wreck to write about?

“I was trying so hard to grow up and fix what was broken about me. I still thought I could be fixed. And that felt like the opposite of healing to me.

However, McCarthy isn’t the only person who should be looked at with a slant here. overall tone of Vanity Fair The article is closed. At times, it feels like it unnecessarily legitimizes McCarthy’s relationship and attraction to the teenager by saying things like “Cormac McCarthy fell in love with a 16-year-old girl when he was 42”, and It is sympathetic to McCarthy’s “dilemma.” There was “a beautiful 16-year-old runaway” sitting next to him at a motel pool.

It’s been around, and if you want to read the primary interview to see what we mean, visit Vanity Fair, Guardian is also a good summary,

Find more news and stories of interest from the book world Vandalism of books,
Germany, once dominant, is now in despair


Teathat finance The ministry of the southern German state of Baden-Wurttemberg, home to giants like Bosch, Mercedes and zf Not a bad place to check out Friedrichshafen, Germany’s concerns. The country is plagued by fears of de-industrialization as it heads into elections and it looks likely that its Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be forced out of his job if his party does not oust him first. That ministry official, Daniel Buys, is worried that Germany has ruined it “Globalization Dividend” Over the past 15 years, the public sector was underfunded in an era of low interest rates. Now, facing energy shortages, increasing competition from China and the possibility of Donald Trump’s America The minister fears that the country’s business model is “collapsing” due to the imposition of 10-20% tariffs on imports.

Germany Election 2025 Tracker: Who is leading in the polls?


The political home of Angela Merkel, who served as Chancellor for 16 years until 2021, is the coalition of Germany’s leading centre-right forces Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian sister party, the CSUOften referred to as “union” Christian Democratic Union,CSU Miles ahead in surveys. Its joint candidate, Friedrich Merzbecame the head of Christian Democratic Union In his third bid for the job in 2022. After a long career in politics Mr Merz went on to work as a corporate lawyer in 2009 and as an executive at BlackRock’s German branch as an asset manager, before a surprise comeback in 2018. Mr Merz will rule to Mrs Merkel’s right on migration and other issues, and take a much tougher stance on Russia than Mr Scholz. She is more popular than him spd rival, but is struggling to attract women and young voters.

Utah bans the 14th book from schools across the state

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Kelly is a former librarian and longtime blogger at STACKED. She is the editor/author of (Don’t) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices to Start the Conversation About Mental Health and the editor/author of Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World. Her next book, Body Talk, will be published in fall 2020. Follow them on Instagram @hackleyjensen,

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Utah passed one of the most restrictive book ban laws ever last legislative session and now, we are seeing the continued consequences of that new law. house bill 29 Allows parents to challenge books they deem to have “sensitive content”, as well as ban those books from public schools if they are deemed to contain “objective sensitive content” or “obscene”. goes. per state code In at least three school districts or two school districts and five charter schools statewide. This law means that once a book is banned in three public school districts or two districts and five charter schools, it is added to the statewide list of books banned from all those public institutions throughout Utah. .

The law, which took effect July 1, applied retroactively, meaning each school was required to submit to the Utah State Board of Education titles that were deemed against the law in their district. Now, whenever a public or charter school removes a book deemed to have “sensitive content,” they must notify the State Board of Education. If that book now meets the removal threshold, all schools will be notified and expected to dispose of it.

utah released this Preliminary list of statewide banned books in August. Those thirteen titles included:

Now, the state has added the 14th title to the list.

elizabeth scott’s living Dead GirlAn award-winning book for teens published in 2008. The 16-year-old book would need to be removed from every public school and charter district across the state.

The book was banned after reports of bans were compiled from districts across the state. Scott’s book was banned in Davis, Washington County and Tooele County schools. Everyone Public schools in the state will now have to dispose of the book. It’s unclear how, exactly, the district plans to get rid of the books, as the law imposes two conditions: The books cannot be sold or distributed. It is up to each district to create a policy, but questions arise as to what other methods of disposal will be implemented.

Worth noting is that every title except one on the state’s banned list is written by a woman. The average age of banned books statewide is 14 years old, which is a reminder that the majority of books are being censored across the country and especially in Utah.There are no “new” books anywhere,

Not only is this list a clear statement about the power that can be wielded by some people, it is also a statement about the state of public education. These book restrictions apply Only For public schools, opening those powerful groups to the convenient argument that if other parents don’t like the decision, they can send their students to private school or homeschool them. Utah also passed updated voucher scheme This past legislative session.



Add Amazon Music Unlimited Audiobooks benefit

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

Amazon makes an audible call

Amazon announced yesterday that subscription Amazon Music Unlimited in the US, UK, and Canada now includes one free audiobook per month From Audible’s catalogue. This is a clear move to strengthen Audible’s market position against Spotify Became the #2 provider of audiobooks That’s just three months after Spotify launched the audiobook benefit for Premium subscribers late last year. I’ve been waiting since January to see when and how Amazon will respond Leaked recording of all-hands call reveals Audible CEO Bob Carrigan’s fears Regarding the new contestant, and I think this drama can tell us some interesting things.

This move confirms that Amazon is definitely worried that Spotify is coming to eat Audible’s lunch. By May, six months after the audiobook launch, 25% of Spotify Premium subscribers had already joined its audiobook offeringAnd this number can only increase from then on. But they probably aren’t as concerned as they could be because they haven’t yet reached the big gun: Amazon Prime subscribers. Since Amazon is extremely stingy with its numbers, it’s impossible to know for sure, but it’s fair to assume that Amazon Music Unlimited is working with a much smaller user base than it is. Amazon Prime’s around 200 million. If or when this benefit is extended to Prime customers, we’ll know that Amazon has seen some troubling writing on the wall. Competition is good for the market and good for consumers, and personally, I’m glad to see someone finally really giving Audible a run for its money.

reading out of this world

Science fiction and fantasy fans, this one’s for you. Charlie Zane Anders presents a highlight reel 11 Best SFF Books of 2024And whatever your tastes, there’s something for you. If, like me, you’re weak in your appetite for SFF, you’ll find plenty of horizon-broadening options, too. I have an eye on it Our I’m grateful for the reminder of this since its release in February and in time for my year-end catchup reading.

receive your gift

It’s extremely difficult for book lovers to purchase, so we’ll take all the help we can get. ‘vulture’s book gift guide There is a good variety of new releases and new relevant backlist titles.

Power Rankings of Books of 1994

1994: Friend It was the newest show. Forrest Gump And pulp Fiction Competed for box office dominance. OJ Simpson was on trial. Kurt Cobain died and Green Day began DookieOprah’s book club wasn’t a thing yet. Jump in the DeLorean and join me and Jeff O’Neil Power Rankings of Books of 1994,

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Book Riot’s Deal of the Day for November 20th, 2024
book deals

The best book deals of the day, as chosen by Book Riot.

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Today’s Special Book Deal

In Case You Missed Yesterday’s Hottest Book Deals

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southern lit for days



Here in the South, fall is finally beginning to arrive. The leaves are changing colors and there is a crisp, cool note in the air. This time of year, I love to sit on my front porch with a Southern nonfiction book. There’s nothing like diving into a new book while wearing a chunky sweater and drinking warm apple cider. So, in honor of this tradition of mine, today we’re taking a look at some works by writers from the South.

Let’s pretend it never happened By Jenny Lawson

in his first memoir Let’s pretend it never happenedLawson describes her quirky family, sharing stories about her father’s passion for taxidermy and her husband’s baptism of fire. Lawson is chronically and mentally ill, and she weaves that experience into her memoir and her next book, Extremely happy and heartbroken (in the best possible way). She strikes the perfect balance between describing the challenges and the beautiful parts of life that make it worth it. Reading about her wild, Texan family and the everyday things in life that bring her joy helped me cope with my chronic illness and made me realize that, even though there are a lot of hard things that we all do as human beings, Still, there’s a lot of happiness out there.

Black People Could Fly: Selected Articles By Randall Kenyon

For most of his career, Randall Kenan was described as a “writer’s writer”, a writer who is not liked by the general public, but who people in his field genuinely respect and admire for his work. We do. But soon after Kenan’s death in 2020, his short story collection, if i had two wingswas longlisted for the National Book Award. Its reception introduced Kenan’s work to an entirely new audience. black people could fly It is a posthumous collection of non-fiction works from his entire career. In these essays, he writes about his childhood in rural North Carolina, moving to New York City to work on his writing career, and traveling across the country to interview black people about their experiences. Cannon always wondered what it means to be black in America today. Through his writing, we can see the progression of his thought process as he contemplates this question and reads other black writers on the topic.

Koshersol: An African American Jew’s Faith and Food Journey By Michael W. Twitty

Following the theme of his first book, Cooking GeneMichael W. Twitty is back to discuss more about how his identity is tied to the food in his life. Twitty is a Jewish black man who finds solace in celebrating both parts of his identity, especially how Jewish-African cuisine is unique and beautiful. The book is structured into a series of essays that examine Jewish-African culture and experiences from many different angles, always returning to food. koshersol It’s a beautiful tribute to Twitty’s faith and culture, which is reflected in the Southern food he cooks. Twitty’s writing always provides a unique perspective on the large role food plays in people’s lives and challenges readers to rethink how they view the role of food in their lives.

A Measure of Belonging: Twenty-One Writers of Color on the New American SouthEdited by Cinelle Barnes

The American South encompasses a diverse world of lived experiences. In this anthology, authors—like Keys Lemon, Joey Priest, and Natalia Sylvester—examine what it means to be a person of color in the South. Set in places like doctors’ offices and the DMV, these essays approach the subject of their lived experiences with race in very different ways. Editor Cinelle Barnes has done a great job of assembling a variety of essayists into the collection, creating a truly incredible anthology that highlights some of today’s most talented writers in the modern South. Plus, it’s out from my favorite Southern indie publisher, Hub City Press.

You can find me on my Substack Winchester Avenueon instagram @kdwinchesteron tiktok @centrewinchesteror on my podcast read appalachiaAs always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For more book content, You can find my articles on Book Riot,



4 legal books inspired by streaming legal procedural shows



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I recently started watching again boston legal On Hulu, which follows the internal politics of a law firm, the attorneys’ personal lives, and takes you into their current cases – courtroom scenes included! It’s from the early 2000s, and while it features ridiculous characters, antics, entertaining cases (including Betty White!), it also takes on serious matters (including the genocide in Darfur). This review inspired me to rewatch LA lawAlso on Hulu, which is similar in structure (turns out David E. Kelley was involved in both) but set in the 1980s. Both shows, especially LA Law, let me play one of my favorite games: Identify the actor before he gets famous!

I’ve loved legal procedures and legal nonfic since I was a kid – probably too young to fully understand half the information – mostly because I love seeing how things work and a process. Like to follow. Also, this overly simplistic idea/feeling that you can fight for something/someone and bring about change for good can prevail. During my re-watch, I decided to pick out elements from the show and recommend some books.

finding sophie By Imran Mahmood

A mystery with court scenes!

It is a mystery centered on a missing person’s case that alternates between recent chapters and the current court case. Harry and Zara are desperate to find their 17-year-old daughter. After canvassing the neighborhood asking questions of all the neighbors, Harry focuses on a neighbor who didn’t want to answer the door, while Zara delves into her daughter’s life to find clues. In the latest timeline, there is a court case that slowly unfolds from beginning to end…

through sorrow (Erin McCabe Mysteries #1) by Robin Giggle

Follow a lawyer and his case!

Sherrice, a Black transgender woman incarcerated in a men’s prison, says she killed John in self-defense while being hired for sex work. The John in question is the son of a prominent New Jersey man, so Erin McCabe has her work cut out to not only protect her client, but also McCabe and her ex-wife after witnesses die. FBI partner must survive…

a civil action by jonathan harr

Narrative non-fictional account of a real case.

There are many books that I like (just mercy, a knock at midnight, furious hours) which I could have used, but I thought I’d go with something I’ve never seen mentioned before, as well as go into the deep backlist since LA Law is such an ’80s show.

It will really sound like I’m telling you the story of Erin Brockovich – which is based on a real woman and case – but it predates that case. In the mid-70s in Woburn, Massachusetts, a dozen children were diagnosed with leukemia. A civil action follows a lawsuit that the families filed through personal-injury attorney Jan Schlichtman — who sued two giant corporations for poisoning the water — focusing on Schlichtman and how the case Almost destroyed it. The book also stars a 1998 adaptation with several well-known actors: John Travolta, Robert Duvall, James Gandolfini, Dan Hedaya, John Lithgow, William H. Macy, Kathleen Quinlan, and Tony Shalhoub.

every reasonable doubt (Vernetta Henderson #1) by Pamela Samuels Young

A law firm, courtroom scenes and an intriguing case!

Vernetta Henderson has just been assigned her first criminal case, but there are some hiccups: she doesn’t believe the client is innocent of her husband’s murder (!), and she’s partnered with a lawyer she hates. Then there’s her personal life: Her husband is now ready to have kids and hopes to join the Henderson board, but she’s focused on her career — starting with this case!

Browse books recommended in past Unusual Suspects newsletters on this shelfsee upcoming 2024 release and with mystery 2023check it out Unusual Suspects Pinterest Board get more customized book recommendationsUntil next time, keep checking back! In the meantime, come talk books with me goodreads, InstagramAnd litsi,

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Historical stories from the past are now mainstream

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Rachel is a writer from Arkansas who grew up surrounded by forests and animals like a Disney princess. She spends most of her time writing stories and playing in imaginary worlds. You can follow her writing at rachelbrittain.com. Twitter and Instagram: @rachelsbrittain

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What’s going on in the world of historical fiction? Well, it’s mainstream now. Didn’t you know? I guess this explains why it has become more and more ubiquitous over the last few years. Additionally, there is a historical fiction book out by renowned SFF author Neal Stephenson, and you may find some inspiration in the heroes of recent historical fiction releases. Let’s talk about all that.

How historical fiction became mainstream—and why

Sir Through the eyes of author Sam Paul Why is historical fiction everywhere now? Came out in 2023, but is still relevant a year later. From Netflix to bestseller lists, historical fiction is everywhere you look these days. Why? Well, Paul argues that it offers a uniquely observant way of examining modern-day issues and concerns, especially when compared with what is going on in the present. Historical fiction can also provide a break from our 24-hour news cycle of trends and current events.

Paul recommends Writing Backwards: Historical Fiction and the Reshaping of the American Canon For a more in-depth look at how and why historical fiction has become so popular.

Neal Stephenson returns to historical fiction

You may recognize Neal Stephenson for his ’90s cyberpunk classic, snow accidentOr his recent SFF novels, Sevenevs And The rise and fall of DODOOr perhaps even as the inventor of the term “metaverse” (yes, sorry, Zuckerberg, Stephenson did it first). But his latest book is entirely historical fiction.

Of course, this is not his first foray into historical fiction. cryptonomicon It features a dual story set in both present-day and World War II-era England and Baroque cycle Takes place in seventeenth and eighteenth century Europe. In polostanHe returns to survey real-world science through a historical lens.

It is shorter than much of Stephenson’s work, comprising a comparatively scant 303 pages. cryptonomiconIs 1,152. So, if you’ve ever wanted to dive into Stephenson’s writing, this might be a good place to start.

Inspirational heroes of historical fiction

Does anyone else need inspiration right now? It can be difficult to find particularly “uplifting” historical fiction because much of it focuses heavily on war, tragedy, or difficult times. But sometimes, don’t you want to read something that makes you feel better at the end of the day? I know I do.

Extinguishing the flame of freedom in Hong Kong


weither a crime Whether he was even committed is a matter of debate. Whether the punishment given is fair or not is another question. On November 19, judges sentenced 45 activists to between four and ten years in prison in Hong Kong’s largest national-security trial to date. The jailed men are among 47 pro-democracy figures, known as the “Hong Kong 47”, who were arrested for organizing an informal primary to choose candidates for the local legislature in 2021. Fourteen of the defendants were Found guilty in May Of conspiracy to sabotage. Thirty-one had already pleaded guilty. Two were acquitted. The entire affair has been widely criticized as politically motivated.