AGP Executive Report

Publishing Controversy: Penguin Random House India denied it backed out of publishing Sonia Gandhi’s memoir Belonging, saying it is “not the publisher of Belonging in India” and that any claim tied to her rejecting editorial changes “does not accurately reflect the circumstances,” as Congress and BJP leaders trade accusations over alleged requests to remove passages involving Modi, RSS and China-related claims. Author Events: Adele Parks will tour with Eyes On You (published Aug. 27), stopping Sept. 3 at Caffi Isa Arts & Community Centre for Q&A and signing. Community Literacy: North Woods International School in La Crosse unveiled a book vending machine for its PBIS program, letting students swap tokens for free books. Book Trade Spotlight: New travel writer Mark Cummings’ More Adventures in Glorious Gloucestershire lands Aug. 27, mixing literary sites, folklore and local walks. New Releases & Reviews: Keith Rosson’s supernatural horror Crone arrives next month; Chloe Aridjis’s The Shadow of the Object and Richard Coker’s Timor Mortis both draw attention for their unsettling, reflective approaches to reality and death. International Publishing: Taschen announced a two-volume Lucas Museum of Narrative Art opening Sept. 22, 2026, with Lucas and del Toro contributions.

Publishing Controversy: Penguin Random House India says it is not withdrawing Sonia Gandhi’s memoir Belonging over editorial changes, calling fact-checking and recommendations “normal” and reiterating the India release is set for Nov. 10. Legal & Media: Trump expands his defamation suit against The New York Times and Penguin Random House, adding specific claims of inaccuracies tied to a book about him. Book-to-Screen: Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars opens a new wave of comparisons with Peter Heller’s novel, with major plot and tone differences highlighted. Author & Community: Caroline Bock, a longtime local-writers advocate, publishes The Other Beautiful People after a long career detour. Local Literacy: Virginia’s VADOC donates 700+ children’s books to Richmond’s Enchanting Bookmobile, while a new Southington shop, Sirena Noir Books, opens with a curated genre focus. Tech in Schools: Iowa City schools will review classroom screen time and device use, aiming for spring recommendations. Global Publishing Risk: Ukraine’s publishing industry reports millions of books lost or destroyed in Russian strikes. New Releases: Brandon Sanderson shares an audio excerpt from Blightfall ahead of its Sept. 1 release.

Publishing Rights & Politics: Penguin Random House India has pulled out of Sonia Gandhi’s memoir Belonging after she refused requested editorial changes, with HarperCollins India now reportedly close to publishing/distributing the Indian edition. Censorship & Books: Russia’s Alpina Publisher released Pope Francis’s Hope with LGBTQ+ passages blacked out, cutting sections that discuss gay and transgender inclusion. AI & Reading Tools: Google launched “Expert Intelligence” in Gemini Notebook, letting users import eligible owned Play Books into notebooks for features like Audio Overviews and Infographics. Education Funding: Trinidad and Tobago’s Education Ministry says processing of 45,953 school supplies/book grant applications is complete, with payments expected to start Sept. 2. Book Trade Under Fire: A Russian strike damaged a Readeat/Book.ua warehouse holding books from multiple publishers, halting shipments. Community Libraries: A Sydney council library restored How to Sell a Genocide after State Library NSW intervention, citing collection independence. New Releases (Fall): A September lineup highlights Marlon James’s The Disappearers, Emily Wilson’s Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea, and more.

School Library Culture Wars: Texas activists and lawmakers are pressing a West Texas district to remove challenged books, spotlighting how “harmful” content debates keep reshaping public shelves. AI & Books Under Pressure: Concerns are rising over publishers and AI firms bulk-scanning books for training, with critics warning that second-hand books are being treated as raw material. Google’s AI Travel Checkout: Google’s AI Mode now helps users book hotels and pay via Google Pay while partners handle the merchant role and support, tightening the search-to-booking loop. Children’s Publishing & Politics: Israel’s Otzma Yehudit is launching a children’s book about Itamar Ben-Gvir’s tenure, aiming to distribute it to students nationwide. Indigenous Children’s Lit: Brenda Child’s Ojibwe-inspired “Bear Woman” story becomes the children’s book “Blue Bearies,” linking animal relatives to community survival. Publishing History Spotlight: Virginia and Leonard Woolf’s Hogarth Press gets a new exhibition in Woolf country, tracing how the small press grew. Library Programming: Oshkosh Public Library rolls out September events for all ages, from book clubs to crafts and film screenings.

Courtroom Clash: A Brisbane author’s appeal against Disney Australia over alleged copyright infringement tied to her self-published e-book and the film Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny has been rejected, with judges stressing basic story ideas and limited details don’t automatically earn protection. New Christian History Title: Angelico Press publishes Peter of Galilee: Shepherd of the Early Church, a biography of St. Peter by University of Scranton historian Robert W. Shaffern. Film & Publishing Crossover: Radha Chadha’s The Maker of Filmmakers spotlights Jagat Murari’s behind-the-scenes role in shaping India’s FTII and generations of filmmakers. AI Reading Guidance: Richard Susskind’s How to Think About AI argues that in an AI-saturated world, credibility and author reputation matter more when choosing what to read. Reading Habits Data: Italy’s latest ISTAT figures show reading and library use are down slightly but still widespread, with many people reporting at least one book read in the past year. Community Books & Learning: Baylor students are navigating rising textbook costs through digital course materials, library reserves, and campus platforms instead of buying every hard copy. Grief Support for Clergy: A new guide, Grieving a Child: A Companion Guide for Clergy, aims to equip faith leaders with practical and emotional tools for supporting bereaved families. Local Events: Austin’s Latinx Micro-Book Festival returns as a community-building, politically defiant celebration of Latinx literature.

Legal & Publishing Crossroads: A Michigan church-forced-labor case is ballooning, with prosecutors citing over 45 terabytes of material—hundreds of thousands of pages and hundreds of body-cam hours—raising pressure on the timeline for a major federal trial. Children’s Reading & Access: A school nurse in Minnesota is publishing the “Charlie MacDew” chapter-book series for ages 10–12, built for reluctant readers and dyslexia. New Fiction With a Science Spark: Chloe Benjamin’s “Under Story” (Putnam, Sept. 1) draws on the real Antarctic ANITA neutrino experiment and a “mirror universe” idea. Publishing Industry Watch: TxFlow says an OpenZeppelin security audit found zero critical or high issues in its bridge contract. Libraries Under Strain: Worcester Public Schools is opening new libraries but still needs thousands of current books to stock shelves. Book Culture & Community: Placitas, New Mexico will host a Sept. 12 screening and discussion of “The Librarians,” aimed at pushing back on book bans. Media Adaptations: Sky has confirmed “The Day of the Jackal” season 2 returns in spring 2027. Dolly Parton’s Literacy Legacy: Tributes highlight her Imagination Library, which has mailed more than 300 million books worldwide.

Dolly Parton’s Legacy in Books: Country icon Dolly Parton died at 80 after a brief battle with cancer, but her imprint on publishing lives on through the Imagination Library, which has sent free, age-appropriate books to children worldwide since 1995. AI and the Author Economy: John Grisham warned at the Edinburgh International Book Festival that AI could let publishers produce “books like ours” cheaply under human names, just as reading declines. Local Literacy in Action: Great Western Railway’s “Adventures in Reading” campaign brought a children’s author to Westbury Station and expanded Little Free Libraries and short-story dispensers to keep kids reading in summer. School Food Rules: Rajasthan’s High Court ordered stricter school nutrition measures, banning chips and fizzy drinks within 50 metres of school gates. Debut Novel on Grief: Carri Karuhn discussed her wildfire-and-grief debut, “Not Everything Burns,” inspired by surviving the 2007 Corral fire. Publishing Meets Policy: Authors Guild and others pushed back on AI scanning and book destruction, while a North Carolina group launched a pro–data center ad push amid local moratoriums.

Book World Loss: Dolly Parton, the chart-topping singer-songwriter and longtime author-philanthropist behind the Imagination Library, has died at 80, prompting tributes and renewed attention on her decades of music, film, and publishing influence. Summer Reading Buzz: “Summerween” is pushing horror earlier than Halloween, with retailers and libraries reporting strong sales and readers leaning into spooky stories all season. New Middle-Grade Graphic Novel: Canada Reads winner Tegan Quin debuts Merry Christmess, a holiday graphic novel about twins trying to bring their family together. Publishing & Culture Across Borders: A French translation of Qatar’s A Qatari on the Banks of the Seine: Cultural Dialogue is published by L’Harmattan, aiming to deepen cultural understanding beyond stereotypes. AI vs Books: New reporting and advocacy renew pressure on tech firms accused of scanning and destroying print books to train AI, with calls for stronger oversight. What’s Coming to Screen: Warner Bros. releases the first 10 minutes of the animated Batman: Knightfall Part 1, ahead of its digital launch. Health & Diet Research: Studies link low-fiber diets to gut changes that may harm intestinal protection, adding to the science behind reading for wellbeing.

Manga Hiatus: Kodansha’s Fall in Love, You False Angels pauses in the October issue, citing creator Coco Uzuki’s health and workload, with a return planned for the January 2027 issue. Publishing & Politics: Journalist Sanjoy Hazarika’s new book Lal Thanhawla: The Boy from Zarkawt, and the Making of Mizoram (Westland) chronicles the state’s shift from insurgency to democracy, with sales and launches slated for late August and September. Book Events: Lingham’s Bookshop marks 11 years with author signings, including John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers Fawlts & All on Sept. 7. AI & Books: A legal debate continues over whether AI can be trained on copyrighted books, with writers and advocates pushing back on “book destruction” claims. Industry Watch: Shein’s Hong Kong IPO order book is reported fully covered as it seeks up to $1.8B, underscoring how publishing-adjacent media hype still drives attention. New Fiction: Washington author Emiko Jean’s Before You Were Anne (Simon & Schuster) follows a pregnant detective reopening a case tied to identity and hidden pasts, due Sept. 1.

Publishing Policy Shift: Moldova has voted to withdraw from a CIS agreement on book publishing, distribution, and printing, citing national interests and a push toward European cultural programs. Space-Opera Audio: Andy Weir is executive producing and co-shepherding Audible’s new audiobook “Exoplanet,” launching Nov. 5, 2026, with a star-studded voice cast. Legal Pressure on Sports Publishing: A Women’s Pro Baseball League board member is suing in Delaware to force record releases tied to alleged fund misuse and conflicts. Indie Comics Solicits: Bad Idea Comics previews “Retirement Plan #1,” a spy-thriller debut from Matt Kindt and Juan José Ryp. Book Industry & AI Tension: Courts side with AI training on copyrighted books but draw hard lines on piracy, as publishers and authors push back on AI claims. Children’s & Community Reading: Libraries and festivals keep rolling—Everett pairs with Everett, plus local author events and book fairs spotlight regional stories.

Publishing & Books in the Real World: Indian-American author Roopa Unnikrishnan’s debut crime novel The Jasmine Murders gets a global hardcover edition from Abney Hall Books, expanding availability across the US and Europe. Literary Culture & Access: North Macedonia’s children’s literature faces a hit as translation cutbacks limit international reach, with publishers and authors warning the funding gap can be career-threatening. Children’s Books & Community: Route 66 gets a kid-focused picture book, Route 66: Faces and Places Along America’s Most Famous Road, while libraries and schools push storytime and summer reading—like the Allen County Public Library’s “Unearth a Story” program drawing 15,000+ participants. AI, Books & Policy: Courts side with AI on book training but draw hard lines on piracy, and the FTC is urged to investigate AI firms “buying and destroying” books to train models. Book Industry & Events: Cambodia’s children’s literature revival is highlighted through veteran publisher Pich Proeng, and Anime NYC 2026 will feature Crossed Hearts’ Glam Beat & Blush Club panel with new English licenses.

Local Sports-to-Book: Ryan Sonner turns Strasburg Rams’ long-awaited 2025 Virginia state title into a new memoir, “Until It Was Ours,” built from 80+ interviews and 75 hours of recordings. Literary Memoir Spotlight: Juliet Heslewood’s “Old Woman Young Woman” imagines the hidden younger selves of older women from her childhood and will be discussed at Jaffé and Neale Bookshop on Sept. 10. Community Book Events: Milagres College in Mangaluru inaugurates a nine-day “Book Quest” exhibition and sale (Aug. 22–30), while Kankakee Public Library hosts poet Darnell Davis Jr. on Aug. 28 and Heavenly Threads runs a back-to-school book giveaway through Sept. 8. Publishing & Retail Pressure: A Wānaka bookseller, Bookety Book Book, closes its shop after discount wars, pivoting to a recommendation-focused “Bookety Book Book 2.0.” AI & Books: A study says 63% of religious books on Amazon are likely AI-written, with witchcraft flagged highest; separate reports describe niche used-book demand from overseas buyers tied to US tech giants. Comics Launches: Dark Horse announces new “Vampire Hunter D” comic “Fortress of Blood” and an English translation of “The Rose Princess,” while DC’s “Justice League Unlimited #22” previews Despero’s takeover.

Publishing & Rights: Yen Press announced nine acquisitions at Anime NYC 2026, including two new light novels for its Yen On lineup. New Fiction Releases: Raphael Montes’ translated thriller Secret Dinner lands in English, while Tobias Madden’s Quite The Pair shifts from YA romance to adult friendship and love in New York. Book Industry & Tech: A major push is building for the FTC to investigate AI firms accused of scanning, hoarding, and destroying books to train models. Libraries & Community Reading: San Diego’s KPBS Book Festival plans its 2026 “One Book, One San Diego” picks, and the 23rd Ghana International Book Fair runs Aug. 27–30 under “Transforming Ghana’s Future Through Books.” Education & Textbooks: A UK reader argues heavy schoolbooks still get published despite iPad mandates, while Maharashtra drafts a law to regulate private coaching centres. Literary Culture: A new biography, Bespoken, celebrates Savile Row tailor Andrew Ramroop’s rise from Trinidad to Buckingham Palace.

AI & Books Under Fire: Civil society groups are urging the FTC to investigate “hoard-and-destroy” practices by AI firms that scan physical books and then shred them, raising antitrust concerns and fears for public access. Publishing & Policy: The same week saw free-speech advocates criticize prosecutors for citing James Comey’s novel in a case tied to alleged threats, arguing it’s a desperate legal move. Memoir Spotlight: Margot Stornelli released The Big Red Suitcase, a debut memoir tracing travel, family, and major historical moments. Children’s & Community Reading: A Leeds mother launched SENT: The Emails I Sent, the Silence That Followed to help parents navigate SEND after reported failures in Leeds services. International Book Culture: Iraq’s Kurdish Book Fair in Sulaymaniyah was extended to Aug. 25 after strong turnout and 30,000+ books sold. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Apple TV’s Dark Matter (based on Blake Crouch’s novel) is climbing worldwide ahead of Season 2.

Publishing & Books in Demand: Hayden Panettiere’s memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning is surging after her death, with copies sold out at major retailers and libraries and long waitlists. Back-to-School Reading: A roundup of fall fiction and new school-year picks highlights authors like Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros, plus major nonfiction memoirs tied to U.S. politics. Anime NYC Dealmaking: Yen Press announced new Yen Audio audiobook adaptations, while Manga Mavericks Books licensed Midnight Robot and Arai-kun & Haruma-senpai for English releases. Cultural Heritage via Grants: Guam’s Preservation Trust reopened teacher grants (up to $500) to bring CHamoru history and local authors into classrooms. Local Book Culture: A North Yorkshire school published a book inspired by a housing visit, and libraries promoted September Library Card Sign-up Month. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Korea’s The Odyssey sales are climbing as Nolan’s film drives readers back to Homer. Controversy & Policy: Reports continue on book bans and school restrictions, including Utah’s ban on a title tied to Precious.

Nonviolent Parenting in the Spotlight: Latinx Parenting founder Leslie Priscila’s new book LA Healing Our Families, Ourselves and Our Culture Through Nonviolent Parenting reframes “la la”/flip-flop discipline as a trauma-informed conversation starter. Ghana Mining Fallout: A ministerial review into Adamus Resources’ lease revocation says the firm owes about GH¢205.83 million in royalties and taxes, after transfers to related parties while obligations piled up. Local Authors, New Reads: Michigan Matters spotlights four Michigan writers and their latest books, from media-and-law to children’s series. Literary Charts: Keigo Higashino’s posthumous novel Eien no Kioku tops the Billboard Japan Book Hot 100 with a record weekly points total. Publishing & AI Tensions: A bookseller warns AI firms are destroying books via “one book in, one book out” scanning practices, reigniting debate over secondhand and rare collections. Book Festival Buzz: Decatur Book Festival announces its 2026 lineup with 80+ authors for Oct. 2–3. Community Book Culture: Scholastic donates 1,600 books to Bronx Books x Bodegas, while a Brooklyn Book Festival scam alert warns authors and publishers about fake payment requests.