There are many ways to measure a year—in calendar days, school semesters, anniversaries, or birthdays; at LJ we measure the year in books. Our bibliometric datebook is marked by titles we look forward to for months, books we read in one big, delightful spree, and those we savor, re-read, and share. Every year we convene to ponder our top picks. We talk about what we’re reading, suggest titles to one another, and discuss, with growing excitement and anticipation, selections that we just know will be among our best books. Here are our choices: 149 titles across 15 categories; each a work we have treasured. We are excited that these books exist in the world, waiting to be found or read anew. (Also, check out School Library Journal's Best Books of 2023).
On November 15, the American Library Association (ALA) announced that it had selected Leslie Burger as interim executive director, effective immediately. She succeeds Tracie D. Hall, who resigned on October 6. LJ caught up with Burger as she began settling into her new role to talk about the experience she brings and her plans going forward.
As the information landscape continues to evolve, and people access knowledge and entertainment in very different ways than just a generation ago, the role of libraries in their communities is shifting. Using data can help librarians ensure the resources they provide are relevant to the needs of their users.
In the recently released report from the National Endowment for the Arts, “Arts Participation Patterns in 2022: Highlights from the Survey of Public Participation in the Arts,” only 48.5 percent of adults—fewer than half!—reported reading one or more books for pleasure in the past year.
The top 10 book covers of the year, selected from our 2023 Best Books, offer a fabulous first impression, inviting readers to appreciate their design, ponder what might be inside, and, best of all, dive in.
As more academic journals embrace open access publishing models in response to shifting requirements from funders, open access content is playing an increasingly significant role in modern research.
Sandra Day O’Connor, author and the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court, has died. Penguin Random House sues Iowa over book banning. David R. Samson wins the $60K Balsillie Prize for Our Tribal Future: How to Channel Our Foundational Human Instincts into a Force for Good. Amazon's editors recommend the best books of December. Andrew Miller is named president and publisher of Henry Holt. Plus, Page to Screen.
“What I’m bringing to the table is the ability to listen, to have conversations, to not immediately get defensive and say, 'you’re wrong, we’re right.' Even in [politically] blue Princeton, we had challenges—not huge challenges, but from people who were concerned about some of the programming that we were offering, and we had challenges from the FBI.”
Katherine Rundell wins Waterstones Book of the Year 2023 for her “instant classic” Impossible Creatures. AudioFile showcases the Best Audiobooks of 2023. Best Books of the Year lists also arrive from Publishers Lunch, The New Yorker, and WSJ. New title best sellers include Nora Roberts, James Patterson, Danielle Steel and more. Liz Cheney's forthcoming book, Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning, arrives next week. Plus, author and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has died at the age of 100.
Julia Armfield and Jon Ransom win Polari Prizes. Ransom’s book The Whale Tattoo will also be adapted for film. Apple reveals its top books of 2023. Omid Scobie’s Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy’s Fight for Survival courts reviews and controversy. Two pop culture books arrive with buzzy details: Welcome to the O.C.: The Oral History by Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage & Alan Sepinwall, and Outrageous: A History of Showbiz and the Culture Wars.
Dave Karger's 50 Oscar Nights: Iconic Stars & Filmmakers on Their Career-Defining Wins is a starred performing arts selection. "In only four pages of text for each award winner, the book captures the strong feelings of camaraderie among the tight-knit film community, the tension-filled waiting period, the elation of victory, and the after-party giddiness or loneliness that the interviewees experienced. Highly recommended." Also in performing arts, Charlie Chaplin and the Nazis: The Long German Campaign Against the Artist, by Norbert Aping, is a starred title. "An incredibly detailed and successful book about Charlie Chaplin that does not lose film fans. More general readers can skip over much of the thorough analysis but still benefit from the book." And Zito Madu's The Minotaur at Calle Lanza is a starred literature selection. "Madu’s book is difficult to categorize but hauntingly effective. It has no fail-safe audience but will reward whoever picks it up."
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