The Thursday Book Beat: The Legacy of Our Letters

It’s officially the start of summer, dear readers! As vacations start to pop up on the calendar (I’m super excited for mine!), I’m preparing my pile of books to bring along. Maybe I’ll finally find the time to finish the Hamilton biography?

But if we’re talking legacies, our first news item’s a pretty great place to start. Michael Jordan, basketball player and now majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets, has invested $500,000 into several literacy organizations and libraries in Charlotte, North Carolina. 18 libraries will be provided with funds to add to their collections, as well as cover stock for child care centers and preschools around the city. It’s a pretty amazing way to give back to the Charlotte community, and ensure that their actions have a real impact on the kids living there.

I know when I was a kid, books gave me opportunities to explore new ideas, even if I was reading old classics. Elda Rotor, publisher at Penguin Classics, had a similar perspective on books growing up, and she’s brought that same enthusiasm to her work at Penguin Random House. CNN Philippines’ interview with Rotor is a delight, and her passion for literature, old and new, is palpable in her every answer. I was particularly happy to find mentions of Shirley Jackson (one of my favourite writers) and shoutouts to classic Filipino novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, both written by Jose Rizal.

Finally, The Guardian’s children’s book section closed up shop last week, after five years of reporting and discussion on kidlit. The decision to close the section was met with dismay and disappointment on social media, with many in the book world saddened by the loss of a dedicated publication for children’s books. I know I’ve definitely enjoyed some of the pieces run by The Guardian over the years, and I’ll miss it.

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Angel Cruz

Angel Cruz

Angel Cruz is a writer and boy band scholar. You can also find her at Book Riot for endless discussion and flailing over all things literature. Ice cream, Broadway musicals, and Arashi are her lifeblood.

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