books

Piers Morgan, speaking on Good Morning Britain, claims to have insider knowledge of how the Royal Family privately reacted to a bombshell new book about Princess Diana. His comments have drawn wide attention as royal watchers debate the palace's response to the revelations and what they say about the monarchy's relationship with Diana's legacy.

Newly unsealed court filings in the Authors Guild's copyright lawsuit against Microsoft and OpenAI indicate top executives were aware that large-scale use of pirated books to train AI models was legally questionable. The documents suggest internal knowledge that training data included copyrighted works without permission. The revelations are drawing attention because they could strengthen claims of willful infringement, which carry higher damages, in one of the most closely watched AI copyright cases.

A new installment of the KHW series, episode 394 titled 'Bapak' (Father), has been released alongside a promotional campaign for KHW books. The release is drawing large attention from readers, with the episode's promotion reaching an audience in the millions. Fans of the series appear to be responding strongly to both the new episode and the accompanying book offer.

Earl Spencer, brother of Princess Diana, has apologised to Piers Morgan over factual errors contained in his book about the princess. The apology follows criticism from Morgan regarding inaccuracies in the published account of Diana's life, drawing attention to how Diana's family and commentators continue to dispute portrayals of her story decades after her death.

A Utah jury has found Kouri Richins guilty of fatally poisoning her husband with fentanyl, closing a case that has drawn wide attention since her arrest. Richins, a mother who later published a children's book about grief, faced charges in connection with her husband's 2022 death. The verdict marks a major development in a case that has followed the family through years of court proceedings.

The US Education Department has formally removed the 2024 Title IX rule from the books, unwinding the Biden-era regulations that expanded protections for LGBTQ+ students and changed how schools handle sexual misconduct complaints. The move ends litigation over the rule, which courts had partially blocked, and shifts policy back toward the 2020 regulations while schools await further guidance.

Writing advice is circulating urging travel memoirists to abandon the itinerary structure in their books. The argument, put forward by publishing commentator Jane Friedman, is that a day-by-day route makes a memoir read like a journal rather than a story, and that writers should instead build the book around a central theme or transformation. The piece is being discussed among aspiring travel writers looking to make their manuscripts more publishable.

Writer and performer Paulien Cornelisse has cancelled her theatre performances because of health problems, Dutch news outlet NU reports. The announcement affects her scheduled shows across the Netherlands, with no date yet given for her return. Cornelisse, known for her books and television appearances including the quiz De Slimste Mens, is a familiar face to Dutch audiences, prompting concern and well-wishes from fans.

Used bookstores across Japan are reporting a sharp rise in bulk purchase orders, with roughly 50 tons of secondhand books shipped to the United States, according to Japanese broadcaster NTV. The report highlights growing overseas demand for Japanese used books, and commenters are speculating about what is driving buyers abroad to purchase such large volumes.

Sony is moving forward with a television series set in its Spider-Man universe, based on Marvel's Clone Saga comic storyline, and the project is close to receiving a green light from Amazon. The show would expand Sony's stable of Spider-Man-related properties on streaming, following successes like Venom on the film side. The Clone Saga, known for its complicated story of Peter Parker and his clone Ben Reilly, remains one of the most talked-about arcs among comic fans.

A new analysis from consultancy Bain & Company warns travel operators that artificial intelligence is rerouting how customers plan and book trips, and that standing on the sidelines is not an option. The piece argues operators must adapt their distribution and service strategies to stay relevant as AI tools increasingly mediate the customer journey.

A new book by scholar Monroe, 'Heritage and Hate: Old South Rhetoric at Southern Universities,' analyzes how Old South and Confederate rhetoric persists on Southern US campuses. Drawing on rhetoric, history, sociology, Southern studies and African American studies, it develops the concept of 'confederate rhetoric' to explain how heritage-based language functions amid ongoing debates over campus symbols and race.

Swedish state railway SJ has released its ticket sales for travel over Christmas and New Year, with news outlets reporting the exact date tickets become available. Travellers planning to go home for the holidays can now book their journeys. The release typically matters to Swedes, as popular routes sell out quickly ahead of the festive season.

Filmmaker and writer Josh Greenbaum has a new book titled "Exiled From Main Street", with a preview of the title now available to readers. Details on the book's subject, release date and publisher are limited so far. Greenbaum is best known for directing documentaries and comedies, and news of a literary project has drawn curiosity from fans awaiting more information.

The New York Times has published a review of 'This Cursed Beautiful Land,' a new book by Evan Gershkovich, the American journalist formerly detained in Russia and released in a 2024 prisoner swap. The review examines the work's themes and literary merits, drawing fresh attention to the reporter's transition from captivity to authorship.

Search interest around the Laneway Festival 2027 lineup is rising in Australia. The St Jerome's Laneway Festival, a major annual music event held in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Auckland, has not confirmed any artists for 2027, and no official announcement has been made. Fans are discussing who might headline the next edition based on touring rumours and past programming patterns.

Word&Way has published a review of 'Live Each Season As It Passes'. The piece offers an appraisal of the work for the publication's readers, but no further details about the book's content, author, or reception are available at this time.

A new episode of the Liberation Conversations series has been released featuring activist and author Lucia Osborne Crowley. The discussion covers her book My Body Keeps Your Secrets, the Jeffrey Epstein case, and the myths commonly used to discredit victims of abuse. The episode is available to listeners through Patreon.