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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.
The Best Audiobooks of the Year
Audiobooks have changed my reading life for the better, between surviving long commutes when I lived in L.A. to making sure I got reading done for podcasting without neglecting a million chores. So I anticipate lists of the year’s best audiobooks as much as I do the overall roundups, and Libro.fm and Audible have released those lists! Libro.fm’s list compiles the year’s big hits based on sales while Audible’s list is a curated selection of editor and listener favorites. That said, it’s a bit like comparing apples to oranges, but the big crossover titles are Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid, which got Audible’s top spot and placed fifth on Libro’s list; Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins; and My Friends by Fredrik Backman. It came as no surprise to see some of this year’s all-around greats on Audible’s list, including King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby, The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy (my current read, which I’m thoroughly enjoying), Black in Blues by Imani Perry, Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy, and The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones. Libro.fm lists my wildest-ride read of the year, Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams. Google Play is releasing their list today, and we’ve got a writeup at the Book Riot Newsletter.
This Anne Rice Adaptation Took Me By Surprise
First there was Aaliyah (we miss you!) in the adaptation of Anne Rice’s Queen of the Damned, and now there’s Adele in the adaptation of Rice’s Cry to Heaven. Variety announced that the Grammy award-winner has joined a cast that includes Thandiwe Newton and Colin Firth for this film following a Venetian noble and a castrato whose lives intersect in 18th century Italy. The adaptation will be directed by Tom Ford with a likely fall 2026 release. Adele just finished her Las Vegas residency and our girl needs a break from arenas and recording studios. What better way than to shake things up and follow in the footsteps of so many of the music world’s greats who made for the big screen.
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On Reading Big, Difficult Books Together
I just finished reading The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson and, while I had no problem tearing through this incredible work of nonfiction, it was easy to see the value in reading such a deep, nuanced book with others. These were my thoughts as I read Sebastian Castillo’s Letter of Recommendation, encouraging others to make reading and learning from tough texts a communal experience, for The New York Times Magazine. Plenty of people turn to book clubs for accountability and because exposure to other perspectives on the same source material can be hugely beneficial. If you’re someone who’s been toying with joining or starting a book club, or if you’ve been telling yourself you’re finally going to read that big, intimidating book, this might be the helpful push you need.
6 of the Best New Books Out November 18, 2025
Between all of the Best Of lists coming out and still more new releases left in the year, your head might be spinning with books. Fear not. We’re here to help you keep track of what’s hitting the shelves each week. This week, highlights include a book of vignettes by the unstoppable Cynthia Erivo, a book about cannibalism, a Medusa reimagining, and so much more. Check out the best of this week’s new releases here.
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