Book Reviews
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This past weekend saw the simultaneous premieres of "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" in theaters. Both movies drew huge crowds, breaking several box office records, partly due to the phenomenon around "Barbenheimer," a moniker coined for the online fervor surrounding both movies. Though focused on extremely different subject matter, both films share a genesis in literature.
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Diverse romances offer readers the chance to see themselves reflected in the pages. We've collected some of our favorite LGBTQIA+ books where characters of all gender and sexual identities find love, be it on the set of a fictional reality show or with an enemy-turned-lover. No matter your identity, these LGBTQIA+ romances are sure to fill your heart with love.
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Diverse representation matters in every industry, and LGBTQIA+ authors bring a bright and necessary collection of queer and genderqueer characters and stories to our shelves. From authentically portrayed sapphic romances to memoirs that illuminate challenging coming-of-age journeys, LGBTQIA+ authors write stories that can help readers of any identity better understand anything from the trials faced by queer people to the unparalleled height of queer joy.
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Books are broken down into categories — Fiction, General Nonfiction, History, Biography, Poetry, and Memoir or Autobiography — with one, or sometimes two, winners in each category. This year's winners include a reimagining of a classic novel, an examination of what freedom has historically meant in America, a biography of a man who incited a worldwide conversation around racial equity, and a coming of age memoir, among others.
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Fan fiction — fan-created works of fiction based on existing characters or stories — has long had a huge following online. Writers can rack up millions of views on work posted to social reading platforms like Archive of Our Own, Wattpad, and Fanfiction.net. As such, these platforms have become frequent places for new talent to get noticed.
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Iowa City author Garth Greenwell spoke about art in the time of isolation as part of Mission Creek Underground. Greenwell read underneath the glow of a lone spotlight on stage at the Englert Theatre to empty seats, but with a familiar warmth.
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Each genre of literature has particular tenets that make it distinctive, but some of the most poignant writing comes when genres cross over. In Wild Milk, an exciting collection of short fiction, author Sabrina Orah Mark creates intricate stories that intertwine poetry and fiction. Every story is an innovative journey through relationships, emotion, and human experience, but with a poetic twist.
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Lombardo shines a light on the private life of one family while opening a lens onto the family of the reader. Through sisterly jabs, overly loving parents, unplanned pregnancy, and countless other familial darmatics, The Most Fun We Ever Had enters into the knotty world of family life and comes out with an honest and provoking picture of our closest relationships.
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Iowa City is famous for its literary community, as only a UNESCO City of Literature can be. Author Lucy Ives dissects this community in her new novel, Loudermilk, which explores the lives of writers and what drives them to create. And also somewhat, at times, skewers university writing programs.
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Alan crunches years of music reviews and trends into concise gems of historical context for each artist before vaulting into his own perceptions of the concerts. Even though Alan has had the privilege to see such inimitable acts live, he recounts it in an approachable way. You get a view into the exclusive world of rock ‘n’ roll from a voice who is just as in awe as the world was of these musicians.