Let’s start with bookish events in the country: Natali Simmonds hosts a resilience in writing workshop at ABC Amsterdam on 8 March, our Book Chats book club meets in Amsterdam on 22 March to discuss Scorched Grace, Emily Hund presents her book The Influencer Industry at the John Adams Institute on 18 March, Jen Carlson will be there on the 28th to present her book Merchants of the Right, and an early heads-up if you want to see 2021 Nobel Prize Laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah speak: he will be at BorderKitchen on 9 April.
- For all history enthusiasts: the Guardian posted a lengthy and glowing review of Revolusi, David van Reybrouck’s account of Indonesia’s fight for freedom from the Netherlands. They also have a review on the brand-new How the World Made the West by Josephine Quinn, a book that’s already making waves.
If you can’t make it to our stores for their Oscar-related book displays, take a look at this Literary Guide to the Oscars instead!
- In other awards news, the Women’s Prize will award a Non-Fiction prize for the first time this year, and they announced its longlist. The shortlist will be announced on 27 March, and the prize awarded on 13 June. The Fiction prize’s longlist will be announced today, its shortlist on 24 April, and the winner also on 13 June. I rather like them giving the Non-Fiction list more time and spotlight!
- With book banning gone absolutely bananas in Florida, its governor is now backpedaling the bill he signed into law last year.
- A very long but also amusing and interesting read: ‘God forbid that a dog should die’: When Goodreads reviews go bad.
For fans of Kelly Link, whose The Book of Love just came out: the books of her life. So glad to discover another Georgette Heyer fan!
- This Bookbits is just full of Q&As today, but I couldn’t resist sharing this lovely interview with David Sedaris on the occasion of the publication of his first children’s book, Pretty Ugly.
- Ramsey Nasr’s powerful plea to the Netherlands a few months ago, to acknowledge what is happening in Gaza, and in a broader sense the issue of immigrants, has been translated and reproduced at LitHub.
Excellent news for all Thursday Murder Club fans: Richard Osman will be publishing the first book in a new crime series in the fall! We Solve Murders will introduce a new detective duo, Steve and Amy, a father-and-daughter-in-law. And no worries, he’ll not be forgetting about Elizabeth and co., but they’re allowed a year of R&R.
- And finally, happy Women’s History Month! BookRiot gets the conversation started with seven great books on women’s history that will make you think and want to discuss with friends. And if you don’t want to sign up to their site, browse our Highlights list instead!
