AGP Executive Report

Royal Books in a Fresh Storm: Charles Spencer’s new memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, has triggered a rare Buckingham Palace rebuttal after claims about King Charles’s reaction to Princess Diana’s death. Education & Publishing: Ireland’s Studies journal is publishing a special issue on the Convention on Education, while India’s NCERT released the new Grade 9 Maths textbook and set a date for the revised Social Science book. Faith & Scholarship: A new University of Nebraska Press title, Illuminating Scriptural Connections, pairs Qur’an and Torah readings. Literary Awards: The Museum of African American History named finalists for the 2026 MAAH Stone Book Award. Climate Books: Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor’s End Times Fascism links elite detachment to crisis politics. Books to Watch: Prime Video’s The Love Hypothesis arrives Sept. 23, and H. F. Galloway’s Theatre of the Vampires leans into a night-shift horror premise. Science Publishing: A leopard genomics paper tied to South Africa’s Cape Floristic Region was retracted.

Royal & publishing drama: Charles Spencer’s forthcoming Diana memoir, Swan Song, renews claims about the 1997 funeral procession, with Buckingham Palace disputing parts of his account and the royal family fallout spilling into headlines. Publishing under fire: Ukraine’s book industry is reeling after Russian strikes destroyed publishing warehouses, wiping out millions of books and threatening future investment in new authors. Book trade crackdown: French publishers ask a Paris court to order ISPs to block alleged pirate site Bookys. Health & science books: A new medical communication book argues clinicians’ wording can comfort or harm, while research highlights the “rete ovarii” as a possible fertility-relevant structure and studies use AI + 4D imaging to model mitochondrial drug effects. Literary community & events: A free children’s publishing workshop with Liza Gardner Walsh and an “Authors on the Road to Publication” library panel spotlight how books get made. New reads & reviews: Reviews spotlight The Smell of Apples and Louise Kennedy’s Trespasses, plus a wave of new memoirs, fiction, and genre releases.

Dystopian Debut: B.W. Mellis’ new novel No Justice for the Wicked drops readers into a fear-run future Europe, where a resistance leader faces dehumanization and brainwashing under an immortal emperor. Survival & Healing Memoir: St. George author Claire Sorrell details psychological abuse in It Started With a Cookie, describing coercive control over food, exercise, and weight—and the long road back. War’s Collateral Damage to Books: Ukraine says Russian strikes have burned millions of books, threatening the country’s publishing future and investment in new writers. Rights in the Courtroom: Courting Equality by Mihira Sood revisits India’s landmark women’s-rights cases, probing how law, religion, and proof standards shape outcomes. Literary Loss: Assamese poet Anis Uz Zaman, 79, has died in Guwahati. Publishing & Culture on the Move: Scott Frank reveals Dept Q’s Edinburgh setting was a last-minute decision after years of planning. AI & Health Caution: A new report warns AI search and medical advice can mislead, including fabricated claims that may turn dangerous. Local Book Life: A new disability-focused bookstore, Sick Stories, opens in Toronto with titles by writers with disabilities.

Publishing & Community Events: Browseabout Books’ club calendar keeps rolling with new meetings on Oct. 4 and beyond, including espionage-thriller discussions and horror/true-crime picks. Book Culture in Motion: Hidden Worlds opens in Hillsboro as an immersive fantasy bookstore with a candlelit Gothic library and a dedicated room for book clubs and D&D nights. Author Spotlights: Waubgeshig Rice speaks to Brockville students about how 9/11 and the 2003 blackout shaped his writing; Tiffany Yu headlines a Pasadena accessibility-focused author talk for her “Anti-Ableist Manifesto.” New Releases & Previews: Marvel previews “Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett #2,” while R.F. Kuang’s “Taipei Story” lands with a heritage-and-language story set in Taiwan. Royal & Media Fallout: Earl Spencer’s latest Diana-related book claims spark fresh backlash and renewed debate over press treatment. AI & Governance: A new essay argues the real risk with AI agents is how much authority people hand them before humans can approve what happens next.

Royal Fallout: Earl Spencer escalates his Diana claims, accusing King Charles of “gaslighting” after Buckingham Palace pushed back—keeping the Spencer-versus-palace book war front and center. Political Fiction & Publishing: Journalist Tavleen Singh says her debut political novel is “easier” to write than non-fiction, imagining an India veering into extreme religiosity. Author Spotlight: R.F. Kuang turns personal grief into fiction with Taipei Story, while Louise Kennedy’s new work draws on childhood trauma and survival. Borders & Belonging: Nidhi Dugar Kundalia’s The Undocumented follows climate-driven migration through one family’s long fight to live without papers. Libraries Under Pressure: UC Library cuts reduce access hours and student hiring, with major branch and security changes. AI & Justice: Judges warn against overreliance on AI in courts, arguing it risks miscarriages of justice. Events & Community: A Poe-and-Sleepy-Hollow Halloween speakeasy opens in Philly, and Book-Con blends local authors with comic culture.

Publishing & Author Launches: Books by Jay Abiona, LLC unveiled “The Signature Series,” a new publishing program aimed at turning underdog life stories into professional literacy legacies. Personal Finance & Self-Help: Hollie Bell-Schinzing released “I Work Too Damn Hard to Be This Damn Broke,” a practical budgeting guide for saving, spending, and tackling debt. Fantasy & Genre Fiction: Roland Hesmondhalgh’s “Tracing Inferno: A Myrmecoleon Novel” blends Dante-style afterlife symbolism with a mission through the nine circles of Hell. Literary Culture in Ireland: Monaghan’s Cultúr 2026 partnership with Finland is set to fuel an autumn of storytelling, music, and cultural exchange during Ireland’s EU Council Presidency. Book Events & Community Reading: New Mexico’s free Children’s Book Fair returns with author readings and a special appearance by Joy Harjo. Royal Memoir Fallout: Charles Spencer’s Diana memoir claims continue to spark palace backlash and fresh controversy as publication nears. AI, Books, and Oversight: Stanford’s Paper2Agent project turns research papers into interactive AI agents, while AI safety experts warn that oversight promises lack key protections. Reading for Health: A Cambridge/Queen’s Reading Room-backed report highlights reading’s links to empathy, focus, and lower dementia risk.

Royal Row in Books: Earl Spencer’s explosive Diana memoir claims King Charles said “we’ll forget her soon enough,” with Buckingham Palace pushing back and grief-memory experts weighing in as public opinion splits. Publishing & Community Events: Evesham’s Evesham Veg Fest adds a literature-focused “Vale of Tales” with children’s authors and free school books, while Harrogate’s Raworths Family Literature Festival returns with award-winning writers and illustrators. Nature Writing Wins: Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris’ The Book of Birds takes two 2026 Wainwright Prizes, celebrating conservation storytelling. New Releases & Reviews: Harlan Coben shares writing advice in memoir Plot Twist; Douglas Stuart reflects on poverty and life in America; Charlotte Wood’s Love and Hunger returns in a new edition blending food writing and unease. Local Library News: Vermillion Public Library hosts a Lunch & Learn with David M. Hosmer on Yankton WWII veterans, and Orange County’s free children’s book festival lands Sept. 20 at Orange Coast College. Global Culture: Taiwan warns of travel risks under China’s new border rules, and the Human Rights Council hears Cuban writers and artists protest the US blockade’s impact on culture.

Royal Memoir Fallout: Earl Spencer’s Diana-related book claims King Charles sounded “giddily elated” after her death, prompting a rare Buckingham Palace rebuttal and fresh royal backlash. Publisher Accountability: HarperCollins says it will stop publishing David Walliams’s back catalogue after harassment allegations, following its earlier decision to end new titles. School Library Censorship: Cobb County, Georgia removed Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye from media centers, calling it a content-suitability move while critics call it censorship. Publishing Process Pressure: A writer’s complaint about late-stage edits and ARC copies highlights how overworked editing teams can let glaring errors slip into print. Manga Governance: Shogakukan launched a major internal review after Manga ONE hired creators with prior sexual-offense convictions under pen names, citing editorial oversight and governance gaps. New Releases & Events: Lucy Foley revives Miss Marple in Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel; Marlon James’s The Disappearers keeps momentum; and PenThrill marks its 125th publication with Homesick for another world.

Royal Book Row: Earl Spencer’s upcoming Diana memoir claims King Charles said he’d “forget her soon enough” and “sounded giddily elated,” prompting a rare Buckingham Palace rebuke. Publishing & Prizes: Marlon James’s new novel “The Disappearers” is already being hailed as a standout and lands on major longlists. Book Bans: Cobb County Schools removes Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye” from libraries, while other districts keep challenging titles. Libraries Under Pressure: Denver Public Library e-book demand is up, but licensing costs mean long waitlists for popular titles. Kids’ Reading Push: TransPennine Express opens “Book Nooks” at stations to get young readers reading on the go. New Books & Events: Kenny Leon publishes “Direction,” and PEN America names Phil Klay as president amid ongoing free-expression tensions. Author Spotlight: Ibram X. Kendi discusses “Chain of Ideas,” linking today’s politics to older authoritarian themes.

Royal Memoir Fallout: Buckingham Palace has issued a forceful denial after Earl Spencer’s Diana book alleged King Charles said “we’ll forget her soon enough,” with the palace warning grief can “cloud reason” and memory. Publishing & Bookselling: A new Jane Austen retelling, “Silk and Sensibility,” brings “Sense and Sensibility” to Ming-dynasty China, while Ilkley Literature Festival unveils a starry 2026 line-up. Global Book Fairs: Menassah Distribution is showcasing 1,004 Emirati titles at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, and the Ministry of Culture hosts “Reading Retreat 2026” to push national reading goals. Awards & Lists: The New Yorker highlights the 2026 National Book Award fiction longlist, and the National Book Foundation posts the 2026 fiction longlist. New Fiction Buzz: Chloe Benjamin’s “Under Story” heads to Antarctica, and Tarantino’s “The Adventures of Cliff Booth” is set for December release. Community Reading: Orillia’s Big Read finale brings Karma Brown to the library, and Stettler Public Library rolls out fresh fall programs.

Royal Spat in the Spotlight: Buckingham Palace has issued a rare rebuttal to Earl Spencer’s upcoming Diana memoir, after claims that King Charles said “we’ll forget her soon enough” during funeral planning. Publishing & Rights: Vietnam’s publishing world is grappling with piracy and counterfeits, and now AI is adding a new copyright fight over how books are used and whether creators get paid. Literature for Young Readers: Sudan-born journalist Zeinab Badawi is adapting her bestselling African history for children, aiming to make “Africa’s history” feel like part of the global story through vivid illustrations. Writing Careers: New Zealand’s Frank Sargeson Trust is opening applications for the 2027 Ireland Wilson Sargeson Fellowships, offering $30,000 to help writers work full-time on book projects. Book Culture & Community: A new Lincoln, UK shop, Inkstone Books, is opening as a physical home for sci-fi and fantasy fans, specializing in limited editions and signed copies. Reading Access: Aotearoa New Zealand’s book sector says the next government must lift literacy and funding, pushing for a coordinated “Year of Reading” push.

Romantasy Spotlight: Tricia Levenseller’s How Rage Burns gets a deluxe cover reveal, continuing the Wrath and Fury series with Ydra and Canus—set for June 1, 2027. Local Literary Life: Whanganui’s weekend festival spotlights regional voices with author talks spanning poetry, memoir, gardening, and true crime. Theatre & Books: A new Macbeth at Shakespeare North Playhouse leans into “quick-raising” Shakespeare, with improvised movement shaping each night. Food History: Blood, Guts & Black Pudding digs into Ireland’s blood-based traditions and what happens when the knowledge behind them fades. Publishing & Culture: George W. Bush’s March release The Call of Freedom pairs 44 paintings with portraits of political prisoners and dissidents. Major Loss: Annie Dillard, Pulitzer-winning nature writer of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, dies at 81. AI & Governance: Wiley publishes The Insider You Built with a practical framework for keeping autonomous AI agents under control. School Policy: Wake County approves an excused one-hour weekly leave for religious instruction, aligning with a new state law. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Lionsgate teases The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping with the 50th-anniversary Games and fresh tributes.

Christ-Centered Leadership: Kathleen T. Lindsay’s Ascend & Converge argues lasting influence starts with identity, healing, discernment, and unity—before ambition or strategy. Debut Essay Collection: Mark S. Hardge’s Inner Country Blues (25 essays) tackles history, identity, and inherited truths through memoir and cultural criticism. Christian Publishing Spotlight: Katie Hornor kicked off the Author Elevate Conference with a push for Christian authors to stop “playing small,” reframing visibility as stewardship. Faith + Tech Thriller: Wouter van Wyk’s Legacy of Ash blends occult texts, AI, and Vatican conspiracy in a cyber-occult techno-thriller. Independent Bookshops: HarperCollins’ “The Bookshop I’d Like to Thank” scheme sends £21,000 to 21 shops; Truman Books in Farsley is among the winners. Literacy & Culture: A debate over “postliterate” reading skills swirls as TV fantasy like House of the Dragon keeps drawing readers to dense source novels. Book Awards: Spokane author Leyna Krow won a Washington State Book award for Sinkhole, and Other Inexplicable Voids. GLP-1 Safety Watch: A study flags rare Wernicke encephalopathy cases tied to GLP-1 drugs, raising clinical attention for symptoms and nutrition.

Publishing & Supplies: Really Big Coloring Books® is expanding its heavyweight recycled kraft chipboard sheets (about 40-point) in multiple sizes for bookmaking, framing, schools, and commercial protection. Children’s Learning: ColoringBook.com adds a full set of 50 state coloring/activity books, mixing geography, history, symbols, and puzzles. New Releases (YA/Nonfiction): Ava Dellaira’s Love Letters to the Dead returns grief and connection to the classroom assignment; Laura LaSpalluto’s In Ordinary Time brings faith into everyday routines. Literary Events: Mat Johnson headlines Howard Community College’s Bauder Lecture; Zadie Smith delivers the 2026 T. S. Eliot Lecture at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre. Industry Watch: SANS Institute publishes Dynamic Incident Response as a free, updated framework for how incidents evolve mid-response. Community Reading: Keighley’s Children’s Literature Festival brings hundreds of pupils together with authors and poets. Faith & Accountability: Truth Heals urges the Catholic Church to treat crisis communication as core safeguarding, not PR.

AI & Education: Ohio University’s CTLA is running fall 2026 book groups on teaching with AI and improving online instruction, spotlighting how classrooms are reshaping ideas about creativity and authorship. Tech, Society & Law: At U.Va., Mona Sloane’s panel “Predicted: How AI Is Restructuring Social Life” tackled how algorithms may change social decision-making. Publishing & Community: The Wandering Page opens as a Latina-owned Bellmore bookstore and launches “blind date with a book” events; in Bourne, Anthology Book Shop prepares for a dark-romance launch with up to 2,000 visitors. Literary Events: Hungerford Bookshop’s sold-out Mel Giedroyc talk promoted her novel The Comeback. Books & History: Bloomsbury publishes The Concentration Camps of the Armenian Genocide; a new book reconstructs events leading to the first Kashmir war after Partition. Free Speech: Helen Houghton wins a public apology from HarperCollins over her inclusion in an “Alt Right” chapter. Obituaries: Press-freedom icon Eugenia Duran Apostol dies at 100.

Publishing & Culture: Shadow Mountain Publishing launched the illustrated 20th anniversary edition of Brandon Mull’s fantasy “Fablehaven,” drawing big crowds at Provo City Library. Literary Awards: The 2026 Palestine Book Awards shortlist is out, with 10 books spanning academic, memoir, edited volumes, global impact, and counter-current categories. Book Fairs: Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh International Book Fair 2026 is set for Dec. 10–19, with a children’s pavilion and panels; the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair also continues to expand its cultural programming. Local Books & Community: Haywards Heath’s “Our Town Our Story” project will capture local memories through school workshops and published books. Media/Entertainment Adaptations: Kennedy Ryan’s romance “Before I Let Go” is headed to Peacock with Malcolm D. Lee and a Black creative team. Health & Research (book-adjacent): New analysis on next-gen TB vaccines says availability from 2029 could save millions and drive major economic gains.