AGP Executive Report

Publishing & Books on the Screen: Anna Kendrick is set to direct the film adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s LGBTQ hit The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, continuing the book-to-screen boom driven by BookTok. Faith & Community Reading: New releases like Grace and Truth (a 41-day Lent/Easter devotional) and poetry-Scripture collections such as The Way of Light keep faith readers stocked for the season. Libraries & Literacy: Rhode Island libraries are rolling out “Plant a seed, read” summer programs, while local efforts also spotlight keeping kids engaged through reading challenges. Domestic Violence Support: A UK project supporting perpetrators to reduce risk for survivors earned recognition, and a US Safe Harbor fundraiser is set to back shelter and advocacy services. Book Industry Watch: Reach appointed George Grist as chief customer officer, consolidating circulation, subscriptions, ecommerce, and affiliates under one revenue-focused umbrella. Controversy in Education: University of Nebraska at Kearney will discontinue a human sexuality textbook after complaints about graphic images. Crypto Meets the News Cycle: Bitcoin slid toward key levels amid Middle East turmoil and ETF outflows, with liquidation-driven volatility spilling into broader markets.

Literary Awards: Manhattan Book Group crowned Jesse Muehlbauer’s “The Artificial Conspiracy” Gold at the 2026 Manhattan Book Awards, spotlighting fresh genre craft and big ideas. Local Reading Culture: West Seattle is getting a new community book club—The Good Neighborhood Book Club—kicking off June 9 with a “what you’re reading” discussion and a vote on its first summer pick. Publishing & Community History: Cameroon’s PNDP program gets a new, more accessible book tracing two decades of participatory local governance, launched in Yaoundé with officials and partners. Book Reviews (Arts & Ideas): Reviews highlight Henry Moore’s nature-focused legacy in a companion volume, plus Toni Ann Johnson’s “But Where’s Home?” exploring a Black family’s lived experience across decades. Meta & Books: A Meta arbitration ruling reportedly silenced whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams from promoting her book at the 2026 Hay Festival, raising fresh questions about private censorship. Health & Access: Nova Scotia Health faces backlash as patients report long waits for bloodwork after OPOR system changes cut appointments in the central zone.

Warsaw Book Fair Translation Spotlight: Sharjah’s Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi launched the Polish edition of her book Let Them Know She Is Here at the Warsaw International Book Fair, with readings in English and Polish underscoring how translation carries history and identity across borders. Children’s Literature as Bridge: Emirati author Nadia Al Najjar and Polish writer Paulina Płatkowska ran an interactive “Between East and West” session for kids, using stories about nature, family, and the UAE desert to spark cross-cultural comparisons. Book Culture & Community: The Buckingham Literary Festival returns (June 18–21) with a packed lineup and sold-out momentum, while a separate piece highlights how local media and libraries keep readers connected through events and curated picks. Publishing in the Real World: In education news, CBSE opened an online portal for Class 10 and 12 answer-book verification and re-evaluation (June 2–6), requiring Aadhaar login and digital payment. Literary Buzz: Ann Patchett’s Whistler gets major praise as a rare blend of majestic structure and intimate emotional impact.

Church Growth Movement: Todd Wilson’s “How Did We Get Here?” argues the cross-cultural church-planting playbook got absorbed by consumer culture—raising the question of what happens when methods travel without their original context. West Wing Memoir Backlash: Critics pounce on Jill Biden’s “View from the East Wing,” accusing her of rewriting key moments and leaning into self-serving fantasy. Publishing & Faith Debate: Kenton L. Sparks’ “Sacred Word, Broken Word” takes on the “dark side” of Scripture and is set to spark fresh fights inside evangelical circles. AI in Writing: A summer reading conversation flags anxiety over AI-assisted work, including high-profile disputes about whether stories were generated by machines. Book-to-Screen: Netflix is developing “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo,” with Anna Kendrick directing. Kids & Literacy: Girl Scouts build reading space at Fort Polk, while a Vermont campaign aims to put 400 new books into children’s hands. Tech & Security: Microsoft faces backlash after threatening criminal prosecution over published zero-day exploits. Manga Publishing Path: Kadokawa’s World Manga Contest offers global creators a shot at serialization in Japan, including wordless entries.

Publishing & Books: CBSE says it has contained security vulnerabilities in the OnMark portal used for Class 12 digital evaluation, as scrutiny over on-screen marking errors and tender processes for OSM deepens. Tech & Reading Culture: WhatsApp is rolling out Channel Status on Android and iOS, letting channel admins post temporary updates—another step in Meta’s push toward monetizing Channels. Books & Community: Lee Child’s new prison literacy project aims to cut reoffending by improving inmates’ reading skills, with the UK’s low literacy levels in custody driving the push. Consumer & Money: Credit card rewards are increasingly funded by higher fees, effectively raising prices for cash and non-reward users—an uneven “wealth transfer” that’s now a major cost-of-living story. Books & Ideas: Mariana Mazzucato’s new book argues for “mission-led” economics built around collective action, knowledge-sharing, and purpose rather than short-term returns. Local Events: June author-event roundups highlight fresh nonfiction and memoir launches, plus more book fairs and readings for readers on the move.

Publishing & Culture: China’s book fairs are being criticized for letting “wenchuang” souvenirs and themed products crowd out books and reading culture, with some publishers trying to keep merchandise to a small share. Libraries & Community Reading: In Shakopee, Minnesota, incarcerated readers are voting on a national book award, aiming to expand prison libraries and give prisoners a direct voice in what gets read. Author & Events Roundup: Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach announced June author signings, while Welsh romance debut Stories for Rainy Days leans into small-town bookshop charm. Policy & Courts: Israel’s High Court ordered the justice minister to convene the Judicial Selection Committee, and U.P.’s regulator clarified smart-meter users can choose prepaid or postpaid—reopening billing headaches. Tech & Publishing Rights: A Meta whistleblower appeared at Hay Festival in silence after a legal order blocked her from promoting her memoir. International Tensions: Mexico’s Sheinbaum accused the U.S. of political interference as DOJ charges target Mexican officials.

Book Tax Fight (Philippines): Poet Virgilio Almario and publisher Marvin Aceron have petitioned the Supreme Court to strike down a 12% VAT on digital books, journals, and newspapers, arguing it creates a “tollgate” to education and burdens freedom of expression. Publishing & Policy (UK): Ofcom is investigating GB News for replaying a Trump interview that called climate change a “hoax,” raising fresh alarms about how broadcasters handle controversial claims. Tech Meets Books (Microsoft): Microsoft criticized security researcher “Nightmare Eclipse” after he disclosed unpatched Windows and BitLocker bugs with exploit code, and threatened legal action—another reminder that disclosure norms are colliding with publishing-style openness. Reading Culture (Vatican): Pope Leo XIV urged Catholics to read more printed books, arguing physical reading supports reflection and guards against ideological shortcuts. Comics Industry (Eisners): The Eisner Awards 2026 ballot is open, with creators and publishers campaigning ahead of voting closing June 5. New Fiction Spotlight: Ruta Sepetys’ “A Fortune of Sand” lands as her first adult novel, weaving Prohibition-era Detroit secrets into a family drama.

AI & Publishing Integrity: A Big 5 nonfiction title, The Future of Truth: How AI Reshapes Reality, is under fire after a New York Times investigation found “made-up or misattributed quotes” generated by AI—its author says he disclosed AI use and takes responsibility. Tech Governance: The Ethereum Foundation is in a full-blown governance crisis as eight departures since January collide with a contested mandate over what the nonprofit should be for. Consumer Attention Shift: A new take argues consumer tech is moving away from engagement metrics toward outcomes, as fatigue and rising acquisition costs make “time spent” a weaker goal. Sports & Rights: The DOJ is reviewing an MLB team after a video shows an exec admitting a devout Catholic pitcher was sidelined for religious reasons. Books & Education: A UK exam board drops George Orwell’s debut novel from A-level study and replaces it with a new Orwell-focused feminist biography, sparking debate over curriculum choices. Local Reading Buzz: One Jamestown author reports a surge in international reviews, especially from India, helped by Amazon’s global reach. Culture & Loss: France’s intellectual “grandfather,” Edgar Morin, dies at 104.

Cybersecurity for CPAs: Roland Parker warned at the TXCPA Houston Annual Conference that accounting firms are prime targets because they hold sensitive financial data and client access, urging stronger defenses. AI & Data Centers Water Fight: A new report on AI infrastructure expansion highlights water as the next bottleneck, with cooling demands and municipal limits driving backlash. LGBTQ Book Ban Fallout in Wisconsin: DPI avoided a direct ruling on discrimination in the Menomonee Falls “Love Makes a Family” case, leaving families and legal experts questioning what recourse exists. Indie Nonfiction Recognition: Daniel de Llano’s LGBTQ narcissistic-abuse guide, The Sparkle Trap, won IndieReader’s Overall Nonfiction First Prize. Memoir on Illness and Hope: Nicole Carter’s The Vulnerability Gene ties Lynch syndrome, cancer, and faith into a survival-and-recovery story. Literary Culture & Politics: Two new Istanbul books challenge the “old vs new” myth as Turkey’s authoritarian shift reshaped foreign reporting. Publishing/Media Tech: A study found most amyloid PET research doesn’t screen for prior radiation exposure, prompting calls for safer protocols. Animation/AI Backlash: Jorge Gutierrez dropped out of Amazon’s AI series Punky Duck after public criticism.

Publishing & Books in the Spotlight: Malcolm D. Lee, fresh off decades in film and TV, is debuting as a novelist at the Black Romance Book Fest, signaling how mainstream screen talent keeps feeding book culture. Reading for Pleasure: In England’s LitUp Hastings push, teachers argue short-form video trains attention for speed, not the slow satisfaction of reading—so they’re building habits that bring kids back to books. Local Publishing Investment: South Africa’s IOL secured R200 million to expand as a major digital publisher, including ending a historic print-content partnership to build its own journalism engine. Books, Ethics, and Backlash: A viral church moment—where a pastor tore a Bible page for a teen to chew—has sparked intense debate about faith, spectacle, and boundaries. New Book Releases: Young author David Niyonsavye returns with a time-travel sequel, while poet Eric Fisher Stone’s Bear Lexicon leans into nonhuman consciousness. Policy & Consumer Safety: The EU fined Temu $232M under the Digital Services Act, a reminder that “what’s sold” is now a publishing-adjacent issue for platforms and readers.

DOJ & Publishing-Adjacent Legal Drama: The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a criminal probe into author-advice columnist E. Jean Carroll over alleged perjury tied to her Trump lawsuits, focusing on a 2022 deposition where she denied outside funding later linked to a Reid Hoffman-backed nonprofit. Media & Books: CBS named tech journalist Nick Bilton—also an author—as the new executive producer of “60 Minutes,” a shift aimed at drawing younger audiences. Reading Culture: Rapides Parish Library is rolling out a free summer program, “Plant a Seed, Read,” while local schools and libraries push book giveaways and storytime events to fight summer reading loss. Classroom Creativity: Indiana University Press published “Quick Hits for Creativity in the Classroom,” sharing strategies from award-winning teachers for college instructors. Book-to-Screen Buzz: A new book on Spielberg’s alien saga traces how “Night Skies” morphed into “E.T.”, spotlighting the creative chaos behind a classic. AI & Writing Rooms: A report from Australia warns AI is already being used for TV script “notes,” raising fears about replacing early-career writing work.

Climate Fiction & Publishing Awards: Helen Phillips’s near-future novel Hum won the Climate Fiction prize, with judges calling it a sharp look at how privilege shapes climate action. Book Bans & Prison Reading: Texas moved to restrict hardback and used books after synthetic drugs were found on contraband books, a change advocates say will shrink access to ideas. Literary Tourism: BookTok-inspired tours are turning fandom into travel plans, with readers visiting real-world sites tied to series like Camp Half-Blood. Children’s Books & Community Reading: New releases and local events keep rolling—like Lisa M. Pritchard’s patriotic picture book and school poetry slams that spotlight young voices. Media & Culture Wars: Amnesty’s UK report flags heavy anti-trans coverage, while Australia is warned it may be heading the same way. Tech & Energy for Readers: Clean hydrogen is pitched as long-duration storage for renewables, and STEM education is urged to teach argumentation, not just technical skills.

Publishing & Culture: Dara Horn drew Jerusalem readers with her blunt, funny anti-antisemitism message, pushing “honesty” as a weapon against denial. Book Reviews: Natalie Lemle’s debut thriller “Artifacts” mixes legal intrigue with an art-world mystery tied to a missing archaeologist. Nonfiction & Ideas: Lydia Millet talks “We Loved It All,” an anti-memoir about extinction and what activism looks like on the page. International Literature: Bulgaria returns as guest of honour at Bucharest’s Bookfest, with hundreds of events spotlighting Bulgarian publishing history. Legal & Media: A court ruling says TCPA “quiet hours” claims can’t be brought by consumers who voluntarily gave their number. Tech & Reading/AI: ElevenLabs plans to “resurrect” Stan Lee for licensed AI voice/video and a monthly book-narration series. Policy & Youth: A UK review led by Alan Milburn warns NEET rates could climb sharply without urgent system fixes. Local Books & Community: Lake Erie Ink’s teen anthology “Lights, Camera, Action!” spotlights youth creativity and mental health through readings and bookstore launches.

Consumer Rights: A Currys customer says the retailer kept steering her faulty Hisense fan oven back to the manufacturer instead of arranging repair within the guarantee, turning a simple breakdown into weeks of runaround. Academic Integrity: A study warns that “predatory” fake university ranking sites have polluted official reports across 29 countries, pushing institutions toward an urgent audit-and-purge response. Travel Tech: Tripadvisor’s decline is framed as a warning for online travel agencies as AI search summarizes reviews instantly, siphoning off the traffic that once powered bookings. Policy & Privacy: The U.S. is drafting a broad nondisclosure agreement for federal workers, while China tightens online prescription rules—real-name checks, stricter platform duties, and limits on AI involvement. Books & Culture: “Backrooms” brings a 4chan creepypasta to the big screen, and a major biography of Garry Trudeau spotlights how Doonesbury turned news into art.

AI in Newsrooms: A Pennsylvania newspaper chain is using AI to produce stories, and one staff is fighting back by unionizing—pushing for control of bylines on AI-assisted work. Local Library Battles: Knox County Schools in Tennessee reinstated Alex Haley’s “Roots” after a review, following a brief ban tied to age-appropriate materials rules. School Policy Fallout: At the University of Chicago Lab School, parents and students are mobilizing around a new “neutrality” policy amid claims about politicized teaching. Tech + Surveillance: Smart glasses and smart policies are colliding, with new reporting warning that everyday devices and immigration plans could expand real-time face tracking. Publishing + Community: Juneteenth picture book “A Song for Juneteenth” reunites Zetta Elliott and Caldecott honoree Noa Denmon, while New Zealand’s mountain conservation stories win top honors at a major festival. Everyday Costs: In Chennai, CNG prices jumped again—another hike that hits drivers and transport budgets.

Education Crisis: In the Philippines, Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda says reading is collapsing: by Grade 3 many can’t read, one in four struggles at every grade, and by Grade 11, 87% aren’t independent readers—calling it a “national emergency” and pushing stronger early reading, better teacher training, and timely learning materials. AI Policy Reset: South Africa’s Draft National AI Policy was withdrawn after AI “hallucinations” invented fake citations and authors; officials were suspended and a reset panel is being set up to restore credibility. Safety Recall: South Africa’s National Consumer Commission flags 146 Hino 300 vehicles for a possible overheating fault tied to a combination meter circuit board, urging owners to book free inspections at Toyota dealers. Oil Market Whiplash: Analysts say crude is being pulled between Iran-negotiation hopes and renewed Middle East shipping/security fears, with supply tightness adding volatility. Spotify’s Next Move: Spotify’s ElevenLabs-powered audiobook feature is framed as incremental, but the bigger story is Spotify moving the “production layer” closer to distribution. Local Culture & Books: Sharjah’s Book Authority reviews its digital roadmap and global expansion plans, while Delaware lawmakers debate tightening intoxicating hemp rules ahead of a federal crackdown.