A Festival at a Crossroads

Tomorrow, September 6, the Library of Congress will open the doors to its 25th annual National Book Festival, a milestone event in the nation’s capital that promises to blend tradition, innovation, and resilience. The Walter E. Washington Convention Center will host thousands of readers, writers, and publishers in a full day of programming from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., with free admission for all and livestreams available worldwide. Yet this landmark year unfolds in a Washington under unusual circumstances.

Anthropic, the artificial intelligence company behind the Claude chatbot, has reached a proposed settlement with book authors and publishers who accused it of copyright infringement. The agreement, disclosed in recent court filings, marks the first major resolution of its kind in the growing clash between the publishing industry and AI developers.

The lawsuit, Bartz v. Anthropic, alleged that the company built a digital library of pirated books from shadow sites such as Library Genesis and used those works to train its large language models…

Denmark has announced it will abolish its 25% sales tax on books, a move aimed at addressing what officials are calling a “reading crisis.” The tax, among the highest in Europe, has long been criticized for making books less affordable and discouraging reading. With one in four Danish teenagers struggling to understand basic texts, the government says the measure is urgently needed to make reading more accessible. The decision is part of Denmark’s wider cultural policy to strengthen literacy, and it has already sparked discussion about whether other countries should consider similar reforms.

Every year, thousands of hopeful authors set out to publish their books with dreams of reaching readers worldwide. But in 2025, the sad reality is that the publishing world has also become a hunting ground for scammers who prey on that very dream. Behind professional-looking websites, official-sounding names, and fake reviews, entire networks of fraudulent “publishers” and “literary agencies” are tricking writers into handing over their hard-earned money, only to deliver nothing in return.

These scams are not just frustrating inconveniences, they can devastate an author’s confidence, finances, and even the future of their book.

The education retailer battles compliance deadlines after delayed filings, and an internal audit uncovers a $23 million accounting overstatement.

Barnes & Noble Education (BNED) has been handed a potential lifeline and a warning. Following a delayed annual filing and revelations of a $23 million accounts receivable overstatement, the New York Stock Exchange has given the company until February 1, 2026, to regain compliance or risk delisting. The clock is now ticking as BNED works to resolve governance issues, shore up internal controls, and restore investor confidence.

On August 6, 2025, a powerful new chapter in American literary advocacy began with the official launch of the National Association of Black Bookstores (NAB2). Created to amplify Black voices, support independent Black-owned bookstores, and safeguard the cultural legacy of Black literature, NAB2 represents a unifying force in the book industry. According to the official press release shared on PR Newswire, the launch signals a nationwide call to preserve and empower Black-owned literary spaces.

Jane Austen is having a historic moment again. In the first half of 2025, her novels have outsold the past fifteen years, coinciding with the global celebration of her 250th birthday. From special edition box sets to immersive Regency balls, Austen’s legacy is being embraced not just by readers, but by an entire cultural moment. Her stories have leapt off the page, onto TikTok screens, collector shelves, and into the hearts of new generations.

A Netflix adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, starring Emma Corrin and Olivia Colman, has ignited fresh interest in her work. Meanwhile, bookstores can’t restock fast enough. Some editions, like The Folio Society’s £925 boxed set, sell out within hours, proving that Austen is both timeless and timely.