AGP Executive Report
Last update: 5 hours agoPublishing Loss: Bestselling British novelist and former Conservative MP Jeffrey Archer died at 86, “suddenly and peacefully” at home, a day before the release of his final novel, Adam and Eve—his career included sales of 300M+ copies and a perjury conviction that sent him to prison. Censorship Watch: A new PEN America report says US public schools logged nearly 12,000 book bans in 2025–26, with The Handmaid’s Tale, Jane Eyre and Tokyo Ghoul among the most targeted, and administrators increasingly using AI to decide what to remove. Books & Society: A psychology piece explores why some parents still cover schoolbooks with brown paper, framing it as a possible ritual tied to control and comfort. Book-to-Screen: StudioCanal and Deadpan Pictures are adapting Katie Kirby’s The Extremely Embarrassing Life of Lottie Brooks for TV, with Josie Long and Holly Phillips leading. Industry Moves: Gemini Books Group acquired the trade and assets of Publications International Ltd. Community Reading: A Gaza woman salvages books from rubble to keep education alive, while a new UK shop, The Novel House, opens with a resident golden retriever and plans for clubs and author events.
Note: AI summary from news headlines; neutral sources weighted more to help reduce bias in the result. Feedback is welcome. Please let us know if you have any comments or suggestions about the AGP Executive Report.