Jenn and guest Charity Yoro give poetry recs, holiday gift picks, Erik Larson comps, and more in this week’s episode of Get Booked.

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The Illuminae Files (rec’d by Stephanie)

Questions

1. Hi!

This is my first ever recommendation request (so exciting)! My Mom is giving my brother and his wife a Hawaiian getaway as a Christmas Present. There’s no way I can top that, nor would my wallet allow me to try, so I would like to give my sister-in-law some tropical beach reads to take on the trip! I was already thinking PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION. She likes Taylor Jenkins Reid Novels and appreciates a good thriller. I’m thinking something that’s Summer Hallmark movie meets Gone Girl. I’d love for the setting to be Hawaii, but would be happy with any tropical vacation setting.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

-Sydney

2. My mom loves all books by Erik Larson. It’s the style of writing vs. the specific subjects. What are good comps?

Thanks so much.

Wishing you good reading.

-Christine

3. Hello! I’m coming at you all the way from Melbourne, Australia!

I just read Jane: A Murder by Maggie Nelson.

I loved the mixture of poetry, journal entries, general awesome Nelson writing.. Just wondering if you can recommend anything of a similar style. I have already read The Argonauts (and loved it).

I struggle to read a book that is just poetry, but really enjoyed the way Nelson pulled it all together.

-Sara 

4. I am spending a month studying abroad in London and the rest of the U.K., so I’m looking for books not just set in London but revolving around the city, if that makes sense. Something that will really introduce me to the city, but preferably contemporary or historical fiction. Not much other than that.

Thanks!

-Maria

5. Hi ! Looking for recs of queer poetry. Specifically I’d love to read about 🌸bisexuality🌸, any poet that wrote about their attraction to multiple genders I’m interested in, as long as its focused on pride and not shame. It’s not always fun or welcoming out there and I need some beautiful words. I’m very new to the genre and pretty much never read any of it. I want to !

Thanks in advance and a beautiful day to you.

-Nomi

6. Books for Christmas! Hello, long-time listener and first-time write-in. I’ll do my best to keep this short and sweet. I am a big believer in giving the gift of books, especially to children. With that, I am constantly questioning what kids are into, what my boys are into, the hip new books for kids, what they will find captivating and fun, what will excite them. By the end, I’m always left feeling questionable about what I chose. So, this year I’m seeking help! I have two different boys that I buy for, my godson and my nephew. Godson: The Sunshine of my life is ten years old and an incredibly unique kid. He likes everything from puppets to Lego’s and Harry Potter. He also collects different Nutcrackers, plays chess (the kid is 10.), loves Minecraft, loves to read and write, and knows weird, random facts. Some books that I know he has read are the Captain Underpants series and the Dog Man series. Nephew: this light of my life is 11- years old and a bit harder to shop for. He loves snakes, baseball, and video games. His favorite subjects in school are science and math. He is quiet and reserved; what can I say! In the past, I have given him children’s books on snakes and a box set of Roald Dahl books, which I have no idea if he read any of the boxed books. When they were younger, I usually focused on more educational-type books. However, with them getting older, I am starting to focus on books that will bring out their creativity and imagination and simply keep any interest in books and reading. Thank you for your time and your help—happy holidays to everyone at Book Riot. 

-Jenny G.

7. I am currently reading The Making of Asian America by Erika Lee and loving it. I’m looking for comparable fiction recommendations that would make good companion reading. I think I have a good handle on Asian American fiction writers, but would love to read Asian diasporic fiction from other places especially Cuba, Central and South America. Thank you!

-Malory

Books Discussed

Daughters of Fire by Tom Peek

Kaui Hart Hemmings and Kawai Strong Washburn 

This is Paradise by Kristiana Kahakauwila

Lafayette in the Somewhat United States by Sarah Vowell

The Black Count by Tom Reiss 

Chelsea Girls by Eileen Myles (CW: sex, drugs, rock-n-roll content)

Anne Carson (An Autobiography of Red)

Carmen Maria Machado (In the Dream House, cw: domestic abuse)

Ocean Vuong (On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous)

Citizen by Claudia Rankine

The Book of Delights by Ross Gay

Londoners by Craig Taylor

Brick Lane by Monica Ali

White Teeth by Zadie Smith

Bernardine Evaristo (Girl, Woman, Other)

Kraken by China Mieville

You’re the Most Beautiful Thing That Happened by Arisa White

Directed by Desire by June Jordan 

Autostraddle post: https://www.autostraddle.com/read-a-fcking-book-ten-lesbian-bisexual-poets-34457/

The Witch Boy series by Molly Knox Ostertag 

Paola Santiago and the River of Tears by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Seeing Ghosts by Kat Chow

One Hundred Days by Alice Pung (cw: emotional and physical abuse)

Next month, TBS in conjunction with Cartoon Network, has a new special coming where contestants will represent the Hogwarts house they have placed themselves in and compete in an ultimate fan quiz show against competitors from rival houses.

This show is a celebration of the legacy of films since it’s been 20 years since the release of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Take a look!

Here is the write-up:

“Only one house can win. ❤️💚🏆💙💛 With celebrity guests, original film actors, and the House Cup at stake, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses will be the greatest fan competition in Wizarding World history!”

Hosted by Dame Helen Mirren, the show will feature several celebrity guests like: Tom Felton, Dan Folger, Shirley Henderson, Matthew Lewis, Simon Fisher-Becker, Pete Davidson, Jay Leno, and Luke Youngblood.

Tom Ascheim, President, Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics says it’s a celebration for fans of all ages:

“To celebrate the dedicated fans old and new who have passionately kept the Wizarding World magic alive in so many forms for decades, these exciting specials will celebrate their Harry Potter fandom in a must-see multiplatform TV event.

All Potter fans can gear up for this ultimate one-of-a-kind celebration by embracing their inner Hermione Granger and studying their Wizarding World knowledge. For fans who have always wanted to discover what it might be like to take the OWL exams, this is as close as they are going to get!“

You can catch this show on TBS, Sunday’s starting on November 28th and running through December 19th.

According to Entertainment Weekly the episodes will go like this:

“Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff” and continue with Ravenclaw and Slytherin going head to head before the two winning houses compete in a wildcard episode and finally, the grand finale.”

There will also be an interactive competition element that will invite fans from around the world to play via digital quiz events. These events will be on the WizardingWorld.com site starting Nov. 26 and will run through Dec. 10.

What do you think? Comment and let us know!

Sources: Comicbook.com, EW

Sitting in the darkened rows of the Princess Theatre, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is in full swing. The special effects are incredible (I won’t spoil it) and it takes an effort to remind oneself that magic isn’t really happening; it does seem the most logical explanation for what the audience is witnessing. Some moments are particularly unforgettable.

Here, on a comfy red seat in a packed row, it is easy to give in to the magic, to forget about life for a while and to place ourselves in the hands of the creatives on stage, spinning their story for our entertainment. How we have missed this: storytelling, imagination, performance!

The crowd is big, slow, respectful. People linger on the footpath outside during intermission, getting some fresh air on a balmy evening under the blazing lights on the facade of the Princess Theatre. The bright lights telegraph to all that Melbourne is back to her old vivacious self.

During the intermission though, a quick iPhone check reveals news stories filtering through about the arrival in Australia of Omicron, the latest COVID-19 variant, identified by scientists in South Africa.

DES MOINES, Iowa —

A Des Moines couple has transformed their home into a Harry Potter fan’s dream. Sandy and John Selby turned their garage and front yard into a haunted Hogwarts.

The couple has been putting on a massive Halloween display at their home on the northeast side of Des Moines for 20 years. Each year they choose a different theme.

“So we chose Harry Potter and I only seen one movie when we started this. So had a lot of research to do. And we don’t have a graphics design background or anything like that. We just basically faked it,” said Sandy Selby.

Sandy Selby says it takes more than a month to craft the display, and it’s an expensive endeavor.

“We probably have about $2,000 worth of Styrofoam alone in here,” said Sandy Selby.

But the couple says it’s worth it to see the magic it creates for people who come from across the metro to view the Halloween destination.

“When you see the kids and you see the mom and dads in there having fun. It is so worth it,” said John Selby.

“I’ve always wanted to be that one home growing up, I can remember there was always one house in the town we lived in, that went over and above and beyond. And we wanted to be that house. And I think we’ve achieved our goal,” said Sandy Selby.

The Selbys do not charge for anyone to see their Halloween display. Any donations go to the Salvation Army.

The address is 3720 Brook Ridge Court in Des Moines.

They are open on weekdays from 4-7 p.m., Friday from 2-9 p.m., and Saturday from noon-9 p.m.

• Daniel Radcliffe shared who he’d play in a “Harry Potter” reboot during a recent podcast appearance.
• Radcliffe, who starred as Harry, said he’d like to play Sirius or Lupin in a potential reboot.
• J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series (and the films based on the books) are a cultural phenomenon.

Daniel Radcliffe is open to taking on other roles for a hypothetical “Harry Potter” reboot.

While appearing on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, Radcliffe and his current costars from the TBS series “Miracle Workers” all revealed who they’d play in a “Harry Potter” reboot when asked by the podcast’s host, Josh Horowitz.

“I would probably want to go with like, Sirius [Black] or [Remus] Lupin,” Radcliffe said. “Those were always the two characters that I was like, ‘They’re great.'”

Sirius Black and Remus Lupin’s roles were played by Gary Oldman and David Thewlis, respectively, in the beloved films based on controversial author J.K. Rowling‘s book series.

Though talks of a “Harry Potter” reboot would make fans happy, it’s unlikely to happen anytime soon.

HBO Max

and Warner Bros. told the New York Post in a statement Tuesday that “there are no ‘Harry Potter’ series in development at the studio or on the

streaming

platform.”

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A first edition of the debut Harry Potter book in the series by J.K. Rowling was just sold for $38,000 by a British man with a stake in the character’s good name.

Indeed, one Harry Potter, 33, of Waterlooville, Hampshire, has sold his well-loved copy of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (released in the US as “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”), which he received as a gift from his father in 1997 — the year the book was released.

Only 500 copies of that first edition were printed.

Potter has kept the book as a prized possession, now with immense sentimental value since his father passed away due to cancer in 2017. But he’s recently decided to part ways with the volume with the purpose of fundraising for a trip to Kenya, where Potter plans to scatter his dad’s ashes.

Despite its worn corners and creased spine, the novel sold at Hansons Auctioneers, in Etwall, Derbyshire, for £27,500 ($38,000).

“I’m happy it sold,” he said in a statement to South West News Service. “We plan to use the proceeds to take my dad’s ashes to Kenya.”

“We’re delighted to deliver a happy ending, and add a new chapter to the Potter story,” added Hanson Auctioneers owner Charles Hanson.

“Considering its well-used, well-loved condition, the book did extremely well,” he said. “I’m so pleased Harry and Katie can now use the proceeds to honor their father.”

While $38,000 is nothing to sneeze at, another first printing of the same book, which additionally bragged an autograph from the author, fetched a cool $90,000 in 2019.

Three years prior, a bedazzled, handwritten tome by Rowling herself — a re-creation of “The Tales of the Beedle the Bard,” a story told within “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” — raised a whopping $620,000 for charity.

Unusual book promotions are not unheard of. The late Bryce Courtenay, a former advertising man, was renowned for dreaming up bold approaches to marketing his Blockbusters, while British artist Kit Williams included clues to find a buried golden hare in his 1979 illustrated treasure-hunt book, Masquerade. But, as one publishing executive said, if you pre-order a book the most you’re likely to get is a tote bag.

Offering an NFT is something different. An NFT is a digital asset representing objects such as art, music, in-game items and videos. They are often traded for cryptocurrencies, but have data encoded that makes them unique, meaning they can’t be traded like-for-like – they are non-fungible.

Vaynerchuk’s wheeze was to offer a global incentive for his followers to bulk-buy the book. Those who ordered them in a 24-hour period to 5pm (US eastern time) on August 28 and confirmed their eligibility with Vaynerchuk’s “team” will receive “a valuable gift” in their digital wallet by December 16.

Jim Demetriou, chief executive officer of HarperCollins, which publishes Vaynerchuk’s books, said he had never seen a promotion like the one for Twelve and Half. “It’s up there with Harry Potter.”

by C. Lirette

Community Contributor

Hello, book lovers! Tomorrow is a day when many of us reflect on all the things we’re thankful for. While family and friends are, of course, at the top of many lists, we readers have an addition or two: Thank you, Diana Gabaldon, for gifting us the next Outlander novel! (Can you believe it’s been seven years since the previous book was published?!) And, hey, even if you’ve yet to be swept up into that particular series, there are plenty more reads to be grateful for this year. So, without further ado, enjoy this mix of stories from the book world. 

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Everything You Need to Know Before reading Diana Gabaldon’s Ninth Outlander Novel: This time-traveling phenomenon has captured the hearts of millions. Enjoy this quick, spoiler-free refresher before diving into the latest! — BookTrib

What’s the Best Book of the Past 125 Years? You Decide! There’s still time left to cast your vote. Choose from literary classics like F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, contemporary favorites like Harry Potter and more! — The New York Times

Ann Patchett’s Latest and Greatest: From cheerful bonbons for the soul to deeply personal, self-revelatory pieces, enjoy These Precious Days, a grace-filled, insightful compilation of narrative essays. — BookTrib

9 Books to Read After You Finish Binge-Watching Amazon’s The Wheel of Time: If you’re in need of another epic fantasy adventure, try one of these series on for size. — Screen Rant

No One Has Time for Bad Books; Here’s Your Permission to Put Them Down: “For every book, there is a time, a mood and a season.” Ditching that book you’re not invested in doesn’t have to be a forever decision … but it can be if you want it to! — Vogue

Jon Land Shares a Feast of November Thrillers: Featuring David Baldacci, Louise Penny, Michael Connelly and more, this month’s picks will delight your mind and satisfy that hunger for heart-hammering stories. — BookTrib

5 Books That Celebrate and Embrace Found Family: Loved ones aren’t always those we share DNA with. These books prove that the families we choose are just as important as the ones we’re born into. — Tor

Historical Fiction Serves Its Purpose in Narrating History: Reflecting on his own trajectory of historical curiosity, one professor explains the value of introducing historical fiction within history classrooms. — Historians.org

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