November 23, 2025

In the Spotlight

Last week, novelist Rabih Alameddine, journalist Omar El Akkad, and poet Patricia Smith received top honors at the 76th annual National Book Awards, where current events were a frequent talking point. OverDrive sued OpenAI, which operates the Sora video generator app, for trademark infringement against the digital book distributor’s own app of the same name. University of Texas Press, which turns 75 this year, sat down with PW to share its path to success. Stable Book Group, the newly formed indie publishing collective, added McSweeney’s and four other presses to its distribution program. And Jeanette Winter, who helped to popularize the nonfiction picture book, died at 86.

Earlier this month, Harper’s magazine celebrated its 175th anniversary with a gala at 583 Park Avenue in Manhattan. At the event, Marilynne Robinson (l.) was awarded the inaugural Lewis H. Lapham Award for Literary Excellence, presented by Harper’s president and publisher John R. MacArthur (r.) and author Ayana Mathis (c.).
(Photo: Beowulf Sheehan)

Politics Loom Large at 2025 National Book Awards

At the 76th National Book Awards, held at Cipriani Wall Street in Manhattan on November 19, many of the evening’s winners—including Rabih Alameddine, who won the award for Fiction, and Omar El Akkad, who won for Nonfiction—remarked on current events, including the crisis in Gaza and immigration crackdowns. more

OverDrive Sues OpenAI Over Sora App

The digital distributor to schools and libraries is charging the AI company with trademark infringement related to its new text-to-video app Sora, which has the same name and a “confusingly similar visual identity” as an app OverDrive launched in 2018. more

University of Texas Press Celebrates 75 Years

The Austin-based academic publisher has evolved from a modest regional publisher into one of the most innovative academic presses in the United States, striking a balance between scholarly and trade success. more

Stable Distribution Adds McSweeney’s and Four Others

The distribution company, which focuses on indie publishers and was formed in June by the Stable Book Group and Hachette Book Group, has added five new client publishers to its roster. It begins distribution in January 2026. more

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