In childhood, the period between the last day of school and the day summer reading lists came in the mail was a blissful one, with not a single academic responsibility in sight.

By about day five of summer, a sunken spot on the couch becomes evidence of summer boredom, and the TV perpetually cycles between Disney Channel, Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon. The reading list, when it arrived, was a welcome activity to occupy idle hands.

As we’ve gotten older and the to-dos for school over the summer have dwindled, we may find ourselves nostalgic for that reading list, either for something to do or as a welcome distraction from stressful jobs or internships.

As someone perpetually searching for new books to read, I sought out my own summer reading list, speaking to a few University of Oregon professors about what books they would recommend to read over the summer.

John Clithero, a professor in the college of business, suggested “Deep Work” by Cal Newport, which is about minimizing distractions, working more efficiently and how to use technology effectively.

“It’s really influenced how I go about trying to get work done. I try to block off chunks of time where I don’t have any electronic interference,” Clithero said. “I know that that’s a privilege and something that can be challenging in today’s world, but I think even in small batches, just finding time to really slow down and think is very valuable.”

Similar to Clithero, Michael Allan, a professor in the school of global studies and languages, endorsed a book regarding distraction — “Disordered Attention: How We Look at Art and Performance Today” by Claire Bishop, which is about how our shrinking attention spans affect how we analyze and interact with art.

Another highlight was “Minor Detail” by Adania Shibli, an author with whom he shared an office at one point. “The novel takes a small clip from a newspaper article years ago and then sort of imagines the story out of that detail,” Allan said.

Told in two parts, the book tells the true story of the Nirim Affair in 1949 and a fictional story of a present-day Palestinian woman trying to investigate the incident.

“It’s an incredible speculative practice of reading the story of a life,” Allan said. “Shibli is also one of my favorite writers, and she has an incredible sort of minimalism in her work that speaks to incredibly rich philosophical questions.”

Allan also recommended “Camera Geologica: An Elemental History of Photography” by Siobhan Angus, which tells the history of photography through the minerals that the art form uses.

Ashley Angulo, a professor in the college of business, praised Agatha Christie across the board, highlighting “The Mysterious Affair at Styles” and “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.”

“I made it my goal to read every Agatha Christie book. I think she’s awesome and we don’t talk about her enough,” Angulo said. “Her books are pretty short, so you can get through them quickly. That kind of got me on a mystery kick, which I will say, in these political times, is very helpful for something to make sense.”

She also suggested the Sherlock Holmes books by Arthur Conan Doyle as a good alternative to Christie for readers looking for less bloody mystery novels, and Beatrix Potter books for a lighter subject matter.

“They’re all pretty short and sweet, but I would say they’re manageable for a college student. I think that you guys have so much to read anyway,” Angulo said.

Whether you’re a professor or a college student, reading allows you to expand your horizons and learn something new in the process. “I love reading. For me, reading is as much, not just one book, but the curiosity and curatorial energies of exploring what to read next,” Allan said.

If you’re looking for a book to read over the summer — to flip through while you’re lying out on the beach or cozied up in bed after a long day — consider checking out one of these recommendations and create your own summer reading list as an homage to our elementary school days.

Other recommendations:

Ashley Angulo
“The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House” by Audre Lorde

Michael Allan
“The Book of Sleep” by Haytham El Wardany
“Medium Hot: Images in the Age of Heat” by Hito Steyerl
“Living in Your Light” by Abdellah Taïa

John Clithero
“The Overstory” by Richard Powers

Christina Bollo
“The Sentence” by Louise Erdrich
“Parable of the Sower” by Octavia E. Butler

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Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month is a time to recognize the contributions and history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, celebrating diversity along with learning about AAPI heritage. One way we can do that is by picking up a book by AAPI authors with AAPI characters. Here are a few recommendations to get you started.

“These Violent Delights” by Chloe Gong

Reimagined takes on Shakespeare are all over the book and movie scene — some are more obvious like “West Side Story,” and others fly under the radar like the movie, “She’s the Man.” “These Violent Delights” is subtle with the Shakespeare references, but one of my favorite Shakespeare adaptations.

The book takes “Romeo and Juliet” and places the story into the context of 1920’s Shanghai: The Scarlet Gang (the Cai’s) and the White Flowers (the Montagov’s) are gangs who have fought for generations. The book focuses on two main characters: Juliette, the heiress to the Scarlet Gang who recently returned from New York, and Roma, the heir to the White Flowers who has a complicated history with Juliette.

Grudgingly, the two begin to work together to stop what seems to be a sickness spreading through Shanghai — one that causes a madness that spurs people to rip their own throats out.

Considering this is Gong’s debut novel, it’s impressive. Despite being a centuries old story, it isn’t trite and feels original; the conflict between the Scarlet Gang and the White Flowers draws you in, but the mysterious illness keeps you turning the pages as fast as you can.

In just under 500 pages, Gong addresses white colonization in China, critiques America and how racism permeates the country and illustrates a mixture of cultural identities in one fell swoop. She also addresses cultural dissonance with the character of Juliette, who spends most of her life in the U.S. prior to the events of the book. She struggles with feeling like she belongs in Shanghai, which is well done and shows up in various aspects of her character.

The book recently blew up on BookTok, and it became popular for a reason. “These Violent Delights” is definitely worth your while this month.

“Babel” by R.F. Kuang

“Babel” is set in 1828, in an alternate reality where British imperial supremacy comes from translation magic: capturing what is “lost in translation” when translating analogous words to different languages.

The book follows Robin Swift, a Chinese boy who attends Babel, an institute at the University of Oxford where students learn to harness the power of translation.

At Babel, Robin and his friends eventually learn that the magic from translating European languages into English isn’t as powerful as it used to be, meaning languages like Mandarin or Arabic are becoming more prioritized. But with that prioritization comes the reality that Babel will exploit foreign nations in order to maintain British rule.

Robin finds himself caught between a promising future and fighting British rule; when the British Empire begins a war with China, it’s time for Robin to choose.

The book is a criticism of imperialism and the role academia plays in perpetuating it. “Babel” is incredibly well researched — the world feels tangible and readers are instantly transported into Robin’s life. The character development of Robin and the rest of the cast is incredibly well done and allows us to understand actions that we may not agree with.

R.F. Kuang is an Asian-American author and through the character of Robin, she writes about struggles of identity, language and sense of belonging. The book explores themes of intersectionality. The intersection of identities lead to each character experiencing privilege and life at Babel differently, making “Babel” an important read for this AAPI Heritage month.

If you’re looking for other books by Kuang, check out her series “The Poppy War,” which explores similar themes and is another gripping read.

“Age of Vice” by Deepti Kapoor

Things aren’t what they seem in Deepti Kapoor’s “Age of Vice.” Set in New Delhi, India, the book opens with a jarring scene: a speeding Mercedes jumps a curb and kills five people. But the man at the wheel isn’t a rich man, like onlookers presume. Instead, he is a shell shocked servant named Ajay who can’t seem to explain how he ended up sitting in the driver’s seat of a car responsible for the deaths of five people.

The book is a thriller and begins with the crime, later filling in the details of Ajay’s youth spent in poverty and how he ended up working for a wealthy crime family in India. The book shifts between different perspectives to piece together Kapoor’s compelling narrative.

“Age of Vice” explores themes of capitalism, corruption inequality and class differences, and is an authentic portrayal of India. Kapoor does an excellent job of exposing readers to the reality of the country amidst the chaos of the narrative.

If you’re into crime-based novels, consider reading this book, as it is not only a welcome addition to the genre, but is set in places that aren’t typically depicted in mainstream media.The rights to the book have been sold to be developed into a TV show, so be on the lookout for that.

In any month, it is important to see good and accurate representation in books, along with reading books by a variety of authors. But AAPI Heritage Month is an opportunity to highlight and elevate these books that don’t often receive the recognition they deserve, so take this month as an opportunity to read books by Asian American and Pacific Islander authors.

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A librarian plays a pivotal role in any child’s life, curating the selection of books in their libraries, organizing book fairs and making displays. District Librarian Amy Page has a slightly different role, working behind the scenes to support librarians across Eugene.

Page is the district librarian for the Eugene School District 4J, which includes most schools in Eugene. A district librarian has many jobs — consulting with the various schools, providing extra resources and providing support where needed throughout the district. In a district like 4J, where some schools still don’t have full-time librarians, this role is crucial.

“I kind of think of myself as somebody who’s trying to remove roadblocks for them and make their jobs easier,” Page said.

Page started out as a classroom teacher in Springfield before a library position opened up at her school. In that role, she navigated a whirlwind of back-to-back classes and prepared lessons on top of growing the library’s collection.

“It was very eye-opening because until you’re in this space and actually doing the work, you don’t really realize all that’s involved there,” Page said. “You’re planning lessons and doing all the kid stuff, but then you also have this huge space to develop and maintain and build a collection for.”

She began her role as the Eugene district librarian in January 2020, when 4J libraries looked much different than they do today, as schools relied on volunteers to work in the libraries. Although the pandemic threw a wrench into that system, it was an opportunity.

Page and her dedicated team of high school librarians worked with the district and built the program up. In the past few years, they have done just that — adding elementary school librarians to their team, among other incredible strides.

Page’s experience as a librarian gave her a valuable perspective on the job these librarians are going into and what they have to manage. It’s that perspective that puts her in a position to succeed.

“It takes a lot of getting to know the culture and the needs of the school and what they would really benefit from. You want books that will enhance that, so students can further their learning on particular topics that tie into the curriculum,” Page said, emphasizing the importance of the individual librarians in each school.

This hard work translates into tangible moments — seeing the transformation of libraries across the districts into places kids respond to and look forward to learning in. The beginning of this school year was one of those moments for Page, and she got to see her hard work pay off.

“When I held our back-to-school professional development, instead of just having four high school certified librarians and myself there, I had 18 certified librarians in the room,” Page said. “Knowing the work that they were going to be doing in these libraries — it’s just been so cool throughout this year to see the transformation and the care that’s been put in them.”

Despite the slow start, the district is putting countless resources towards the library program, supporting libraries and recognizing the value in them. At the end of the day, that investment pays off with kids responding to the libraries: requesting new books in a series, participating in events or even just getting excited about reading. The library program will continue to evolve — with Page at the helm of a hardworking team, it’s a guarantee.

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The library at César E. Chávez Elementary School in West Eugene is a carefully curated oasis for students — the stories lining the walls permeate the space and make you feel as though a thousand different worlds are at your fingertips, and the classical music playing overhead makes it easy to disappear into them.

The bookshelves that act as walls stand at waist height and the library sits right past the main office — so abruptly that you won’t notice there’s a library there until you’re standing in it. But librarian Martha Dyer makes it easy to forget those details as she maintains the library as a haven for learning and reading.

April is D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything And Read) Month in honor of “Beezus and Ramona” author Beverly Cleary’s birthday on April 12. Throughout the month, the holiday inspires people of all ages to make reading a priority in their lives. Elementary schools encourage this tradition, and it’s people like Dyer, who foster a love of reading in children, that lay the foundation for those habits.

Chávez Elementary just celebrated Read Across America in March — for Dr. Suess’ birthday — and also had their book fair.

“Practically every parent comes with their kids, and it was three straight hours of constant checking out, selling books with three registers and huge excitement,” Dyer said.

Along with fun events like those, the values of D.E.A.R. are baked into the curriculum of 4J, as they use a reading assessment called Walk to Read. This way of teaching is designed to meet kids where they are based on reading level and interest level. Where does Dyer come in? With reading encouragement and information literacy, despite a lack of widespread recognition.

“The library isn’t necessarily mentioned. We’re like the unicorns,” Dyer said. “We kind of don’t fit. And also our programs have been cut. So it’s almost like people don’t fit us in with how we’re part of reading skill building. We’re part of the reading programs, but it’s not as measurable.”

Dyer’s passion for teaching kids to read is palpable, but her job isn’t without setbacks. Perhaps the main struggle for any 4J librarian is the fact that elementary schools in the district didn’t have librarians just three years ago — although you wouldn’t be able to tell due to Dyer’s hard work.

“When I came, we had to weed, I think it was about 40 boxes of books from the 1980s,” Dyer said. “Not only were they old and shabby, but culturally not appropriate either.”

Dyer was part of a pilot program for librarians in the 4J elementary schools. Prior to this, the responsibilities were done by a part time teacher, who spent just 30 minutes a day checking in books and shelving them. Now, there are librarians in all of the elementary schools to rebuild that program.

4J librarians like Dyer are teaching students to build reading into their lives. As a catchphrase fitting for a librarian, Dyer emphasized that “reading is everywhere.”

She explained how librarians begin to develop those habits. “With the kinders, they start checking out books for the first time, and they’re so excited, you know? They’re not necessarily reading books yet, but we talk about reading by looking at the pictures.”

Dyer sat at a kid-sized wooden table spattered with picture books, and as she flipped through the pages she pointed out how much information a child can get by just looking at the illustrations.

“For me, the second graders and the third graders are the most curious, and they’re so excited to get books,” Dyer said. “Their interest in different topics is huge. It’s so sparked when they’re in second and third grade, and all you have to do is basically provide them with the access.”

What seems like a simple responsibility of a librarian — guiding kids toward the right book — can have effects that last a lifetime.

“I remember when I was a kid, my teacher did D.E.A.R. time, which at first, I wasn’t thrilled about,” Marcus Russell, a Eugene resident, said. “Then she suggested this really cool dinosaur book and it wasn’t so bad. If she hadn’t suggested that book, I definitely would not read as much as I do today.”

Through D.E.A.R. time and the work of dedicated educators like Dyer, the spark of curiosity in young readers is not only nurtured but celebrated — turning small moments like picking out a book or flipping through pictures into a foundation of lifelong habits. As Dyer says: reading is everywhere.

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When Miriam Gershow learned she was nominated for an Oregon Book Award, she was nearly done teaching one of her first advanced fiction classes of the winter term. Given how early it was into the term, she didn’t know her students very well yet, and they didn’t quite know her, yet they got to share a special moment recognizing Gershow’s work.

“My publisher sent me a congratulatory text. I was confused at first, but then I checked my email and saw the nomination in the class with everyone,” Gershow said. “I was so excited, and they were all very cute.”

Gershow is an English professor at the University of Oregon and has been nominated as one of five finalists for the Ken Kesey Award for Fiction for her book “Survival Tips: Stories.”

Literary Arts presents the Oregon Book Awards annually, and the ceremony is held at the end of April. Each of the seven awards they present has three out-of-state judges to determine the winner.

Chris Feliciano Arnold is one of the judges who determines the Frances Fuller Victor Award for General Nonfiction, a category for which another UO professor, Courtney Thorsson, was nominated. Arnold is a professor of creative writing at Saint Mary’s College of California.

As Arnold explained, the judging process is straightforward; each judge is sent an initial box of books, reads each book and then sends their notes to the other judges. They then receive a second box of books, which the other judges have selected, to repeat the process. Finally, the judges join in conversation to make the final decision.

As a writer and professor, Arnold knows how difficult it is to get published, and doesn’t understate that when it comes to judging for the competition. “We come to the process with a sense of fundamental generosity toward books that are being nominated,” Arnold said earnestly.

“Survival Tips: Stories” is a collection of 10 short stories written over 25 years. Gershow wrote some of the stories as an MFA student between her first and second year, while others were written the year before the book came out.

“It’s a really interesting amalgam,” Gershow said. “I joked to people at the time that my publisher couldn’t tell the difference between stories I wrote 25 years ago and the ones I wrote last year, which is either good or bad.”

Each story follows characters through various hardships and illustrates the way humans ultimately make meaning out of our mistakes. Gershow, like her characters, went through her fair share of struggles when it came to publishing her book.

“I think the hardest part was not in the writing but what to do with myself in those long years of not getting published, keeping the faith in the writing process and the newer stories,” Gershow said. Her first book was published in 2009. “Survival Tips,” her second publication, came out 15 years later.

Several months after Gershow sold “Survival Tips: Stories,” she sold her next novel, titled “Closer.” That publication, along with the Oregon Book Awards nomination, has been inspiring and reassured her doubts about her career.

In addition to being an Oregon Book Awards Finalist, she was also an Independent Publisher Book Awards Silver Medalist and won the PenCraft Awards Best Book for Fiction -Short Stories/Anthologies, both in 2024.

Arnold explained how important these awards are — not only for the author, but for the craft itself. “When you’re giving a book the honor of receiving a prize, you have an opportunity to elevate the visibility of that book,” Arnold said. “You’re letting this book have that much more of a chance of finding a readership and building some buzz.”

Grateful for the nomination, Gershow is enjoying the ride and not taking a moment for granted — connecting with her readers, appreciating her publisher and learning from the other nominees.

“The awards are such a cherry on top and so validating, especially in a business where you can be told no for a decade and a half,” Gershow said. “It’s so validating to remember, like, ‘oh yeah, I am good at this.’ My life would be just as rich without getting awards, but they’re so nice.”

When Gershow did the book tour for “Survival Tips” last year, she called it the “all joy, no neurosis tour,” as a reminder to absorb every bit of joy from the experience and not to worry about how her book was doing.

It’s a theme she’s carried into the journey of the Oregon Book Award nomination: Gershow is honored and happy to be there, although a win would be the cherry on top.

The Oregon Book Award winners will be announced on April 28.

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On Feb. 27, room 211 in Allen Hall was filled with students, professors and community members alike, all there to hear one person speak: David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker.  

Although Remnick appeared on Zoom, he held a strong command over the room as he spoke about the origins of The New Yorker and the context journalism exists in today.

His career led him from The Washington Post to The New Yorker, where he became editor in 1998. Aside from heading the publication, he has written profiles of larger-than-life figures like Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen, and won a Pulitzer prize for his book “Lenin’s Tomb: The Last Days of the Soviet Empire.”

Remnick appeared on Zoom to speak to the SOJC’s New Yorker class, taught by Professor Charlie Butler, but the conversation was open to everyone.

“I emailed their public relations VP — I said, ‘I might as well try.’ They got back to me within 15 minutes and said ‘This is great. I can’t believe you’re doing this class, let me check,’” Butler said. “By two o’clock that afternoon we had the date. They said, ‘we’ll give you an hour.’ He gave us 61 minutes.” 

The discussion began with Remnick explaining the culture at the time The New Yorker was starting up — the magazine began with the intention of being a good humor magazine. “It’s 1925 and everybody’s having a good time. The Depression hasn’t started. They don’t know about the war, and they’ve just finished the first World War,” Remnick said. “New York is booming. Jazz is happening for them.”

Following its 100th anniversary, The New Yorker reflects on changes made to the magazine since 1925 — the way they approach profiles being one example.

“The one piece of quote, unquote, ‘serious journalism’ in that first issue is a profile of the guy that runs the Metropolitan Opera in New York. It’s a terrible piece. It’s not good, and sometimes when you start something — it’s a good lesson in life — you don’t always get it right the first time,” Remnick said. “You fail, and then you fail again, and you learn from your failures, and you start to figure yourself out.”

Over time, The New Yorker found its footing, leaving many points in the magazine’s history to reflect on. What did they do wrong? According to Remnick, the magazine missed an opportunity when they didn’t profile The Beatles in the 1960s. What did they do right? Doechii. Six months ago, a fact checker suggested the rapper as someone the magazine needed to write a profile on. 

“We try to get younger people who may not have most senior positions to come to ideas meetings for this reason,” Remnick said. “I had never heard of Doechii. So I go on YouTube, and I check out that NPR desktop concert. She’s fabulous, absolutely knockout fabulous.”

Earnestly curious, Remnick took the opportunity to ask the people in the room what they wanted to see from The New Yorker that they aren’t already getting. “You’re not going to hurt my feelings,” he said.

As the conversation turned toward the current media landscape, Remnick spoke candidly about the pressure on journalism right now. He referenced recent lawsuits against the AP, ABC and CBS by the Trump administration as concerning attitudes toward the mainstream press. He encouraged an approach of fearlessness and honesty.

After a few sheepish admissions from students that they had never read The New Yorker before this year, Remnick acknowledged decreased readership as something to be expected and something that reflects a larger shift in society. People are more frequently looking at their phones on the New York subway than they are reading a newspaper or a magazine. 

Remnick is hopeful for the future of journalism, and his hope radiated through his words and around the room; as grateful as the occupants of Allen 211 were for his presence, he was for their presence.

Ending with a tongue-in-cheek remark, Remnick said, “I’m really grateful to be here, and I’m very flattered that you’re paying such attention to the New Yorker past and present. I hope you’ll pick out your 20 favorite friends and give them subscriptions.”

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Black History Month is as good a time as any to read books that explore and honor the stories, struggles and triumphs of Black people through history. Many books tackle themes of institutionalized racism and colorism and challenge societal understandings of these themes.

The following books are great picks for your next read this Black History Month.

1. “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett

Desiree and Stella Vignes are identical twin sisters who grew up in the fictional town of Mallard, Louisiana, which was established by an ex-slave in the 1840s to be exclusively for people with light skin; this founding premise influences the twins’ lives and sets the tone for the rest of the book.

The twins decide to run away to New Orleans at the age of 16, but the founding premise of their town and subsequent upbringing influences their lives and sets the tone for the rest of the book.

Once they leave Mallard, Desiree and Stella lead two entirely different lives in two entirely different worlds; while Desiree embraces her race, Stella hides it. Yet, their stories stay connected as Brit Bennett explores the history of racial passing in America, colorism and how the past can stick.

This book is impossible to put down once you start reading it, and the non-linear narrative structure is engaging as it jumps between years and familial generations. This structure allows readers to concurrently watch Desiree and Stella make decisions in the past, and see how those decisions affect them in the future.

2. “Ace of Spades” by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé had a strong debut with “Ace of Spades,” which follows Chiamaka Adebayo and Devon Richards — the only two Black students at the elite Niveus Private Academy. Everything is normal until someone named Aces begins to text the entire school with rumors and photos attacking Chiamaka and Devon.

Despite coming from two different backgrounds and not knowing each other, the two are forced to work together to figure out who Aces is. This dark academia thriller tackles institutionalized racism and class differences. Aside from the deeper societal context, the narrative is compelling. The relationships are messy, the stakes are high and you don’t realize a twist has happened until it’s five pages behind you.

The ending is shocking — even more so because it’s rooted in reality. This thriller is definitely worth your time this February.

3. “The Nickel Boys” by Colson Whitehead

“The Nickel Boys” alternates between two timelines. In the 1960s, Elwood Curtis is an intelligent and hardworking high schooler. Falsely accused of stealing a car, he gets sent to the Nickel Academy — a segregated juvenile reformatory rampant with racism, abuse and corporal punishment. Elwood ends up meeting Turner, another student at the academy, and they navigate the academy’s horrors together.

In the 2010s, the Nickel Academy is under investigation, and despite the school closing, Elwood grapples with how his life continues to be shaped by his experiences at the school as he decides whether to testify in the investigation.

The most powerful part of the book is that the narrative is rooted in true stories. Based on Florida’s Dozier School for Boys and other “reform schools,” the book scathingly critiques our American society that allows places like this to exist.

Whitehead was inspired by the election of Donald Trump in 2016, and started writing “The Nickel Boys” to make sense of where the country was headed. The movie adaptation for this book was also premiered theatrically in December. With a new Trump administration beginning, and the movie newly released, this book is more than a necessary read.

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Recent TikTok ban threats have left many sub communities formed on the app waiting in an anxious limbo to see the cultural impact a ban could have. BookTok is one of those communities.

BookTok rose in popularity in 2020 when the pandemic hit, and by 2021 it had turned into a cultural force. Publishers reached out to creators to help with book promotions, dialogue increased between authors and readers and users shared book recommendations with one another.

With the rise of BookTok came the resurgence of reading as a hobby, and over the years, the reading community has flourished. The app has created a space for people who love to read, regardless of if they’re accomplished authors or simply people who like to talk about the books they love. This quality has been beneficial for users, creators and authors alike.

“It’s something about TikTok, and the algorithm that helps me connect with people that are interested in my little cozy fantasy niche,” Erin Ritch, an indie author and creator, said. “It’s not lost on me that the two books of mine that I talk about on TikTok are my most successful by far, and I don’t pay a dime.”

Where traditional marketing avenues made it difficult for self-published authors to break into the mainstream, BookTok often favored indie authors.

“It’s exciting to talk to people that are excited about your work,” Ritch said. “I would share updates when I was working on my last book, and people were like, ‘Please hurry, we want to read, we’re so excited,’ and that was really encouraging.”

TikTok also allows users to follow indie publishers and new authors, in a way that wasn’t possible before the app. Kaytlin Smith, a BookTok content creator based in Eugene, like many others, used to pick her books by going to bookstores and seeing what looked interesting. TikTok opened a completely new world for readers.

“Just by scrolling, I can come across somebody who’s writing something completely up my alley, and then I can follow them to see where their journey goes,” Smith said. “That kind of accessibility is not something I ever imagined being possible.”

Authors, in turn, can follow the journey their books take.

“When they were having the really bad hurricanes in Texas earlier in 2024, one of my readers tagged me in a post,” Ritch said. “She had downloaded my book ‘Pippi’s Inn For Wandering Spirits’ on her Kindle before they went a week without power. She said that my book got her through that week, and that gave me chills.”

Interactions like this are common, as TikTok helps connect authors to their readers and share their stories.

A ban of the app would severely threaten this connection, and small presses and indie authors would feel the brunt of the ban. TikTok allows authors and publishers to promote their books for free and build supporters in a way that has yet to be replicated on any other app.

Many BookTok creators and authors have been able to monetize their content and make money off of TikTok shop, to the point where they are able to make a living off of TikTok. A ban would jeopardize the livelihood of many BookTok creators.

There are also concerns among the BookTok community that a ban could have major impacts with regards to censorship.

“The topic of censorship is such a slippery slope that it turns from, you know, we’re just banning this book because of appropriateness for children, and it slides into, we’re banning this app where people are sharing ideas and learning about these kinds of books that are deemed controversial. That scares me,” Smith said.

TikTok has made a world of difference in the literary community. From making reading popular to encouraging discourse to having tangible economic effects, the impact of TikTok cannot be overstated.

As the debate over TikTok’s future continues and the possibility of a ban is still unknown, the BookTok community reflects on the good the app has brought as well as fears of censorship and financial loss. The effect a TikTok ban will have will be felt outside the digital world in ways we have yet to fully grasp.

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“They’re the closest thing America has to royalty” — it isn’t a monarchy, it isn’t a descendant of a Founding Father and it isn’t even a president. The closest thing America has to royalty are the stars crowned every year at the Academy Awards, anointed with the golden statuette that is the Oscar.

As film awards season begins to kick off, it’s easy to focus on the dazzling red carpet looks and root for your favorite movie. Yet, it’s also easy to miss how we have these awards in the first place. Who came up with the fashion-forward red carpet, which acts as an event before the event? Why is the Oscar called the Oscar? When did the Academy Awards start?

Michael Schulman details the history of the Academy Awards and more in his book “Oscar Wars,” a compelling read that captures the glitz and glamour of Hollywood without shying away from its darker corners.

The Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, are considered the most prestigious awards for film achievement, but the creation of the event had nearly nothing to do with awards. The Academy Awards are put on every year by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), which was founded in 1927 by Louis B. Mayer (of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios). The Academy started as a way to unite the motion picture community against federal censorship and to create a governing body to mediate labor disputes without involving unions.

The idea of “Awards of Merit” was spearheaded by Academy secretary Frank Woods, and this effort resulted in the first Academy Awards in 1929. The event was not broadcast, and the presentation of the awards took less than 10 minutes.

“Oscar Wars” details the journey the ceremony has taken from that very first event in 1929 to the 2022 ceremony, and everything in between.

It was enjoyable to read about points in history I was both familiar and unfamiliar with, as Schulman masterfully details the politics of the event, and how the machine that is the Academy carefully orchestrates it all.

I knew about the “La La Land”/“Moonlight” mixup – I watched it live on TV. But Schulman brings a new perspective, illustrating a play-by-play of how exactly the envelopes got switched.

Like much of the history in this book, Schulman’s writing makes the history more interesting and conveys the nuance present in many Academy-related events that would be difficult to understand otherwise.

From historic firsts in Sidney Poitier, to shameful eras with the Hollywood blacklist, to viral moments like “envelopegate” at the 2017 Oscars, Schulman doesn’t leave anything out when it comes to Hollywood history, which is the book’s strongest quality.

The level of detail was a bit more problematic when it came to the history of how Oscar campaigning really began. Oscar campaigning today involves movie studios spending large sums of money to sway Academy voters into voting in a particular way. The Academy Awards didn’t originally employ campaigning, and it has since turned the ceremony into a competition of who can spend more. This tactic is considered to have made the Oscars “dirty.” Who initiated these tactics? Harvey Weinstein.

Weinstein is a founder of the production company Miramax, and he is also a convicted sex offender known for using his clout as a producer to harass and assault women he worked with. It was difficult to read about a man like Weinstein, who was a mainstay in the movie industry for so long, and yet was so harmful to so many people.

However, I understand why his contributions were included in the book; he fundamentally changed the way production studios approach the Academy Awards. The complicated relationship the film industry and Academy has with these contributions reflects a larger trend, which Schulman explains well and with care.

Hollywood is not flawless, it is not innocent and it has routinely hurt a lot of people. But the Academy Awards has radically changed how creatives rise to power, influence our values and critique society as a whole.

The Academy started as a way to unite Hollywood creatives, and eventually turned into a politicking and power-grabbing force to be reckoned with. There are many moments in Hollywood’s history that could easily sour the book if not depicted delicately, but Schulman wrote those moments with all of their nuances in a way that was real and necessary.

The Oscars this year are on March 3, and if you’re planning on tuning in, consider reading “Oscar Wars” by Michael Schulman, which informs readers of what it really means to win the prize considered to be the pinnacle of the movie industry: The Oscar.

In a world that often feels divided and disconnected through the onset of social media, book clubs are a solution to bring people together. From casual gatherings among friends who enjoy reading to structured and scheduled meetings, book clubs help people connect over shared interests. Joining a book club is more than just an opportunity to work on your reading list — it’s a way to meet new people and learn from them, expose yourself to new things and explore literary themes through conversation with others.

Eugene offers many opportunities to find this community, both on and off campus, and these clubs draw people in with social media, reshaping the way we connect with others in the process.

These local book clubs, like Chapter 54 book club, Silent Book Club Eugene and Eugene Bookish Babes, take advantage of the ease of social media without letting it overpower the connections.

These clubs, although all based in Eugene, have online home bases on TikTok or Facebook, which allow members to share their reading goals, swap books and coordinate meeting times with ease. The clubs then meet in-person at cafes, bookstores or members’ houses to discuss their most recent reads.

If meeting in person is not possible, members turn to the internet to meet online to maintain the same connection, even if that connection is hundreds of miles apart.

Platforms like TikTok and Facebook, along with Instagram and Fable (a social app for bookworms) have made it easy to find a book club that fits your interests and availability — and it’s all thanks to the internet.

Social media has helped build connections easily with others and leaves room for people to take that next step to further the relationships. Whether that’s by starting a book club, or meeting up in person, social media has changed the way readers find community.

While reading can be a solitary activity, it doesn’t have to be. Book clubs allow members to see the words they read through a new perspective, and thought-provoking conversation can change the way members see the books they read.

From Eugene to across the world, social media has revamped the book club and made it easy to connect with others, no matter the distance. While book clubs push readers outside of their go-to genre’s, the connection with other people is what makes the experience compelling, and social media has only made that easier.

Groups like Chapter 54, Silent Book Club Eugene and Bookish Babes are building communities that go beyond state lines and are a place for connection in a world that often feels quite the opposite.