IP Picks 🔎: Good Boys, Bad Bros, Fascist Women
➕ a great horror story that deserves a second look
Welcome to The Optionist! As always, thanks for reading. Next week is Banned Books Week — the 40th edition — and it comes at a time when attempts to ban books are at a new high. And the books being targeted are aimed at the most vulnerable kids — yeah, most of the books are in the kids and YA category — and tackle difficult and very real issues, like racism, gender identity and sex. (Nothing terrifies a book banner like a trans story!)
More than once, I’ve thought about doing an all-banned books special edition. You know what has stopped me? Too many of the banned books already have been optioned or adapted for screen. Whenever I’m feeling cynical about Hollywood, I remind myself of this. There’s no one pattern, but one thing I’ve noticed is how often Hollywood’s attention — either an option or an adaptation — is a catalyst for more controversy. Books that flew slightly under the radar get thrust into the mainstream when Hollywood calls. Of course, many times Hollywood adapts an already “controversial” book, such as The Color Purple or, more recently, John Green’s Looking for Alaska, but even then, an adaptation amps or extends the coverage. (Kudos to Green for speaking out about his hometown’s effort to ban his books.) All of this is a reminder that book bans are also movie/TV bans, and creatives need solidarity across all mediums to hold off the pitchforks. It’s also an inspiring revelation that when it comes to controversial books that extremists want to ban, Hollywood hasn’t shied away from the material. That makes me feel good about what we do.
Now on to this week's picks. My favorite story this week is an inspiring real-life story of some middle school boys — honestly the least likely heroes — who stopped a predatory teacher when their parents and other adults didn’t take them seriously. Fantastic.
Also this week:
A historical novel that wrestles with the dilemma of what to do if your siblings fall down the right-wing extremist rabbit hole.
Another true tale of tech bros behaving badly. Very, very badly.
A new book from one of America’s most acclaimed literary novelists
A great horror story worth another look in our “second chances” section