Today’s literary headlines include a surprisingly heartwarming copyright claim connected to the Peanuts gang, a new chatbot feature for Google Play Books, and more.
A Copyright Claim We Can All Feel Good About
As you likely know, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert was cancelled by CBS, claiming it was “purely a financial decision” that had nothing to do with politics. Sure.
In a parting blow, in the final episode, Stephen Colbert reported on the owner of the music of Peanuts movies and TV specials filing several lawsuits recently against those illegally using the song “Linus and Lucy”—a song the band immediately began to play. Colbert said, “Oh no! I hope this doesn’t cost CBS any money!”
Now, CBS and Lee Mendelson Film Productions, Inc. have come to a deal, and the company will be donating the proceeds (an “undisclosed amount”) to World Central Kitchen. In the penultimate episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, they had highlighted the nonprofit and donated $2.5 million.
Copyright claims aren’t usually feel-good stories, but I think we can all celebrate the outcome of this one.
Do You Want an AI Chatbot in Your Book? Google is Betting On “Yes”
Google Play Books has launched Book Insights, “a helpful reading companion, which is built with Gemini.” It is currently available on “select English titles,” which seem to be public domain books, based on the examples given. The features including “Catch Me Up,” which offers a recap of what you’ve read so far, as well as the ability to ask questions while you read, like “Was this character introduced earlier in the book?”
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While some of these features could theoretically be useful, I’m skeptical of its use in practice. For one thing, most readers don’t want to interrupt the reading experience: adding a chatbot to a book seems to defeat the purpose of being immersed in a story. I also wouldn’t trust an AI chatbot’s summary of the book so far, given how wildly inaccurate the Google AI summaries I’ve encountered against my will have been. Even Google’s own press blog about Book Insights admits, “Book insights is designed to give spoiler-free answers by only referencing the text up to your current reading position. However, generative AI is experimental and may make mistakes.”
What do you think? Would you use an AI chatbot embedded in an ebook?
Renée Watson is Named a TIME Visionary
Author Renée Watson has been named a TIME 2026 Visionary, recognizing “people working to better the lives of all children.” Watson’s debut was the picture book A Place Where Hurricanes Happen, and she recently won the Newbery Medal for her middle grade novel All the Blues in the Sky. In the TIME write-up, she discusses fighting for representation in her literature, including pushing for young Black girls with natural hair to be featured on the covers, and how she continues to keep that at the center of her writing.
In celebration of Ghibli season, I’ve matched each Studio Ghibli film playing this year with a graphic novel to read. Ghibli movies blend breathtaking artwork with moving and unforgettable stories, making graphic novels a perfect choice for your next read after watching these films. Which of these Studio Ghibli films do you like best?
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