Editor's Note

The bad news is that daylight saving time has ended and the sun now sets before many of us can get home from work. The good news is that chilly weather and long evenings create excellent conditions for reading. Now’s the time to start tackling that TBR pile — before holiday shopping finds you adding to it. And if you’re searching for books that might be a good fit for someone in your life, we suggest a browse through Chapter 16’s recent reviews, interviews, excerpts, and features, where you’re likely to find something for just about anyone.

Today at the site, we talk with Tonya Abari about her latest picture book, The Six Triple Eight, a story of unsung WWII heroism that offers an empowering example for children. Brooks Egerton surveys his complicated vocational path in “My 12-Step Journey into the Addiction of Journalism.” And we share an excerpt from Knoxville native Charlie Tombras’ posthumous memoir, From Out of the Smokies: Stories of Fly Fishing and Life. 

News Roundup

• A poem by Ciona Rouse was featured in The Slowdown.

• A new novel by Ann Patchett, Whistler, will be published in June 2026.

• Joy Harjo discussed her latest book, talked with photographer Cara Romero about the importance of art, and had a poem published in The New Yorker. 

• Ishmael Reed staged a new play, The Amanuensis.