Today, we’re pleased to present an excerpt from Alex Behr’s forthcoming book Animal Kingdom, which 7.13 Books will publish on November 3, 2026.
Cold Plum Wine: An Excerpt from Alex Behr’s “Animal Kingdom”
Writing With Friends, Writing About Friends
Writing With Friends, Writing About Friends
by Kaaron Warren
It was only once I finished the first draft of Going to Summertime that I realised something important that lay at the heart of it. Friendship. The importance of it, how it can save us, but also how it can destroy us, and how it can’t always be relied upon.
Six Ridiculous Questions: P.J. Blumenthal
The guiding principle of Six Ridiculous Questions is that life is filled with ridiculousness. And questions. That only by giving in to these truths may we hope to slip the surly bonds of reality and attain the higher consciousness we all crave. (Eh, not really, but it sounded good there for a minute.) It’s just. Who knows? The ridiculousness and question bits, I guess. Why six? Assonance, baby, assonance.
Yuko Shimizu on Illustrating a New Edition of Lafcadio Hearn’s “Japanese Ghost Stories”
This fall brings with it a new edition of Lafcadio Hearn’s Japanese Ghost Stories, published by the Folio Society. This edition includes an introduction by Yoko Ogawa and new illustrations by Yuko Shimizu. I spoke with Shimizu about her work on this edition, her experiences with Hearn’s fiction, and more.
We’d Like to Recommend Some October 2026 Books
It’s October, a chill is in the air, and Halloween decor is springing up all over the place. As is our wont, we have a few reading recommendations for you this month — including a few books that match up very neatly with the season. (And a few that don’t.) Read on for some autumnal suggestions.
Behold! The Trailer for “Tezuka! God of Manga”
It’s hard to understate the impact that Osamu Tezuka has made on animation and visual storytelling. Among his works are Astro Boy, Phoenix, and Black Jack, and his influence can be seen around the world. A new documentary about his work from filmmaker Jason Andrew Cohn, titled Tezuka! God of Manga, will explore Tezuka’s life and legacy.
Joel Rose on Anthony Bourdain’s Literary Roots
This month, the Folio Society released a deluxe edition of Anthony Bourdain’s memoir Kitchen Confidential. We’re pleased to share the introduction by writer and frequent Bourdain collaborator Joel Rose.
The Horror of Repair: Reimagining an Uncanny Classic
Robert W. Chambers’s visions of the future anticipated some things that have not yet come to pass, including personal booths intended for suicide. (Readers of Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows’s graphic novel Providence will also be familiar with the structures in question.) The title of one of his best-known works points to one of the things he predicted perfectly: The Repairer of Reputations. Nowadays there’s an entire industry dedicated to this; potentially industries, depending on whether you consider online reputation management and crisis PR to be distinct or interwoven.