Booksmaxxing, a highly anticipated book-to-screen adaptation, updates on MrBeast and James Patterson’s new book, and more of the top literary headlines of the day.
Reading is Sexy: Welcome to Booksmaxxing
Okay, I don’t think “booksmaxxing” is a real thing as much as it’s a tempting headline, but there is a case to be made that reading is sexy. Book mentions in Tinder bios are up 29% overall and 41% for women. 75% of people “find partners who read or indicate that they are well-read more attractive”—at least, according to a book summary app’s survey, so take that with a grain of salt. Book clubs and literary vacations are also rising in popularity.
And yet, in a CBS poll, 36% of Americans report reading less than they did ten years ago (40% say they read about the same amount, and 23% are reading more). The most popular activities people are doing instead of reading: watching movies/TV, going on social media, and gaming. They report being too busy, too distracted, and having too short an attention span to read more. These answers aren’t surprising. But they are distinctly unsexy.
Dungeon Crawler Carl is Officially Getting a TV Adaptation
Matt Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl series is on a roll, and now its popularity is bringing it to the screen. Peacock has given a straight-to-series order for a live-action adaptation. Or, as Peacock put it in their announcement: “Surprise, bitches! It’s official. The apocalypse will be televised.” Dinniman is a co-executive producer on the series, and it’s being developed by Seth MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door and Universal Global Television. More details to come, including the most important casting decision: which feline will bring Princess Donut to life?
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MrBeast and James Patterson’s Book Has a Cover
MrBeast and James Patterson make sense as a team. They’re both known for their mega-popular and profitable media properties. So, it’s not surprising that they collaborated on a novel. It was announced last year, but now it has a cover and a release date. The Most Dangerous Games is a thriller out September 1st, following a cut-throat competition between 100 players for one billion dollars.
On working together, James Patterson said that MrBeast has “the best storytelling instincts of anyone I’ve ever worked with.” MrBeast said,
“Growing up, I thought books were boring. As I got into my 20s I realized I was just reading the wrong books and they can be exciting if it’s the right match. Writing this book with James – who’s literally one of the greatest storytellers on the planet – was an opportunity to create a story that I would’ve been obsessed with as a kid. I wanted to make something that would draw young people in and get a whole generation psyched about reading again. I think we pulled it off, and I’m so proud of what we made. I hope our fans love it.”
Summer Reading Challenges for Adults Who Still Miss Getting Personal Pan Pizza Prizes
Remember when we were kids, and we used to get rewards for summer reading? Like, you know, personal pan pizzas? For a lot of us, if we reflect on where our obsession with books began, it probably started with those summer reading challenges. Well, good news: Pizza Hut’s Book It program is back! The bad news? Apparently, it’s still only for kids! But not to worry.
For all of our grown friends who still crave the joy of a reading challenge, here are a few summer reading challenges for adults to get you through the hot summer months. And some of them even offer prizes!
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