Transmission from Beijing

Even more than artificial intelligence, short-form video—think TikToks—is changing the Chinese book business, according to this year’s well-attended Beijing International Book Fair. At Scholastic, restructuring efforts and plans to sell some real estate, including its offices, have given company brass more confidence in its financial performance this fiscal year. NetGalley is getting into the consumer marketing game with Booktrovert, a platform parent company Firebrand hopes will give Goodreads a run for its money. As some romantasy authors turn to AI, many others are taking to TikTok in protest to prove that their work is human-made, reports Wired. The Bookseller considers whether publishers might be exploiting the labor of content creators. The son of Pulitzer Prize–winning author Michael Chabon is facing rape charges in a Manhattan court, the New York Times reports. An autobiography by released Israeli hostage Eli Sharabi has become a record-breaking bestseller, per the Times of Israel. The Guardian investigates the exuberant annotation, or “tabbing,” systems that have been sweeping some corners of BookTok. And the New York Times breaks down the latest formula for stylish literary fiction cover art, featuring old paintings, neon lettering, and the occasional burst of spray paint.