booksSaturday, July 25, 2026
Today's big story is about AI companies buying up old printed books to train their models on 'slop-free' data. It's a grimly ironic twist: the physical book, once thought obsolete, is now a premium resource precisely because it predates the internet's AI-generated noise. Meanwhile, a few other items worth noting: a lost manuscript nightmare, a new leadership book from an Arthashastra scholar, and SDCC manga announcements.
The most consequential story today is about AI companies buying up old books as the last uncontaminated data source.
AI data broker ISBNdb is buying old printed books in bulk, slicing off spines to scan them, because pre-internet books are free of AI-generated text. It's a physical solution to a digital problem, and it says a lot about the state of the web.
A personal piece about losing a manuscript resonates with every writer's fear.
A stolen book proposal leads an author to collect stories of others who lost manuscripts. It's a reminder of how fragile creative work can be, and how the writing community rallies around that fear.
Two publishing announcements and a Comic-Con panel round out the day.
HarperCollins India is publishing "Arthashastra: The Art of Leadership," the final work from Dr. Radhakrishnan Pillai, applying ancient Indian statecraft to modern leadership. It's a niche but notable release for business and history readers.
Yen Press announced nine new manga licenses at SDCC, including an "#ImLookingForZombies" omnibus and "Champignon Witch." For manga fans, this is the day's biggest news.
Lucasfilm Publishing's SDCC panel featured Star Wars writers discussing storytelling across genres. Not a huge reveal, but a sign of the franchise's ongoing literary expansion.
Bishop #2 Preview: Family Reunions Are Never Easybleedingcool.com
The Caretakerwww.goodreads.com
Jennifer Garner and Timothy Olyphant's Sizzling Chemistry Is Exactly Why 'The Five Star Weekend' Needs A Second Seasondecider.com
Bird Anatomywww.netgalley.comWord of the Day, July 25: 'Babel'english.mathrubhumi.com
Best-Selling Author’s 2014 Novel Ranked Among Best Books of All Timeparade.com
The acclaimed post-apocalyptic novel has earned a place among the greatest books ever written.
Crafting the crescendo: The legacy of Ferdausi Rahmanen.prothomalo.com
‘It dispelled a bunch of shame’: How a writing group is helping locals share revealing true storieswww.brisbanetimes.com.au
Rob Carlton and Adrienne Ferreira have been building community connections since starting Bravewords.
Mimi Pond brings Eisner-nominated ‘Do Admit!’ graphic novel to Comic-Conwww.presstelegram.com
The graphic novel explores the history of the six Mitford sisters and how they'd played a part in Pond's life over time.
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