SINGAPORE – In this week’s Book Box, The Straits Times looks at books by new authors. Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi wrote The Four Seasons (1725) for his most talented student Anna Maria della Pieta and now, new British author Harriet Constable tells the story of this mostly forgotten violin prodigy.
Seymour Cresswell from Bray says he started planning for retirement before he ever started working. Now, after years of penning hilarious pantomimes, he has published his first novel in his 70s, with a deal on the table for two more, writes reporter Tom Galvin
Seymour Cresswell with his new book, Nice Weather for a Killing, in Bray.Tom Galvin©
In her latest book, Minister of Economic Security Sanae Takaichi explores Japan’s strategies for safeguarding critical information amid rising global threats. The work is titled Japan’s Economic Security: Protecting the Nation and Its People (Nihon no keizai anzen hoshō kokka kokumin o mamoru ōgonritsu, Asukashinsha, 2024). However, currently it is available only in Japanese.
Central to the book is Japan’s newly established security clearance system, introduced in June 2024. It enforces rigorous vetting for accessing classified national and economic data. Modeled on practices from G7 countries and Australia, the system includes thorough background checks as well as assessments to prevent information leaks.
In her book, Takaichi also highlights Japan’s initiatives in managing space debris and advancing fusion energy technology. She details Japan’s leadership in incorporating space debris management into the G7 agenda. In line with the aim of boosting Japan’s energy self-sufficiency, she further outlines the Fusion Energy Innovation strategy.
LDP Policy Research Council Chair Sanae Takaichi responding to an interview with a TV station at the LDP headquarters in Nagatacho, Tokyo, July 10 (©Sankei by Yasuhiro Yajima).
Additionally, Takaichi addresses Japan’s cybersecurity challenges and advocates for active cyber defense to counter escalating threats.
New Security Clearances
Of immediate relevance, Takaichi’s book provides a detailed analysis of Japan’s newly established security clearance system. Enacted in June 2024, it introduces a formal process to vet individuals who access classified information related to national and economic security.
Based on the approach in systems of other G7 countries and Australia, information deemed critical is categorized, and only those who pass the appropriateness assessment are authorized to handle it. Additionally, these individuals, known as clearance holders, face penalties for leaking information.
The new system evolved from former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s focus on economic security. It furthermore builds on the framework of the Abe administration’s Act on the Protection of Specially Designated Secrets. This previous law safeguarded information on defense, diplomacy, and terrorism. Once in place, partners could swiftly share sensitive intelligence with Japan, such as details on North Korean missiles.
Takaichi emphasizes that the new system is also designed to address emerging technology and economic security challenges. Those include cyber threats and dual-use technologies.
Clearing Up Misconceptions
Despite its importance, the law has faced domestic criticism. Some object to the nature of individual background investigations, such as checks on family background, criminal records, substance abuse, mental health, and financial conditions. Critics say they are concerned about privacy. They also emphasize their concerns about sharing financial and mental health evaluations. However, the law ensures that investigations are conducted with the individual’s consent and in compliance with global standards.
Minister Sanae Takaichi argues for implementing revisions to the Act on the Promotion of Economic Security on October 24, 2022, in a Lower House committee. (© Sankei by Yasuhiro Yajima)
On the other hand, without a security clearance system, partners were reluctant to share a wide variety of sensitive information. “One significant benefit [of the system] is the ease of participating in international joint research,” Takaichi writes. “Dual-use technologies in fields like space, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), and quantum technology are on the rise. Having Japanese private companies involved in international joint research becomes easier if they have security clearance.”
Overall, the security clearance system aims to protect crucial information by ensuring only vetted individuals can access it. In turn, that enhances Japan’s ability to respond effectively to security threats.
Strategic Energy and Space Initiatives
One of the highlights of the book is a discussion of Japan’s efforts in managing space debris. During Tokyo’s G7 chairmanship in 2023, Takaichi successfully advocated for space debris management to be included in the agenda. “Initially, there was resistance from France and Canada, but we successfully garnered their support,” she mentioned recently. As she explains in the book, this was crucial as debris generated by satellite destruction and experiments from countries like China and Russia poses significant risks to operational satellites traveling at speeds up to 28,000 km/h.
Japan’s new Fusion Energy Innovation strategy, established in April, is also addressed in the book. With energy self-sufficiency at just 12.8%, the strategy focuses on developing nuclear fusion. This process uses deuterium and tritium from seawater and produces minimal radioactive waste. Takaichi emphasizes that successful fusion technology could “eliminate reliance on resource-rich countries and ensure a stable energy supply.”
Technologies like tokamak and laser-based systems are also explored in the book, reflecting Japan’s long-term energy plans. As Takaichi writes, the G7’s inclusion of fusion energy in its discussions underscores its global significance. Furthermore, it highlights Japan’s proactive role in promoting future energy solutions.
Strengthening Japan’s Cyber Defense
Japan experiences a cyber attack every 14 seconds, according to reports. This is a sharp increase from attacks every 8.3 minutes a decade ago. Takaichi’s book highlights this escalating cybersecurity challenge and the response measures being developed. Even hospitals in Japan have been targeted, leading to significant data losses. Similar incidents have occurred globally, including in the United States.
Takaichi emphasizes in her book and in public speaking events how cybersecurity requires a coordinated national effort. One example is a cyber attack on the Statistics Bureau that occurred when she was Minister for Internal Affairs. Although no information was leaked, the incident underscores the need for robust security measures and prompt responses to threats.
She also discusses the US approach to cybersecurity. As she notes in the book, it emphasizes proactive measures and the involvement of white hat researchers in uncovering vulnerabilities. This proactive stance includes addressing potential threats to medical devices and other critical systems.
Minister in Charge of Economic Security of Japan Sanae Takaichi (third from left), speaks at an expert panel meeting on the establishment of the security clearance system on December 20 in Tokyo. (©Kyodo)
In contrast, Japan’s sense of urgency around cybersecurity has been criticized as insufficient. Takaichi responds by advocating for active cyber defense that preemptively neutralizing threats and responding to ongoing attacks. As the book explains, implementing this strategy requires amending several laws, including those governing telecommunications, unauthorized access, and malware use.
The national security strategy approved in December includes provisions for such measures. However, legislative changes are necessary for full implementation. Takaichi emphasizes the importance of expediting these legal arrangements to strengthen Japan’s cybersecurity posture.
The Future of Japanese Security
In her new book, Minister Takaichi establishes an expectation for significant changes in Japan’s security landscape. These will come in part from the increasing focus on economic security. She explains that, historically, integrating civilian technology with military applications has been challenging. However, since August 2023, Japan has been actively adopting economic security measures across various ministries.
She also highlights how technologies once used for civilian purposes are now being repurposed for military applications. For instance, information from satellites analyzed with AI can now be used to assess strategic areas, reduce special combat attacks, and detect suspicious activities, she notes in the book.
Integrating these civilian-developed technologies with the Ministry of Defense has become more streamlined. As economic security measures advance, Japan’s overall defense capabilities will become stronger and more resilient, Takaichi writes. This shift reflects Japan’s evolving approach to enhancing its national security through advanced technology.
About the Book
Note: the book is currently available only in Japanese.
Title: Japan’s Economic Security: Protecting the Nation and Its People (“Nihon no keizai anzen hoshō kokka kokumin o mamoru ōgonritsu”)
Publisher: Asukashinsha
Language: Japanese
Publication date: July 8, 2024
To read the book or for more information: 日本の経済安全保障 国家国民を守る黄金律
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Author: Daniel Manning
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEVV) — The Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library Foundation will host their annual Summer Book Sale next weekend. Officials say it will take place at Washington Square Mall on Saturday, August 3rd and Sunday, August 4th. Hours of the sale are Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thousands of items, including books, movies, and CD’s, will be available for purchase, mostly ranging from $0.50 and $2.00. Some specialty items will be more than $2.00. Cash and checks are accepted, and a credit card payment option will be available with a minimum purchase of $10. The Fall Mini Book Sale will be at EVPL Central on November 9th and 10th. “The Summer Book Sale is an eagerly anticipated event in our community, offering a unique opportunity for readers to add books, movies, and music to their own collection,” says Eric Weyer, President of the EVPL Foundation Board. “When our community supports the EVPL Foundation, they also support the important initiatives we fund, such as library programs, services, and special projects.”
Kaitlyn Marks has created a mental health children’s book called ‘Sadness List with Marley Mae.’
HOPKINS COUNTY, Ky. (WEVV) – The school bells will ring in less than a month and for one local school therapist, she remains engaged helping kids with their mental health.Kaitlyn Marks is entering her second year at Grapevine Elementary School in Madisonville, and she has learned many ways to make each learning session with a child unique.Over the past year, Kaitlyn has found that many educational books are too lengthy for kids to grasp the full concept of the storyline.In February, she began the process of creating her own children’s book called ‘The Sadness List with Marley Mae.’It’s a hands-on book that allows kids to better understand what they’re feeling at a young age, such as sad emotions.“It has interactive worksheets where they can make their sadness list for coping skills,” says Kaitlyn Marks, a Grapevine Elementary School mental health therapist.The feedback from the community has been life-changing, she tells 44News.“Adults have reached out to me and have said if they had this book whenever they were a kid then their life would’ve been completely different,” says Marks.Visit here to learn more about her children’s book or how to buy it.
Looking for some summer reads? Why not peruse the pages of recently released and award-winning books from some local authors.
Letters from Gerald, by Rob Butler:
Butler, a professional ornithologist, is a best-selling author, an award-winning scientist, and a public speaker. His bird research has produced three previous books, but Letters from Gerald is his first novel.
Published in April 2024 by FriesenPress, Letters from Gerald will appeal to readers of historical fiction set in England after World War Two, young women champions, birdwatchers and nature lovers, and women in science.
“Letters from Gerald is an exploration of morals, ethics, and social position of a young woman navigating a man’s world,” said a synopsis of the book. “Told through stories of intrigue, international crime, tragedy, human foibles and comedy, the reader is led into the inner world of natural history museums, the world of bird study in the 1940s, scientific paper writing, and bird conservation efforts that resonate today.”
Some readers have questioned if there will be a sequel to Letters from Gerald. One is in the works, but whether or not it goes to press will depend on the response to Letters from Gerald.
Where you will find it: FriesenPress online bookstore, Amazon, Apple Books, Google Play, Barnes and Noble
The Sacrified by Rudy Kerkhoven
Kerkhoven, a mathematics teacher at New Westminster Secondary, lives in Sapperton with his wife and two children. The Sacrified, his seventh book, imagines climate catastrophe through a local lens.
“Set in the Lower Mainland in the 22nd century, the story explores how cities, including what would be New Westminster, have privatized their governments into protectionist enclaves in order to insulate themselves from the impacts of climate change,” said a synopsis of the book. “When the book’s protagonist, Pri Gosal, is offered a chance to escape earth through passage on an interstellar generation ship, she first must journey through a climate refugee area between Vancouver and Seattle, referred to as The Jungle.”
Kerkhoven said he wrote the book imagining a highly compartmentalized version of Metro Vancouver.
“I wanted to ask, ‘What would privilege, migration, and law and order look like within the context of a besieged earth’? And what would that interplay look like when it came to those who were chosen to be ‘saved’?” he said in a news release.
Where you will find it: The Sacrified can be purchased at local Indigo and Chapters locations, as well as on The Sacrificed
Lena Gibson, The Wish and Switching Tracks: Out of the Trash
A longtime New Westminster teacher and resident, Gibson has authored several books that have been indie published in the last year. The most recent two recently won prestigious Indie Book Awards from IndieReader Discovery Awards and the Next Generation Indie Book Awards.
Switching Tracks: Out of the Trash, won in the IndieReader’s Dystopian category. Released on Feb. 1, 2024, the book has been described as a “thrilling dystopian train-hopping adventure.”
“Life in SoCal in 2195 is controlled by a corporatocracy. Elsa scavenges twenty-first-century trash, living on the edge of starvation in this ruthless world through her grit and instincts,” said a synopsis. “When she unearths a metal tube containing maps to six Doomsday seed bunkers and a silver key, she dreams of renewable sources of food and a life based on more than subsistence, but GreenCorps will stop at nothing to acquire her find. Accused of theft and beaten half to death, she escapes with a handsome train hopper. They seek the long-lost bunkers, hoping to break the GreenCorps monopoly on food.”
Where you will find it: Switching Tracks: Out of the Trash is available at all major booksellers, including Black Rose Writing, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.
The Wish, released in August 2023, was recently named as one of the best indie books of 2024 by the Independent Book Publishing Professional Group (adding to other previous awards). In Gibson’s time-travelling book, Elizabeth has a chance to travel back five years and fix her past mistakes.
“Haunted by her choices, including marrying an abusive con man, thirty-five-year-old Elizabeth has been unable to speak for two years. She is further devastated when she learns an old boyfriend has died. Nothing in her life is right,” said a synopsis. “That night, Elizabeth wishes for a mulligan. When she wakes, to her surprise, it is no longer 2022, but 2017. Though thrilled to have a chance to fix mistakes, the past is not perfect. …”
Where to find it: The Wish is available at all major booksellers, including Black Rose Writing, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble
It was a meeting of Marvel titans at San Diego Comic-Con, where Marvel editor-in-chief C. B. Cebulski welcomed Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige for a conversation about collecting and the ways comic books inspire films (and vice versa).
Cebulski spent part of the panel showing off famous comic book art, and pared them with the scenes they inspired in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Among them was the iconic cover to 2007’s Civil War No. 7, which showed Captain America blocking Iron Man’s beam with his shield, and the cover to the 1939 classic Captain America No. 1, in which Cap punches Adolph Hitler in the face. Both moments inspired moments in Captain America: Civil War and Captain America: The First Avenger.
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Feige remarked that it’d be cool if Disney+ had a feature that would allow one to scroll through a movie, and then see the comic book art that inspired the shot. Cebulski joked that Feige should use his pull to make that a reality.
Feige also shared a story about the montage in The First Avenger in which Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers punches a man playing Adolph Hitler during a traveling, patriotic road show. As the team was leading up to shooting that scene, they knew they had to cast their Hitler. That’s when a stand-in named James Payton caught people’s eye. He worked on the set to stand-in for various people during set-ups and light tests, and ss Feige noted, you spend a lot of time at the monitor looking at stand-ins.
“He looked nothing like Hitler,” Feige recalled, but the team thought it’d be fun to throw him in. He added to laughs from the crowd: “He had to call his mom. ‘Mom I’m in the movie. I’m playing Hitler.”
The panel also welcomed two key members of the MCU family: Ryan Meinerding, the longtime concept artist and character designer, and comic book artist Adi Granov, who Iron Man director Jon Favreau tapped to help out on the film after reaching out to him on Myspace. (Yes, Myspace. Feige remarked that fact made him feel old.)
Both Feige and Cebulski gave particular credit to Granov for his Invincible Iron Man No. 76 cover and his role in creating (or at least popularizing) what’s known as the “superhero pose” – a pose that has become so ingrained in the public consciousness that it even became a joke in Marvel’s Black Widow movie.
Feige noted that the cover unlocked extra the potential for Iron Man, saying the movie team wanted to emphasize that “the Iron Man suit was not a costume, it was a vehicle.” With Granov’s art, “it felt like a vehicle.”
To close the loop on the comics influencing hte movies, Cebulski noted that the opposite is true. He cited Phil Coulson, the popular Iron Man and Agents of SHIELD character played by Clark Gregg, as being active in the comics, while Alligator Loki from the Loki TV show has also jumped to the page. And, he revealed Miss Minutes from Loki will be getting some related characters called Sir Seconds and Doc Clock in a TVA-focused comic from Loki writer Katharyn Blair and drawn by artist Pere Perez.
The panel came as Deadpool & Wolverine is looking to break the record for top opening for an R-rated movie this weekend. As for Feige, he’ll be back at Comic-Con Saturday for Marvel’s Hal H panel, which is expected to reveal news about Marvel’s movie future.
These books shed light on the plight of America’s working poor, and how little it seems to change, no matter who is in power
Frances McDorman in the Oscar-winning Nomadland, based on Jessica Bruder’s non-fiction book about American ‘nomads’ travelling the US in search of workRick O’SheaToday at 03:30Until two weekends ago, I hadn’t heard the name JD Vance in years. Suddenly, he was being mentioned as a possible candidate for the Republican vice-presidential nomination, and in what felt like a heartbeat he was on stage in Milwaukee, thousands of people wearing squares of paper stuck to the side of their heads were cheering, and balloons were falling from the ceiling. Yet another in the rapidly expanding category of “sentences that would have made no sense a month ago”.I had no idea that Vance had entered politics; the only reason I had ever heard his name was because I had read his book Hillbilly Elegy when it came out in 2016. It was his story of growing up working poor in rust-belt Ohio in an extremely dysfunctional family and looking back at “his people” and “their problems” from his then point of view as a Yale graduate and investment manager. I’ve searched online and I didn’t mention it anywhere so that’s usually a sign that a book I’ve read falls between “meh” and “definitely not”.
By Robert Jobson Published: 20:29 EDT, 26 July 2024 | Updated: 20:29 EDT, 26 July 2024
Few things are more enjoyable than heading to the bookstore and filling your cart with fresh releases, timeless classics or a special new edition of your favorite book. But in recent years, many book lovers are opting to skip the store in favor of a newer trend where the books come to you! Enter book boxes. These boxes are subscriptions that send you new books (oftentimes the books are more niche so you’ll discover titles beyond the bestseller lists) and on-theme merchandise or other bookish souvenirs. While book boxes have been around for some time, they’re gaining popularity lately thanks to a plethora of new options, subscription plans and specialized themes or content.
So if you’re interested in book boxes and want to learn more about the bookish trend, you’re in the right place! Here, we tapped book pros and asked why book boxes are so beloved by readers, which boxes are superior, how to decide which one is best for you, how much they cost and more.
Keep scrolling to find out all the must-know information on book subscription boxes!
What are book boxes?
Book boxes or subscriptions typically arrive monthly to readers’ doorsteps and include one book that’s either curated with a pre-selected theme or a book the reader chose ahead of time. “Book subscription boxes bring the delight of bookstore ‘blind dates’ to your doorstep,” shares book pro, Cassie Malmo, founder of Malmo Public Relations, a boutique book PR firm.
“Between the excitement and anticipation of receiving the monthly book that has been selected by the box and the various, often custom, swag items inside (like gourmet food or tea that’s on-theme with your book) along with a letter from the author, it pairs both convenience and surprise and is something subscribers look forward to each month,” says Malmo.
Some boxes offer more of a book club vibe where you pick a book from a set amount of options, while others are genre-specific and themed based on the month or time of year they’re being delivered. Book boxes are also be a great gift for a bibliophile friend or family member. “They’re a great option for people looking to get back into the joy of reading,” Malmo notes. “Subscription boxes re-engage readers and get people back into reading again.”
Why are book boxes becoming even more popular right now?
When it comes to the recent wave of box boxes, Aimee, a bookstagrammer who goes by @theonewhereaimeereads, says there’s something for every reader. “If you’re a bookworm, there aren’t many things more exhilarating than book mail — and these box boxes feed that. Every year for my birthday, my husband gifts me an annual book box subscription. That means I get one book each month for an entire year, so it is quite literally the gift that keeps on giving!”
Book boxes are also an easy yet unique way to discover new books and authors for your collection. “I think, as readers, we’re always looking for something new to keep us up to date with the newest books and trends, and I think book boxes do this,” says Elisa G., another bookstagrammer whose username is @the.overflowing.bookshelf. “I’ve discovered some great new authors through book boxes. Plus, who doesn’t love getting little goodies with their books?”
Another reason book boxes are skyrocketing on social media? Fandoms. “For authors with big fandoms, the excitement and engagement with these custom elements from specific authors or series translates over to social media — all the Bookstagram and BookTok buzz can be quite high!” Right now #bookbox yields more than 310,000 posts on Instagram alone. And online fandoms behind bestselling romantasy authors like Rebecca Yarros, Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black are all very active on BookTok and Instagram.
How do you decide which book box to buy?
With so many options to choose from, it can be overwhelming to find the best book box for you. Simply Google “book subscription boxes” to start the search of comparing and contrasting. You can always take a look at book box sites and see their boxes from previous months to get an idea of what might be included next.
“The great thing about subscription boxes is once you research and find the box that fits your taste, it can be a great way to discover new authors and also get books that you may have been considering yourself already,” says Malmo. Hint: Type #bookbok into the search bar on Instagram to discover thousands of “unboxing” videos and pretty photos of different book box subscriptions that reveal what’s inside.
Aimee adds that the “standard formula is a box with a book that is delivered at a set interval. It can be once a month, once every three months, etc.” She goes on to note that independent bookstores might also offer book box subscriptions or you can go with more niche ones that relate to your specific interests and genres. Not sure if you’re ready to commit to a monthly membership? Not to worry! Many book box subscription sites (including the ones listed below) all offer one-time shopping options on their sites.
The best book boxes to subscribe to
Whether you’re only looking for books or you want a box with books and merch, snacks, goodies and more, we’ve got you covered. Here, we share a few of our favorite book boxes — that range in price from $15 to $50 — so you can find one that works best for you and your bookish interests!
1. Aardvaark Book Club
If you’re looking for hardcover new releases, Aardvark Book Club should be on your radar. They pick six books per month and readers can then select up to three choices. The subscription covers one book per month ($17.99 for U.S. customers) and any additional books are extra. This club offers an array of genres from contemporary fiction to thriller, romance and more. Bonus: You can skip a month whenever you want! Simply scroll down on Aardvark’s site to click ‘skip’ if you don’t want to purchase a box every month.
“My favorite genres to read are science fiction, fantasy and horror and Aardvark tends to offer a lot of options in these genres every month,” says Aimee regarding the book box. “Also, I’ve found that Aardvark often introduces me to authors I wouldn’t have otherwise discovered. The quality of their beautiful hardcover books is fantastic and their social media team is kind, fun, creative and regularly interacts with their members. They make you feel like a friend.”
2. Once Upon a Book Club
When it comes to great books and great goodies, Once Upon a Book Club covers it all. You can get an adult, young adult or tween box that comes with a special edition copy of a book, plus three to five gifts (such as beach towels, beauty products, candles, home decor and more), author notes and beyond. This option is a bit more expensive ($49.99 per month), but provides a hand-picked, high-end collection of gifts and books.
What’s unique about this book box? Subscribers will receive a newly released book along with 3 to 5 individually wrapped gifts. Each gift has a page number attached to it and is specifically designed around something that is mentioned in the book. “The gifts literally correlate to the chapters or lines in the book,” shares Elisa. “For example, I got a book box from them once where the character was wearing a Mrs. Claus apron in one chapter and one of the gifts in the box was a Mrs Claus apron! I have gotten so many cool gifts and read so many books that I previously wouldn’t have purchased or read if I hadn’t been introduced to them from their box!”
3. Fairyloot
If fancy special editions with extra detail are your vibe, then you should look into Fairyloot. They create custom, world-specific book swag, and have some of the most stunning designed special editions,” says Malmo. They mostly ship from the U.K., but have various book boxes to choose from including book only options for different genres and swag boxes that come with a book and more.
While Aimee isn’t a subscriber, she has bought multiple books from their shop. “I was able to snag a breathtaking copy of one of my all-time favorite books this way: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin and I love this edition,” she says.
For more ways to embrace your inner bookworm:
10 Must-Read Backlist Books From Authors With New Releases in 2024
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Bestselling Author Ali Hazelwood Talks New Book ‘Not in Love’ + What Led Her to Writing