Business Insider Recommended Non-Existent Books to Staff Because of AI

Welcome to Today in Books, our daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more.

Business Insider recommended nonexistent books to staff as it leans into AI

I think there are interesting use cases for AI and LLMs. This might put me in the minority among folks who work in book media. I also think that it is the greatest cheat yet invented in the age of the electron. Both of these things can be true. The difference between a situation where AI use is valuable and where it is a cheat comes down to this simple question: are you using it to help you make something good or are you using it just to get something done? Done has never been easier.

It is the allure of getting to done that seduces folks, like apparently some higher-up at Business Insider, to use AI to make a list of books to read about (wait for it) “good business journalism.” The problem: some of the books either didn’t exist or were incorrectly attributed. Clearly the idea here was to provide some examples and motivation to employees (good and noble idea), but without making sure the list was good, you just make an awful mess. If you were an employee of this company or managed by this person, why would you take anything they offer seriously again? This isn’t just any old mistake; it is a revelation about values and motivation. The first arrow of error here was not using AI; it was mistaking providing and unvetted and clearly unread books as some sort of productivity doggy toy, whose only purpose was to perform leadership and education, not actually and meaningfully provide it.

The 144 Most Read Books of the 2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge (So Far)

A few observations on Goodreads’ list of the most read books for their annual reading challenge:

No frontlist titles in the first 10 for either fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, and….ok for most of the categories. This is only a particularly exaggerated example of a durable truth: most reading is backlist reading. But also true: we haven’t had any real breakout titles in the lit fic/commercial fic space. I expect that to change this month, but through May, pretty quiet. Frieda McFadden is the Colleen Hoover of thrillers. We have known this. But 8 our of the top 10 here is a real receipt. Doesn’t seem like the McFadden momentum is slowing down. I also wonder if she might have even more staying power (think multiple decades) because of the genre: mystery/thriller has minted author upon author whose books sit on grocery story checkout aisle endcaps. I had not heard of the #1 memoir, and it’s the only frontlist title on the list. John Green still has the juice (#1 book in history and biography). In general non-fiction, The Let Them Theory continues to roll. As does The Anxious Generation. I really wondered how Robin Wall Kimmerer’s new book (well, new last year) would fare, and it seems like it is doing quite well.

James Cameron To Adapt Joe Abercrombie’s The Devils In Between Avatar Movies

It takes a lot for me to devote a spot to adaptation news anymore, but James Cameron, who movie-per-movie might be the most successful director of all time (check the tape and fight me), adapting a horror novel makes the grade:

“How do I describe ‘The Devils?’ A sharply witty horror adventure? An epic battle between good and evil except most of the time you can’t tell which is which? A twisted, stylish, alt-universe middle-ages romp, where your best hope of survival is the monsters themselves? This is Joe Abercrombie in absolute peak form, opening up a whole new world and an ensemble of delicious new characters.”

At this point, Cameron is only set to co-write the screenplay with Abercrombie, but with no director announced it is hard not to assume that Cameron isn’t at least considering getting behind the camera for it. Horror is huge in theaters and one of the fasting growing book genres, but I can’t help but wonder if the box-office success and critical adulation of Sinners might have turned Cameron’s head. He clearly has horror-action bona fides, maybe some the greatest of all time, but at the very least the run Coogler’s modern masterpiece is having would give confidence to someone taking on The Devils.

Speaking of Horror Masters…

We have copies of Stephen King’s new book, Never Flinch to give away. Go here to enter for your chance to win it.

Deal of the Day

Yesterday’s mention of a great ebook deal was rare for TIB, but dangit if there isn’t something on sale today that bears mentioning. The Night Circus in our Hall of Fame for read-alike requests and a go-to general purpose recommendation ourselves. It has a cult following (I might even have a jacket. Or a button? Not sure where cults are at with swag these days) that adores the sense of place, the love story, the world-building, and if you are audiobook person, all-time narration by the incomparable Jim Dale. So yea, it’s worth $1.99 to give a go.