Publishing & Books: Emily St. John Mandel’s “Exit Party” keeps her streak of disorder-on-purpose, splitting a semi-dystopian U.S. into an “A-Side” and “B-Side” while readers chase how chaos organizes itself. Literary Culture: A new “I Know a Story” column recalls a 1950s turnpike tire blowout that reads like lived fiction. Short Fiction Spotlight: Minnesota Prairie Roots celebrates “Ingrid’s Dream,” a prize-winning short story about a writer’s shed and a husband’s objections. Reading & Learning: LSU composition instructor MJ Weerts pushes analog writing with single-notecard prompts as AI grows on campus. Children’s Books: Castlebar author Kevin Moran’s sequel “The Doomsday Club: Bog Bodies” hits shelves Oct. 5. Poetry & Community: Wild Atlantic Words returns Oct. 6–11 in Castlebar with book launches and poetry events, plus Irish-language releases. AI in Education: A report warns AI detection tools are failing students, driving false accusations and institutions reconsidering their use. Health & Policy (book-adjacent): DEA warns of cychlorphine, a synthetic opioid said to be far more potent than fentanyl.