Publishing & Books in the UK: Oxford-born novelist Angela Tomaski has made the shortlist for the 2026 Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize for The Infamous Gilberts, a country-house satire inspired by a Gothic mansion tour. Local Literary Events: Ludlow is rolling out summer reading workshops (“Read to the Beat”) with robotics and music, then a First Wednesday Book Club featuring authors including Antony Beevor, Alison Weir and Jonathon Coe. Author Spotlight (Spiritual Memoir): Ripon engineer Philip Wade has published The Living Soul with a companion app, aiming to make self-realisation practical for everyday life. Big-Name Nonfiction Buzz: NYT reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan’s Regime Change claims Trump privately compared himself to figures like Mao and Hitler and called Benjamin Netanyahu a “con man,” with excerpts reported ahead of a June 23 release. Book-to-Reading Culture: Oshkosh Public Library’s summer reading program runs through Aug. 7 with a playbill, bingo-style tracking and age-based prizes. Education & Access: In Afghanistan’s Zabul province, about 600 students attend classes in rented shops due to a lack of school buildings, books and qualified teachers.