Judge Rules Trump's Cancelation of Humanities Grants Unconstitutional

A judge rules that cuts to humanities grants supporting writers and scholars was unconstitutional, how we absorb our reading, and more.

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Judge Rules Trump's Cancelation of Humanities Grants Unconstitutional

A judge rules that cuts to humanities grants supporting writers and scholars was unconstitutional, how we absorb our reading, and more.

Kelly Jensen

May 8, 2026

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Welcome to Today in Books, our daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more. Today’s stories include another literary L for the Trump administration, how we best absorb reading, and more.

Judge Rules Trump Administration’s Cancellation of Humanities Grants Was Unconstitutional

In the last couple of months, numerous cases filed against the Trump administration in the wake of gutting agencies and programs have seen rulings come down. We saw the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) come out on top in the case filed by 21 state attorneys general, and we saw the second case about the IMLS, filed by the American Library Association and American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, be settled out of court.

Now, in more good news, a judge has ruled against the administration’s massive cuts of federal humanities grants that support the arts. This was over $100 million in support for writers, researchers, and scholars. The judge has barred the administration from ending those grants, while also criticizing its use of artificial intelligence to do so.

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Do We Absorb Information Better on Paper, Rather Than Screens?

It’s a question that comes up over and over, and it’s one that’s led to policy changes in classrooms across the globe. The research isn’t as straightforward as "print is better" or "digital is better." It’s more nuanced: it depends on the digital device used for reading, including whether it introduces advertising or other web distractions into the reading experience. Text justification matters, too. Nerd out on this one, as it’s not only about the research on the format of the book we’re reading, but it’s also about why reading itself is such a difficult skill.

How Chick Lit Lost Its Footing

With the recent release of The Devil Wears Prada 2, this is a timely and interesting piece about how the once-huge category of "chick lit" disappeared from shelves. The early 2000s were flush with chick lit, which was frequently criticized as "less than" other literature–much in the same sexist way that girls’ and women’s interests of that era were treated, too (not to mention how we treated female celebrities at the time!). There’s also that research that when women talk 30% of the time, men perceive them as "dominating" the conversation. That seems applicable here:

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In October of 2003—only eight months after the release of The Devil Wears Prada—PW reported on the over-saturation and possible decline of chick lit. While seven chick-lit titles spent a cumulative 90 weeks on PW ’s hardcover lists in 2002, the magazine noted that “in the publishing industry, there’s a sense that chick lit may have reached a turning point.” Like any bookish trend, publishers capitalized on the success of chick lit with more titles marketed as chick lit, especially through new chick lit-specific imprints.

I appreciate that this piece explains where these "chick lit" books have gone–now, it appears many of them are slotted right into rom-com.

The 13 Most Anticipated Romantasy Books Out in 2026

Adventurers and admirers gather around: there are some excellent romantasies to look out for in 2026.

Romantasy, combining the fantasy and romance genres, continues to be a big hit on the shelves. Featuring a central love story with a Happily Ever After/Happily For Now ending in a fantasy world setting, the subgenre gives readers a chance to experience fantastical worlds and love simultaneously. Romantasy has a foothold in the zeitgeist, speaking to our collective longing for magic, myth, legend, and romance made manifest in novels where, although impossible odds may impede you, you will always have someone by your side, rooting for your success. Romantasy is a hope-forward subgenre that I find absolutely enchanting.

Subscribe to All Access for the full list of can’t-miss 2026 romantasy reads.

What are you reading? Let us know in the comments!