Congratulations to David Walliams, who has claimed the Christmas Number One spot with Bad Dad. According to an Amazon UK survey, the book also tops the list of books children would most like to find under the Christmas tree.

Lord of the Rings themed wine?! Well, okay then.

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Emily Wilson writes in Lit Hub of why she gave Homer a contemporary voice in the The Odyssey. You can also win a copy of her translation.

Picador has acquired a “unique” and “stirring” poetry anthology of migrant stories from schoolchildren, called England.

This week’s excerpted novel on The Pool is Matt Haig’s How to Stop Time.

The amount of money libraries in Great Britain are spending on books has fallen by more than £45 million in the last ten years.

Penguin Random House is launching a new exhibition to showcase 100 “iconic, deliberately bold and thought-provoking” cover designs of its modern classics.

Money Week has five must-read books for your Christmas break.

Paul Muldoon has been named the winner of the Queen’s gold medal for poetry 2017. The Northern Ireland-born writer has produced 12 major collections of poetry as well as children’s books and song lyrics.

The Upcoming recommends Christmassy books for all the family to enjoy with a mince pie and a glass of sherry.

Best of 2017

The TES’ Natasha Devon rounds off the year with a list of her ten favourite books of 2017.

The Barnett and Potters Bar Times has its own picks of the year.

Podcasts

As a new report reveals the dire financial straits being faced by literary novelists, the Guardian Books podcast investigate how these bleak conditions arose and what can be done to help the writers.

In The New Statesman’s Srsly, Caroline and Anna examine the major adaptations of Jane Austen’s iconic novel, Emma.

The guest on this week’s Joined Up Writing podcast is Claire Fuller, author of Our Endless Numbered Days, Swimming Lessons, and the forthcoming Bitter Orange.

Slate’s Audio Book Club discusses Emily Wilson’s The Odyssey.