Agreement reached to end HarperCollins strike

Graphic by Sunny Wei ‘23.

By Olivia Wilson ’24

Books Section Editor 

After a grueling sixty-six-day strike that captured national headlines and involved almost 250 employees, the union at HarperCollins publishing has announced the ratification of a new contract and the conclusion of the strike. The demonstration began on Nov. 10, 2022, and officially ended on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023, when employees returned to work after over two months of public and virtual demonstrations. 

The new contract comes at a troubling time for HarperCollins, as they announced they would be cutting five percent of their U.S. workforce by June 30, according to Publishers Weekly. The New York Times reported that the company, which saw a surge in profits during the COVID-19 pandemic, is now suffering losses and is down 14 percent in sales from last year. HarperCollins CEO Brian Murray pointed to unprecedented supply chain and inflation costs as a reason for the layoffs. 

Among other demands, the union has been negotiating for an increase in starting salary from $45,000 per year to $50,000 per year to compensate for the high living costs in New York City, where HarperCollins headquarters are located. There have also been demands for improved family benefits and a stronger initiative from the company in diversifying its workforce, according to a report from The New York Times. 

The released terms of the contract include improved compensation and benefits, guaranteed annual raises for anyone rated above ‘unsatisfactory’ for work and paid time to participate in company diversity and inclusion initiatives. In addition, the contract allows employees to continue working remotely until July 1, 2023. 

A statement from union President Olga Budastrova told Publisher’s Weekly that the union was incredibly pleased with the terms of the new contract, which will last through the end of 2025. In the statement, she told Publisher’s Weekly that she was “confident” that the contract would “lead to a long-lasting change in HarperCollins work culture and perhaps in publishing at large.”

MHC English department celebrates Valentine's Day with open mic event

The Love/Hate Open Mic was held in the Cassani Room, which was decorated for Valentine’s Day. Photo courtsey of Kylie Gellatly FP ‘23.

By Sophie Frank ʼ26

Staff Writer

The Cassani Room in Shattuck Hall was strung with pink and red hearts and balloons on Feb. 13. A table was laid out with candy arranged in heart shapes, and extra chairs had been set out in rows to hold the throng of audience members who had come to hear their fellow Mount Holyoke students share their work. Almost every seat was filled. 

The second annual Love/Hate Open Mic was hosted in a joint effort by the Mount Holyoke Review and the English department liaisons. The organizations have hosted open mic nights before; on Nov. 3, they hosted a Good/Evil Open Mic in the Abbey Memorial Chapel and this Love/Hate Open Mic night was the second of its kind, with the first held in February of 2022. 

The Valentine’s Day Open Mic was open to all students to read poetry and prose on the theme of love and hate. Students shared poetry, personal essays and excerpts from longer projects. The students’ work was filled with biblical allusions, particularly to Eve in the Garden of Eden, as well as gothic language and self-reflection. Students meditated on sisterly love, childhood friendship, the endings of relationships and old enemies. 

Junior Vivi Corré read a piece about a childhood friend they saw every summer and the way the relationship changed over time, reminiscing on turning 21, a glamorous age in the eyes of a small child, without their friend by their side. The piece garnered soft smiles from some audience members. A free verse poem on meeting a mystery woman online earned laughs, and students nodded rapturously at a piece that explored a woman at home going through the motions of traditional gendered chores. Many pieces carried an undertone of feminist existence within the patriarchy, and many students seemed completely tuned into the readings, throwing encouragement and support behind their fellow students. 

The intimate venue and welcoming atmosphere allowed the students who wanted to share their work aloud to explore personal truths in a supportive space. Darwin Michener-Rutledge ʼ24, an English Department liaison, said in an interview with Mount Holyoke News, “This is the second time we’ve [hosted this event] now, and it’s always so exciting to hear what people are working on, especially because poetry is often so personal. And so to get together and share such big feelings in such a friendly space … is pretty magical.” 

After each person who had signed up at the beginning of the event had read, the floor was opened to everyone in attendance. The openness and freedom of the event motivated many audience members to volunteer on the spot until the event ended. In addition to original writing, students read poetry and prose by famous writers that moved them and even song lyrics centered around the Love/Hate theme. 

Vivi Corre ʼ24 read a piece she had written in a Mount Holyoke creative writing class. She described feeling hesitant to read after taking almost exclusively psychology classes for several semesters but wound up being proud of what she had written. “This was my first time reading anything I had written outside of [sharing it within the] English class, so that was kind of terrifying, but I’m really glad I did it because it just feels so satisfying,” she said. 

Every person that read received enthusiastic applause and a red rose to commemorate their achievement. Many people lingered once the reading was over to take pictures, eat the candy laid before them and talk with the department liaisons. Students exited Shattuck Hall into a curiously warm February evening, ready to ring in Valentine’s Day following a night of student readings. 

The Mount Holyoke Review and the English department liaisons promote events and share department news on Instagram under the handles @mountholyokereview and @mhcenglishliaisons. Students from any department are invited to attend future events.

Romances by Black authors to read this month

Graphic by Mari Al Tayb ‘26.

By Amelia Potter ’26

Staff Writer

February marks Black History Month, which aims, according to the U.S. government’s website on the topic, to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Under this umbrella is the rich selection of romance books written by Black authors which celebrate and uplift Black love. Here are three romance books authored by Black writers to read this Valentine’s Day. 

‘Rare Danger’ by Beverly Jenkins

“Rare Danger” is part romance, part adventure and part murder-mystery, according to Goodreads, as it follows the plight of librarian Jasmine Ware and Air Force veteran Torr Noble, now a private security consultant. At just 110 pages, “Rare Danger” is a fun and fast-paced read, one Goodreads reviewer wrote, with well-developed, “amazing” characters. The plot kickstarts with the mysterious disappearance of a rare books dealer, an old friend of Jasmine’s, whose partner is then suspiciously murdered. This leads to page-turning tension as Jasmine and Torr must unite to unravel the secret plot, find the missing book dealer and possibly discover romance along the way. Full of chemistry and suspense, “Rare Danger” is an excellent, genre-blending read. 

Author Beverly Jenkins is from Detroit, Michigan, and graduated from Michigan State University. In 2013, she was nominated for the 2013 NAACP Image Award. She has won the 2016 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for historical romances, the 2017 Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award, and the 2018 Michigan Author Award, as reported by Goodreads. Her oeuvre consists of stories both “historical and contemporary” with a “particular focus on 19th century African-American life.” As stated in her Wikipedia page, Jenkins sets her romances during a time “of African-American history that she believes is often overlooked”

‘Black Love Matters’ edited by Jessica P. Pryde

In her first published book, Jessica Pryde, a librarian and podcaster, set out to “discuss often overlooked narratives regarding the joyfulness of Black love.” “Black Love Matters” is a collection of essays, described by Kirkus as an “anthology that collects a refreshingly wide variety of perspectives on Black love.” The compilation includes the voices of academics, authors, reviewers and readers who examine the depiction of Black love in popular culture, through films, shows and novels, Goodreads reports. In her introduction, Pryde writes, “For more than 400 years, people of African descent have been treated abysmally in many nations of the world … Yet, whether free or enslaved, Black people throughout history have been able to find romantic love — regardless of their ability to marry — both inside and outside their own communities.” The essayists also unpack the traditional “white-centered nature of most romance novels — and novels in general,” along with the many challenges Black authors face in the publishing industry. 

Pryde currently lives in Tucson, Arizona, and is the co-host of the podcast When in Romance. She is also a contributing editor of Book Riot. She earned her undergraduate degree from Washington University in Saint Louis, and later attended San Jose State University. Although “Black Love Matters” is currently her only book, written in February of 2022, she hints on her blog of possible new works of fiction to come. 

‘I’m So (Not) Over You’ by Kosoko Jackson

“I’m So (Not) Over You” follows aspiring journalist Kian Andrews, who is unexpectedly enlisted by his ex-boyfriend Hudson Rivers to stage an active relationship for the sake of Hudson’s wealthy parents. Incentivized by Hudson’s promise to promote his career in journalism and enduring feelings for his old boyfriend, Kian agrees. Publishers Weekly calls it a “multilayered queer rom-com that combines fun fake dating and second chance romance tropes while exploring timely social themes.” When the pretend relationship begins feeling all too real, both men are forced to face their true feelings. “Beneath the rom-com antics,” Publishers Weekly continues in their review, “Jackson uses the pair’s differing economic backgrounds to explore wealth inequality in America. With his majority Black cast, he also highlights the intersections of class and race.”

Kosoko Jackson was born in the DC Metro Area, and presently lives in Brooklyn, New York. His personal essays have been published in The Advocate, Mediumand Thought Catalog. “I’m So (Not) Over You” was published Feb. 22, 2022, and represents his debut in adult fiction. Jackson has also authored the YA novel, “Yesterday is History,” and the more recent novel, “Survive the Dome.”

HarperCollins union negotiates demands

HarperCollins has begun negotiations with union following months-long strike that began Nov. 10. Photo courtesy of Actualitté.

By Jude Barrera ’24

Staff Writer & Copy Editor 

On Nov. 10, 2022, the unionized employees of HarperCollins began striking to demand better wages and a new contract. One of the four major publishing companies in the United States and the only one to have a union, HarperCollins was not forthcoming in meeting the demands of its workers, according to the HarperCollins Union, with no word from the company for the first 55 days of the strike. Feb. 1 marked 60 business days since the strike began. Strikers took breaks when HarperCollins offices were also closed, such as weekends and federal holidays. On Jan. 26, the 56th day of the strike, HarperCollins agreed to mediations. These mediations began on Feb. 1. 

Despite not communicating directly with the union, HarperCollins made several press releases that addressed union concerns prior to the start of negotiations. On Dec. 15, 2022, HarperCollins released a statement addressing their employee compensation. In it, HarperCollins stated that while they pay “a base salary on the 35-hour work week,” employees who work more than that are eligible for overtime pay. Yet, in the initial press release announcing the strike, it was stated that “many employees cite pressure to work extra hours without additional compensation.” According to Publishers Weekly, a few days after agreeing to mediations with the union, HarperCollins announced layoffs of about 5 percent of its North American staff “by the end of the fiscal year, which ends June 30.” 

Though mediations have begun, workers have continued and will continue to strike until their demands have been met and a contract has been reached. Striking workers held a rally on Jan. 31 on 195 Broadway, the current location of the HarperCollins offices. Supporters of the union were encouraged to visit in person, and the union organized an Instagram Live for people who were not local to show their support. The union then held a second rally, with a slogan of “Take it to the Top,” on Feb. 2. This rally was held outside the offices of HarperCollins’ parent company NewsCorp. 

This was not the first rally that union members have held in front of NewsCorp offices, as another protest was held there in mid-January. The union is still asking for support throughout the process of mediation. Authors and agents have been asked to refrain from submitting new material to HarperCollins. Laura Harschberger, the union chair, revealed in an interview with Hellgate NYC that “more than 200 agents [signed] a letter indicating that they’re going to withhold submissions from HarperCollins until the strike is over.” Supporters of the strike who are not within the publishing industry are also encouraged to donate to the union’s strike fund. These donations contribute to employees’ ability to strike in a sustainable way, as “striking workers have been without a paycheck for months” according to Andrew Limbong of NPR. The strike fund replaces a striking worker’s regular wage, as employees on strike do not get paid.

Amid HarperCollins’ months-long strike, the unionized employees of HuffPost, a news website, also began negotiations on a new contract. On Jan. 30, a day before their contract expired, the HuffPost union released a statement pledging to strike if their demands were not met. The statement had a 98 percent signature rate from union members. The union bargained from the morning through the night, and at 1:43 a.m. on Feb. 1, almost two hours after their old contract expired, a new contract that met the union’s demands was made. In comparison, the contract for HarperCollins union members expired on Dec. 31, 2021, making it over 400 days since the union has had a valid contract.

Barnes & Noble causes uproar following controversial policy

Photo courtesy of Mike Mozart via Flickr.
Author Kelly Yang and Mount Holyoke student Sam Pittman ’23 critique Barnes & Noble’s 2019 policy for negative impact on marginalized authors.

Olivia Wilson ’24

Books Editor 

On Aug. 18, bestselling middle-grade fiction author Kelly Yang posted a video to her Twitter expressing her disappointment in international bookstore chain Barnes & Noble concerning their 2019 bookselling policy. According to NBC News, this policy allows for the shelving of only the top two bestselling hardcover books per publisher each season, which has led to the rejection of thousands of authors, even those who had been stocked by the company in years past. 

This is the case for Yang, who  stated in her video that the fourth novel in her award-winning “Front Desk” series, “Key Player,” was among the middle-grade books that received the ax from the bookselling conglomerate. Yang posted the video, which garnered over 300,000 views, to her Twitter page after receiving the news. The media discourse attracted immediate criticism from authors and readers alike. 

Midlist and marginalized authors were particularly impacted as thousands received the news that their books would not be displayed on Barnes & Noble shelves. Large bookselling retailers like Barnes & Noble are consequential to a book’s exposure and distribution, which contribute directly to garnering the sales needed for an author to continue writing. 

In an interview with NBC News, some authors expressed their concern that in an industry that is vastly white, cisgender and straight, stories by authors in marginalized communities are vital for young readers who wish to find books where they are represented. As this policy takes effect, that may become harder to do as authors lose bargaining power from high sales. Barnes & Noble’s decision likely means that the books that will continue to receive attention and make profit are the ones that receive mainstream attention to begin with. 

Laekan Zea Kemp — one of the affected authors — stated in an interview with NBC News that, “Straight, cis[gender], able-bodied and white-centered books” would continue to receive all of the attention, ultimately having a harmful impact on marginalized authors and readers. 

According to a 2018 study by The New York Times, only 11 percent of published books in 2018 were authored by people of color, and a 2017 study by The University of Wisconsin-Madison found that their elementary and teen book collections in 2017 contained only 3.68 percent of books that prominently feature LGBTQ+ content – less than half of which were written by LGBTQ+ authors. As this new policy continues to impact exposure and sales from marginalized communities, authors worry that the numbers of diverse books will decline. 

Mount Holyoke education studies major Sam Pittman ’23 was taken aback by the new bookselling strategy and offered another perspective on how Barnes & Noble’s policy would affect generations going forward. “I’m going to be a teacher,” Pittman said, “Something [education students] have been talking about a lot … is mirrors and windows in books, and [how] it’s important to see yourself in media and in books, but also [how] reading into other identities and experiences that are beyond your own … creates empathy and validates you.” 

“Something [education students] have been talking about a lot … is mirrors and windows in books, and [how] it’s important to see yourself in media and in books, but also [how] reading into other identities and experiences that are beyond your own … creates empathy and validates you.”

— Sam Pittman

Pittman continued by expressing their disappointment in Barnes & Noble’s new policy and the effects that it could have on students in the future. “When companies like Barnes & Noble say that only these bestsellers can be stocked, it sends a message of whose voice matters and [they’re saying] that is cis het authors who are white, because those are the people who get picked up by the] publishing companies.”

Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt stated in an interview with NBC News that he disagreed “fundamentally” with the accusations levied by critics online, and that the purpose of the new policy was to allow the company to “exercise taste in the selection of new titles” and “Send lower initial quantities to stores.” He further stated that the new policy was part of an initiative by the company to give local store buyers more of a say in the book-selection process in the hopes of boosting company sales. He asserted that any critics of the new policy, including those with concerns about how diversity would be affected by the policy were “jumping at shadows.” 

The long term effects of Barnes & Noble’s decision remain to be seen, but authors like Yang and Kemp and readers like Pittman are skeptical as to whether or not audiences in the future will be able to find books they relate to. 

“It sucks,” Pittman said, “Books that can make such a difference in someone’s life are not going to be available in a bookstore.”

Kick back this summer with these three new fiction reads

By Olivia Wilson ’24

Staff Writer

In the spirit of summer’s approach, Mount Holyoke News has compiled a list of potential beach reads. These books — all authored by women — may help keep the Mount Holyoke vibes nearby no matter how far you are from campus. 

“Book of Night” by Holly Black 

“Book of Night” is the adult fiction debut of popular young adult and middle-grade author Holly Black. It is a “modern dark fantasy,” according to Goodreads. The novel takes place in a fictionalized version of the Berkshires where shadows can be manipulated by magicians called “gloamists,” who utilize the shadows for fittingly dark purposes. According to the book’s description on Black’s website, the story follows Charlie Hall, a low-level con artist and bartender, as she tries to survive while her friends and enemies fight to steal a powerful secret. It is set to release on May 3. 

Described as a “master at world-building” by The New York Times Book Review, Holly Black grew up in New Jersey and is the author of over 30 books for young adults and middle school-aged children. Her other notable works include the beloved children’s series “The Spiderwick Chronicles” and the 2018 New York Times bestseller “The Cruel Prince.” 

According to the Odyssey Bookshop website, Black resides in New England with her husband, son and secret library. A launch party for “Book of Night” will be held at the First Congregational Church in South Hadley on May 3 at 7 p.m. 

“We Measure the Earth with our Bodies” by Tsering Yangzom Lama 

“We Measure the Earth with our Bodies” takes place over the span of 50 years and recounts the story of an exiled Tibetan family affected by political violence and colonization. Told through the perspective of four different characters, the book follows the lives of a Tibetan refugee family as they struggle to survive and keep hold of their culture amid what the BBC described as the longstanding Chinese “claim to sovereignty” over Tibet. A review by Booklist characterized the novel as “[an] achingly beautiful debut.”

According to the biography page on her website, Tsering Yangzom Lama is a Tibetan writer born and raised in Nepal who currently lives in Vancouver, Canada. Her work has appeared in numerous books, magazines and other publications. She is also the co-founder of “LhakarDiaries,” a blog for Tibetan youth living in exile. She currently works for Greenpeace International as a storytelling advisor, coaching branches of the organization around the world on how to craft narratives. “We Measure the Earth with our Bodies,” Lama’s debut novel, is set to release on May 17.

“Human Blues” by Elisa Albert 

Described as “virtuosic” and “brilliant” by The Washington Post and The New York Times, Elisa Albert’s “Human Blues” is told over the course of nine menstrual cycles. The story follows Aviva Rosner, a singer and songwriter who wants a child but is unable to get pregnant. She is wary of artificial insemination, and her decision to write her fears into her music leads to a surprising reaction from audiences. The book’s blurb on Goodreads describes it as a “bold, brainy, darkly funny” interrogation of society’s obsession with childbearing. The book is set to release on July 5. 

Elisa Albert is also the author of the short story collection “How This Night Is Different” and the novel “The Book of Dahlia,” which follows a woman dying of brain cancer. According to The Odyssey Bookshop, Albert currently lives in upstate New York.

Sequoia Nagamatsu explores life and death in a plague-stricken future in debut novel

Graphic by Sofía Savid ’24.

By Maggie Wills ’25

Staff Writer

“It seemed like everyone was walking either to or from a funeral. Death had become a way of life,” author Sequoia Nagamatsu writes in his new novel, “How High We Go in the Dark.” The book, published Jan. 18, 2022, drops readers into a futuristic reality eerily similar to our own. 

In Nagamatsu’s world, it is 2030, and researchers in Antarctica are working tirelessly to find solutions to salvage the rapidly-warming planet. Despite their efforts, the melting permafrost has released a 30,000-year-old virus that begins infecting the research team and later spreads to the rest of the world. The deadly virus, known as the “Arctic Plague,” overwhelmingly infects children, causing their specialized tissue cells to assume the identity of other tissues. Patients’ hearts develop tiny brains and their lungs slowly develop into livers. Death rates increase, as does the demand for funeral services — lists of patients needing organ transplants are endless. 

The world adapts to these changes by developing new technologies, such as human organs grown in pigs. The individuals inhabiting this world are forced to adapt. Their morals and values change as they become desensitized to death. What does not change, however, is humanity’s desire for hope and relationships. 

In each chapter, Nagamatsu introduces readers to a new individual who yearns for human connection while simultaneously navigating a life affected by the plague. Many chapters take place in the California Bay Area and Japan, but others transcend Earth and even the physical world. The scope of the book is wide, with some chapters spanning centuries. 

Each individual’s story is intricately linked to others in a way that unifies the novel. These characters grapple with their new reality and attempt to find hope and community in the darkest of times. A medical researcher mourns the loss of his son by becoming the acting father to his test-subject pig that has learned to speak; an adolescent boy connects with his mother through her prized robot dog after she dies from the virus; a close-knit cul-de-sac hosts funerals together, vowing to combine their ashes in a community urn. 

“In each chapter, Nagamatsu introduces readers to a new individual who yearns for human connection while simultaneously navigating a life affected by the plague.”

At points, the world Nagamatsu creates feels like the direction our humanity is currently heading in, which can make for a particularly unsettling reading experience. In Nagamatsu’s world, death is slowly being commodified — countless companies advertise their funeral packages and death-centered social media platforms. Constant natural disasters lead scientists to search for a new home planet with zero plans to fix the one they’ve got. 

Other stories are absolutely heartbreaking, but impossible to put down. The chapter “The Used-To-Be Party” is incredibly striking. It  is told from the perspective of a newly-widowed man, Dan, who attempts to connect with his neighbors who have also lost loved ones. He laments on his failure to be a bigger part of his daughter’s and wife’s lives, seeking to change that by hosting a cookout for his neighbors. Dan reasons that “[they] need a party to break the silence, to begin to heal.”  

According to Nagamatsu’s website, “How High We Go In The Dark” is his debut novel. He has published many works in literary magazines and penned a 2016 collection of short stories called “Where We Go When All We Were Is Gone.” He is soon publishing another novel shortly entitled “Girl Zero.” Nagamatsu lives in Minneapolis with his wife and teaches creative writing at St. Olaf College. 

In an interview with LitHub, Nagamatsu said he began writing “How High We Go In The Dark” before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. He mentioned feeling apprehensive about publishing due to the subject matter, but ultimately decided that publishing the book served as a way to understand the lockdown and cope with his father’s death. 

According to Nagamatsu, the book has received mixed reviews. Some readers have found his world comforting, while others have felt it hit too close to home. 

To echo Gabino Iglesias of Locus Magazine’s thoughts on the novel, “reading [Nagamatsu’s] ‘How High We Go in the Dark’ is not always a pleasurable experience.” Nevertheless, it is an introspective and rewarding read. It invites readers to reflect on grief, sadness and hope. Despite the world seeming to grow more and more despondent, Nagamatsu reminds readers to find comfort in connection, even in the darkest of times.