News of note for readers: December 5, 2024

Catch up quick with the bookish news of the past few days ... or take a deeper dive into each story. Your choice!

• The new year always brings a new batch of public domain books; for 2025's "releases," you can enjoy an advent calendar reveal! (Public Domain Review)

• Electric Literature has chosen the best short-story collections and nonfiction books of 2024.

• The New York Times added on to its best-of lists, with audiobooks, romance, and historical fiction now broken down individually.

• A short note signed by Franz Kafka at age fourteen is headed to auction; the item, the earliest known piece of writing from the author, is expected to fetch at least $10,000 (Literary Hub).

• Fans are criticizing Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Book for typos, poor design, and low-quality photos (The Independent).