*Virginia Woolf will be a character in the upcoming season of Downton Abbey. Swoon. [via Flavorwire]

*If you're a single parent, you've got an impressive — and vocal — advocate in your corner: J.K. Rowling. 
"... nothing makes me prouder than what Jessica told me recently about the first five years of her life: ‘I never knew we were poor. I just remember being happy.’" [via Gingerbread]

*Want to check out this year's longlist for the National Book Award in fiction? Here are some free excerpts. [via GalleyCat]

*A bookless public library opened in Texas earlier this month. Is this the future? [via NPR]

*Just in case you haven't been bossed around enough at work this week, here are 50 translated-into-English books you're supposed to read. Or you'll turn into a pumpkin, I guess? [via Flavorwire]

*J. D. Salinger is a literary god. He was also a pedophile. [via the New York Times]

*Has the news that the Man Booker prize is now open to all English-language books made anyone happy? [via the BBC]

*Africa needs many things — including love stories. [via the Daily Telegraph]

*This isn't book-related, but if you're a Millennial you'll consider it both newsworthy and hilarious. Hanson just released its own beer: it's called Mmmhops. [via the Daily Beast]