FEBRUARY 2026

Every month, we spotlight five books that have received extra attention lately. Don't miss our February picks, all from independent literary publishers:

• A Perfect Turmoil: Walter E. Fernald and the Struggle to Care for America’s Disabled by Alex Green (Bellevue Literary Press | 9781954276420)—“the story of a doctor, educator, and policymaker who was unafraid to reverse course when convinced by the evidence”—is a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in Biography. Order now.
• She Who Remains by Rene Karabash, translated from the Bulgarian by Izidora Angel (Sandorf Passage | 9789533515748)—a novel that explores “what it means to be a woman in a world defined by the violence of ancient patriarchal traditions”—was featured as one of Service95’s “The 21 Must-Read Books to Have on Your Radar in 2026.” Order now.
• SURVIVA: A Future Ancestral Field Guide by Cannupa Hanska Luger (Ayin Press | 9781961814264)—part graphic novel, part art book that “boldly presents an earth-based, demilitarized futuredream that foregrounds Indigenous knowledge as critical to humanity’s survival”—is a finalist for the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award. Order now.
• Sad Tiger by Neige Sinno, translated from the French by Natasha Lehrer (Seven Stories Press | 9781644214671)—which “explores the different facets of memory—her own, her mother’s, as well as her abusive stepfather’s; and of abuse itself in all its monstrosity and banality”—is a finalist for the Gregg Barrios Book in Translation Prize. Order now.
• Chronicle of Drifting by Yuki Tanaka (Copper Canyon Press | 9781556597053)—a poetry collection that “enacts a restless quest for belonging, interweaving dreamlike imagery and Japanese lyricism”—is a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in Poetry. Order now.

March is Women's History Month, and to help you celebrate, we've put together a roundup of sixteen books of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, all from indie presses, to spotlight for the occasion and year-round.

Learn about the landscape of independent publishing in the Mid-Atlantic region, including local presses and magazines, regional awards and festivals, and books set in the area.

We've put together a roundup of eighteen books of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, all from indie presses, to spotlight in February's Black History Month and year-round.

In our latest spotlight on an indie publisher, Kyla Kupferstein Torres, executive editor of Callaloo, says, "[Our] original mission is still what we’re following today: to provide a consistent space for the work of Black writers, academics, and visual artists, a place where their work is taken seriously, on its own terms, regardless as to whether Black people and their concerns are ‘in vogue’ with the larger society."

Discover poetry, fiction, and nonfiction published last month by independent literary publishers—including Dzanc Books, Hidden Timber Books, LittlePuss Press, Tofu Ink Arts Press, Vine Leaves Press, and more.