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In 1876, Rev. T. De Witt Talmage warned Americans that summer novels were “literary poison.” 150 years later, BookTok’s nearly 2 billion users have turned summer reading into a major cultural phenomenon

Currents · Business · 2026-08-20

In 1876, Rev. T. De Witt Talmage warned Americans that summer novels were “literary poison.” 150 years later, BookTok’s nearly 2 billion users have turned summer reading into a major cultural phenomenon

Explore the fascinating transformation of summer reading from being labeled 'literary poison' in the 19th century to becoming a cultural phenomenon driven by BookTok's millions of users today. In 1876, Rev. T. De Witt Talmage warned Americans that summer novels were “literary poison.” 150 years later, BookTok’s nearly 2 billion users have turned summer reading into a major cultural phenomenon

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