Mark Athitakis

1 day ago | latimes.com | Mark Athitakis |Lorraine Berry |Jessica Ferri |Bethanne Patrick |Chris Vognar

Nothing says “summer’s here!” than reading near a body of water. And what qualifies as a beach read has evolved to include more than romances and thrillers. From histories on New York’s 1960s art scene and the making of the film “Sunset Boulevard” to biographies on James Baldwin, Clint Eastwood and Bruce Lee, to gripping memoirs from Miriam Toews and Molly Jong-Fast, there’s something from every nonfiction genre.

6 days ago | associationsnow.com | Mark Athitakis

A few weeks back, my 14-year-old son walked past me as I sat on the living-room couch and informed me that he was headed to the backyard to pour a bucket of ice water on his head. “Okey-doke,” I said, as dads will. He was still a toddler when dousing yourself in ice water was a subject of such casual conversation. The ALS Association created the ICE Bucket Challenge in 2014 as a way to build awareness around the neurodegenerative disorder.

1 week ago | associationsnow.com | Mark Athitakis

AI helps people save time and find information more quickly, and it’s changing the way we use the internet. Now, seeking information can be more like having a conversation with an expert. Instead of Googling something, you can ask ChatGPT a question, get an answer, and ask follow-up questions to drill down deeper. While it’s exciting that this technology allows us to conversationally get answers without sorting through search results, it also presents a problem for associations.

1 week ago | associationsnow.com | Mark Athitakis

In response to recent cuts to the Federal workforce, one association representing government workers is accelerating its legal, advocacy, and marketing activities. The National Association of Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) has been developing a response to cuts and changes to Federal workers under the Trump administration, including the planned firing of 16,000 probationary employees. That action threatens NARFE’s membership base, said President William Shackleford.

1 week ago | kirkusreviews.com | Mark Athitakis

Aaron John Curtis is a Miami-based bookseller of Native American (Kanien’kéha) heritage who faced down a rare autoimmune disorder while getting his start as a writer. Abe, the hero of his debut novel, is also a Native American bookseller in Miami who aspires to be a professional writer. But Curtis’ path to autofiction wasn’t as straightforward as those storylines suggest.