Goodreads Librarians Group discussion

* Title: McNeal
* Author(s) name(s): Ayad Akhtar
* Publisher: The Atlantic
* Publication Date Year: 2024
* Publication Date Month: December
* Publication Date Day: 4
* Page count: NA
* Format (such as paperback, hardcover, ebook, audiobook, etc): online publication
* Description: Play

This play was produced at the Lincoln Center in September-December 2024: https://www.lct.org/shows/mcneal/

A review in the New York Times can be found here: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/26/th...

The play was then published in The Atlantic online with a forward by Jeremy Strong: https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/a...

If it was only part of a magazine we would not add it on its own.

I'm not sure what "part of a magazine" means here. The play was published online on The Atlantic (I don't know whether it was also included in its monthly magazine).

Is it not an online version of the magazine?

They're not the same. The Atlantic website publishes a number of daily articles as well as larger stand-alone works (like this play).

The contents of the December magazine are listed here and it doesn't include the play: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/...

As another example, in 2023 The Atlantic published This Ghost of Slavery, by Anna Deavere Smith, which was the first publication place for the play:

: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/...

https://deadline.com/2023/11/anna-dea...

These are the online publications for plays and are not parts of the magazine issues.

I just want to follow up here. It seems to me the play here meets the Goodreads requirements of an ebook. It's not a short piece of fiction published in a magazine.

Sorry, I am just not sure about this one. I would rather wait for another librarian's opinion. I shall solicit help in another thread.

I understand. It would be unfortunate if it can't be added—it's a high-profile drama by a well-established writer, and The Atlantic seems to be publishing more full plays online. It's a serious contender for national prizes.

But I also understand that it can be difficult to sort out what is a real book publication as opposed to a magazine article.

I'm fine with adding it: McNeal

Thanks, David.