Cthulhu for your Christmas tree and other book news

What’s happening in the world of books? Here’s the latest.

It’s a Cthulhu Christmas: Do you prefer horror to angels, monsters over the Virgin Mary? 2015 is here for you. H.P. Lovecraft’s most terrifying creation, Cthulhu, is now a Christmas tree topper. The dreaded Cthulhu is folded and perched, pretty self-contained for the powerful being at the center of Lovecraft’s story “The Call of Cthulhu.” The glass Christmas tree Cthulhu is $19.99 at Middle of Beyond (via BoingBoing).

Suddenly collectible: The death of Stone Temple Pilots’ frontman Scott Weiland last week has given only a mild lift to his memoir, titled (ouch) “Not Dead & Not for Sale” -- it lags behind memoirs by Patti Smith, Carrie Brownstein and Elvis Costello and a Tom Petty biography on Amazon’s Rock Music bestseller list -- but signed editions are now selling for more than $300. Stay classy, guys.

Free Lui Xiaobo: Author, free speech activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Lui Xiaobo remains in prison. Today, on the seventh anniversary of his arrest by Chinese authorities for “inciting subversion of state power,” International PEN is calling for his release. Lui Xiaobo’s crime was being the primary author of “Charter 08,” a document that called for universal human rights and increased democratic reforms in China. Boldface author names Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie, Ian Rankin and Yann Martel are on the committee calling for his release, and for the release of his wife, Lui Xia, from five years of house arrest. Of course, there are hashtags: #freeliuxiaobo #freeluixia.

Recall Trump’s book: Author and independent publisher Jason Pinter has written an open letter to Simon & Schuster urging the company to recall “Crippled America,” the latest book by Donald Trump. Prompted by Trump’s comments that Muslims should be barred from the U.S. -- which experts have called “ridiculous” and “blatantly unconstitutional” -- Pinter argues that the publisher’s imprint Threshold is profiting from its “demagoguing author.” As appealing as that might sound to Trump opponents, it runs counter to our good old 1st Amendment protecting free speech -- allowing Trump and his bloviations is as essentially American as having our borders open to people of all religions.

Tonight in LA: The Last Bookstore hosts the launch of “Dear Yeti,” an adorable new children’s book by James Kwan at 7:00 p.m.

Book news and more; I’m @paperhaus on Twitter