The Book Review: Téa Obreht’s new climate novel

Plus: Tom Hanks reviews a tale told by a typewriter

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story March 22, 2024 Alanah Sarginson Dear fellow readers, Back in 2011, when she was just 25, Téa Obreht blazed onto the literary scene with "The Tiger's Wife." The novel was published to ecstatic reviews — the paper's daily critic Michiko Kakutani called it "hugely ambitious, audaciously written" — and Obreht was caught up in a storm of praise and publicity. She told The Times: "When you're writing, you're working on this private world that becomes more and more real to you, but it's still your own. And then to discover that suddenly other people can access it — in a way, that really shocks me." Now, 13 years after "The Tiger's Wife" graced the cover of the Book Review, Obreht's new novel, "The Morningside," lands there, too, courtesy of a rave from Jessamine Chan. The review convinced me to take the novel home for my weekend reading, but there isn't a copy to be found in the office — it's in demand! If you have time, tell us what you're reading. (We may publish your response on our Letters page, or feature it in an upcoming newsletter.) You can email us at books@nytimes.com. We read every letter sent. Tina Jordan Deputy Editor, The New York Times Book Review Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Like this email? Sign-up here or forward it to your friends. Have a suggestion or two on how we can improve it? Let us know at newsletters@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT TO READ NEXT? Let Us Help You Find Your Next Book Reading picks from Book Review editors, guaranteed to suit any mood. By The New York Times Books Staff Paperback Row 6 Paperbacks to Read This Week Selected paperbacks from the Book Review, including titles by Colin Winnette, Rachel Cohen, Ricardo Nuila and more. By Shreya Chattopadhyay editors' choice 8 New Books We Recommend This Week Suggested reading from critics and editors at The New York Times. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. THIS WEEK IN THE BOOK REVIEW Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times A Bronx Teacher Asked. Tommy Orange Answered. When the author received an impassioned email, he dropped everything to visit the students who inspired it. By Elisabeth Egan Allie Sullberg Children's Books Tom Hanks Reviews a Tale Told by a Typewriter A boy's mother is missing. Her Olivetti was the last one to see her before she disappeared. By Tom Hanks Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston nonfiction An Exquisite Biography of a Gilded Age Legend In Natalie Dykstra's hands, the life of Isabella Stewart Gardner is a tribute to the power of art. By Megan O'Grady Fiction Gin, Lipstick and Cigarettes: Inside a Glamorous Midcentury Divorce Ranch "The Divorcées" whisks readers to a ranch in Reno, where unhappy wives once stayed to establish Nevada residency so they could file for divorce. By Beatriz Williams Bridgeman Art Library Nonfiction When Arguing Was an Art, Not a Free-for-All In "The Ancient Art of Thinking for Yourself," Robin Reames contends that Greek and Roman rhetorical techniques can help us speak — and listen — to one another today. By John McWhorter Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT THE BOOK REVIEW PODCAST The Book Review Talking to Tana French The great Irish crime novelist talks about her newest series. 45 MIN LISTEN ETC. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library The Dinner Party That Started the Harlem Renaissance An interracial soirée that included intellectual and artistic luminaries set in motion one of the most influential cultural movements of the 20th century. By Veronica Chambers and Michelle May-Curry Rebecca Clarke By the BOOK Morgan Parker Says 'Poetry Is Under Everything' She Writes Crafting the arguments in "You Get What You Pay For," her first essay collection, "felt like pulling apart a long piece of taffy," says the author of "Magical Negro." Ruth Orkin Photo Archive/VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn up close She Started With a 39-Cent Camera. She Ended Up in Magazines. A posthumous release from the famed photographer Ruth Orkin casts a female gaze on subjects both ordinary and iconic. By Erica Ackerberg RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUR COLUMNISTS Historical Fiction Reimagining Real Lives in the Best New Historical Fiction This trio of new novels shows real people in their natural habitats, drawn with writerly flair. By Alida Becker Crime & Mystery Love the Sinner. Or Maybe Just Kill Him. Our crime columnist reviews new novels by Andrey Kurkov, Kristen Perrin and others. By Sarah Weinman graphic novels In These Graphic Novels, Something Is Horribly Amiss Circus tigers, giant spiders, shifting borders and motherhood all threaten to end life as we know it in comics this month. By Sam Thielman Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT BEST SELLERS Inside the best-seller list Amy Tintera adds a new note to the true crime podcast novel. Read all of our lists Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Books from The New York Times. To stop receiving Books, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018