Katy Waldman
Katy Waldman is a staff writer at The New Yorker, for which she writes about books, culture, and more. Previously, she was a staff writer at Slate and the host of the “Slate’s Audio Book Club” podcast. She won the National Book Critics Circle’s Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing in 2019 and the American Society of Magazine Editors’s award for journalists under thirty in 2018.
The Perils and Potential of the Runaway Imagination
In “Owlish,” Dorothy Tse’s dreamlike début novel, a lonely professor falls in love with a mechanical ballerina.
Max Porter’s Novel of Troubled and Enchanted Youth
The teen-aged protagonist of “Shy” is caught between helpless sensitivity and impulsive violence.
Going Public with Plastic Surgery in “You’ll Be Happier”
Daniel Lombroso’s short documentary follows a woman seeking a Brazilian butt-lift and a greater sense of self-love.
What Is the Appeal of Fan Fiction?
Esther Yi’s new novel explores the embarrassing allure of stories that allow readers to insert themselves as protagonists.
What Are We Protecting Children from by Banning Books?
Reading the titles that have been challenged and removed from public-school libraries across the country.
A Novel That Confronts Our True-Crime Obsession
In “I Have Some Questions for You,” Rebecca Makkai depicts the charms of the murder podcast while evading its flaws.
The Frictionless Charms of the Ferrante Cinematic Universe
The film and television adaptations of the Italian author’s novels offer an almost suspicious lack of resistance.
Maggie Haberman, the Confidence Man’s Chronicler
During the Trump era, Haberman became an avatar of journalism’s promise as well as of its failures. She sees herself as a demystifier.
Jorie Graham Takes the Long View
The poet talks about distraction, ecological devastation, and the future of her medium.
The Year in Sequels
From Jennifer Egan’s “The Candy House” to Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner’s “Heat 2,” there was a surge of follow-ups in the book world. What led so many writers back to the well?
The Goncourt Prize Gets Americanized
The overseers of France’s biggest literary honor convene a group of American university students to vote on the first-ever U.S. version of the award, after much snorting over aesthetic differences.
Lydia Millet’s Post-Human Prose
In “Dinosaurs,” Millet once again rejects the small, familiar world of the individual. Her subject is loss on a planetary scale.
Joyce Carol Oates Doesn’t Prefer Blondes
The novelist shares her thoughts on the appeal of underdogs, Andrew Dominik’s film adaptation of her novel, and the mythic masculine and feminine.
Jonathan Escoffery’s Surprising Stories of Desperation
In “If I Survive You,” the author brings a fresh, wry vision to the literature of self-determination.
Is Publishing About Art or Commerce?
The antitrust trial to block the merger of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster has riveted the industry—and raised larger questions about the business of books.
Why Are Only Mothers Miraculous?
Emi Yagi’s “Diary of a Void” uses an office worker’s fake pregnancy to press on broad assumptions about life, vitality, and spirit, and where these qualities can be found.
The Viral Spectacle of the Latest January 6th Hearing
In its final session of the summer, the congressional committee made Trump the butt of the joke.
The Rapture of Listening to a Fake Baseball Game
Nine innings of made-up balls, strikes, and ads is enough to put you to sleep—or bring you to life.
How Fans Created the Voice of the Internet
A new book, diving deep into the world of One Direction, argues that fandom is the force of our time.
Marina Warner Sees the Myths in Our Moment
Warner has spent decades studying how our oldest stories speak to modern life, from the lure of fake news to the politics of abortion.
The Perils and Potential of the Runaway Imagination
In “Owlish,” Dorothy Tse’s dreamlike début novel, a lonely professor falls in love with a mechanical ballerina.
Max Porter’s Novel of Troubled and Enchanted Youth
The teen-aged protagonist of “Shy” is caught between helpless sensitivity and impulsive violence.
Going Public with Plastic Surgery in “You’ll Be Happier”
Daniel Lombroso’s short documentary follows a woman seeking a Brazilian butt-lift and a greater sense of self-love.
What Is the Appeal of Fan Fiction?
Esther Yi’s new novel explores the embarrassing allure of stories that allow readers to insert themselves as protagonists.
What Are We Protecting Children from by Banning Books?
Reading the titles that have been challenged and removed from public-school libraries across the country.
A Novel That Confronts Our True-Crime Obsession
In “I Have Some Questions for You,” Rebecca Makkai depicts the charms of the murder podcast while evading its flaws.
The Frictionless Charms of the Ferrante Cinematic Universe
The film and television adaptations of the Italian author’s novels offer an almost suspicious lack of resistance.
Maggie Haberman, the Confidence Man’s Chronicler
During the Trump era, Haberman became an avatar of journalism’s promise as well as of its failures. She sees herself as a demystifier.
Jorie Graham Takes the Long View
The poet talks about distraction, ecological devastation, and the future of her medium.
The Year in Sequels
From Jennifer Egan’s “The Candy House” to Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner’s “Heat 2,” there was a surge of follow-ups in the book world. What led so many writers back to the well?
The Goncourt Prize Gets Americanized
The overseers of France’s biggest literary honor convene a group of American university students to vote on the first-ever U.S. version of the award, after much snorting over aesthetic differences.
Lydia Millet’s Post-Human Prose
In “Dinosaurs,” Millet once again rejects the small, familiar world of the individual. Her subject is loss on a planetary scale.
Joyce Carol Oates Doesn’t Prefer Blondes
The novelist shares her thoughts on the appeal of underdogs, Andrew Dominik’s film adaptation of her novel, and the mythic masculine and feminine.
Jonathan Escoffery’s Surprising Stories of Desperation
In “If I Survive You,” the author brings a fresh, wry vision to the literature of self-determination.
Is Publishing About Art or Commerce?
The antitrust trial to block the merger of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster has riveted the industry—and raised larger questions about the business of books.
Why Are Only Mothers Miraculous?
Emi Yagi’s “Diary of a Void” uses an office worker’s fake pregnancy to press on broad assumptions about life, vitality, and spirit, and where these qualities can be found.
The Viral Spectacle of the Latest January 6th Hearing
In its final session of the summer, the congressional committee made Trump the butt of the joke.
The Rapture of Listening to a Fake Baseball Game
Nine innings of made-up balls, strikes, and ads is enough to put you to sleep—or bring you to life.
How Fans Created the Voice of the Internet
A new book, diving deep into the world of One Direction, argues that fandom is the force of our time.
Marina Warner Sees the Myths in Our Moment
Warner has spent decades studying how our oldest stories speak to modern life, from the lure of fake news to the politics of abortion.