Too Busy Blurbing Books to Write One

For the novelist Rebecca Makkai, writing blurbs had become nearly a full-time job. She explains why blurbs matter — and why she’s taking a break.

Topics

Trump Proposes U.S. Takeover of Gaza and Says Palestinians Should Move

The president met with the Israeli prime minister at the White House, meeting in person with another world leader for the first time since returning to power.
The New York Times - 13m
An Unbound Trump Pushes an Improbable Plan for Gaza

Once a critic of nation building, the president now envisions taking over a Middle East enclave, driving out its Palestinian population and transforming it into “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
The New York Times - 39m
Conditions May Have Stymied Black Hawk Crew Before Fatal Crash

The Army pilots were juggling dark skies, low altitude, a busy airspace and a cockpit without certain traffic detectors before the helicopter’s midair crash with a regional passenger jet.
The New York Times - 6h
Final Remains Recovered From Plane Crash Over the Potomac

Officials in Washington said they had recovered 67 sets of remains. There were 64 people on the jet, and three crew members on the Army helicopter that collided with it.
The New York Times - 5h
Sweden School Shooting Leaves at Least 10 Dead in Country’s ‘Worst’ Gun Attack

The shooting occurred at a center for adult education in the city of Orebro. The suspect is believed to be among the dead, officials said.
The New York Times - 5h