This Week’s Issue: The Promise of Refrigeration in Africa—Louis Menand on American Democracy—The Untold History of the Biden Family

Plus: Rebecca Mead on Anish Kapoor; Hua Hsu on his dad and Kurt Cobain; and Rachel Syme on Nora Ephron. View in browser | Update your preferences Letter from Rwanda Africa’s Cold Rush and the Promise of Refrigeration For the developing world, refrigeration is growth. In Rwanda, it could spark an economic transformation. By Nicola Twilley This Week’s Cover Cover Story “Sun-Dappled” The cover artist for this week’s issue, Nicole Rifkin, discusses her creative process and finding inspiration among artistic friends. By Françoise Mouly Reporting and Commentary A Reporter at Large The Untold History of the Biden Family Relatively little has been known about the President’s father, whose story reveals a family’s fraught relationship with money, class, and alcohol. By Adam Entous Personal History My Dad and Kurt Cobain When my father moved to Taiwan, a fax machine and a shared love of music bridged an ocean. By Hua Hsu Profiles Anish Kapoor’s Material Values The wildly successful sculptor, whose works incorporate everything from reflective steel to goopy wax, has turned an enormous palazzo in Venice into a showcase for his work. It’s a statement of power—and a bid for his legacy. By Rebecca Mead Comment How Did Fighting Climate Change Become a Partisan Issue? Twenty years ago, Senator John McCain tried to spearhead an effort. What has happened to Republicans since then? By Elizabeth Kolbert The Critics Books The Nora Ephron We Forget Since her death, Ephron has become a symbol of sappy romance. But her real subject was how words could bring people together—or drive them apart. By Rachel Syme A Critic at Large American Democracy Was Never Designed to Be Democratic The partisan redistricting tactics of cracking and packing aren’t merely flaws in the system—they are the system. By Louis Menand On Television “The Resort” Needs to Relax The mystery series on Peacock, starring Cristin Milioti and William Jackson Harper, puts itself under unnecessary stress. By Doreen St. Félix Books Briefly Noted Short reviews of “Thrust,” “Emergency,” “Endless Forms,” and “Fabric.” Newsletters Sign Up for the New Yorker Recommends Newsletter Discover what our staff is reading, watching, and listening to each week. Humor from The New Yorker Shouts & Murmurs Elon Musk’s New Frontier: Your Body Why ambulate with your legs when your new self-walking Tesla Body gets you where you need to go? By Megan Amram Cartoons from the Issue Cartoons from the Issue Funny drawings from this week’s magazine. Crossword A Challenging Puzzle Minimalist composer Arvo Pärt, for one: eight letters. By Anna Shechtman Name Drop Play Today’s Quiz Can you guess the notable person in six clues or fewer? By Matt Jackson More from The New Yorker The New Yorker Live Maggie Rogers Talks with Questlove and Performs at Symphony Space On September 7th, the acclaimed musicians will join the staff writer Kelefa Sanneh at New York City’s Symphony Space for The New Yorker Live’s first in-person event. Cultural Comment The Door Opened by “Gangnam Style” The global hit primed Western audiences for films and shows about South Korea as a dystopia. By Colin Marshall Thanks for reading. Let us know your thoughts about today’s edition. Plus, browse more newsletters and invite a friend to sign up for The Daily. You’re receiving this e-mail because you signed up for This Week's Issue from The New Yorker. Manage your preferences | View our Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe Copyright © Condé Nast 2022. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.