A New Novella by Joyce Carol Oates

Read “The Bicycle Accident.” Plus: the mysterious pop star Jai Paul finally takes the stage; early Georgia O’Keeffe; and what’s going on with Justice Alito? View in browser | Update your preferences Thursday, April 27, 2023 In today’s newsletter, the aftermath of a crash, and then: • The mysterious pop star Jai Paul finally takes the stage • What’s going on with Justice Alito? • Georgia O’Keeffe before she was famous “The Bicycle Accident” “Of course, Arlette understood, this was not a tragedy. Tragedy would be a broken neck or spine. Paralysis for life. A coma.” Illustration by Hokyoung Kim Today, we published a new novella by the longtime New Yorker contributor Joyce Carol Oates. “Evie’s accident with the bike,” they would call it. Or, if a reproach was intended, a hint that Evie had no one but herself to blame for almost getting killed on the Cayuga Bridge and the summer of misery that followed: “Evie’s accident with her bike.” Was it a subtle distinction—the bike, her bike? Arlette, Evie’s mother, took care never to allude to the accident on the bridge in the second way. She never blamed Evie. She was so grateful that her daughter was alive. To think that you almost died, Evie, on that bridge! And we didn’t even know where the hell you were. How could you . . . sneak away like that, without telling me? That had been the hurtful thing. Without telling me. But she didn’t allow Evie to know that. She wasn’t that kind of mother. Keep reading Support The New Yorker’s award-winning journalism. Subscribe today » From the Climate Issue Annals of a Warming Planet The Climate Crisis Gives Sailing Ships a Second Wind Cargo vessels are some of the dirtiest vehicles in existence. Can a centuries-old technology help to clean them up? By Pagan Kennedy Action Item As part of this week’s digital issue, Bill McKibben is joining us daily to share one key action you can take to help the fight for the planet’s survival. Today’s tip: Hop on the e-bike bandwagon. Of all new electric technologies, this may turn out to be the most game-changing: there are more e-bikes sold each year than electric cars. They use less electricity than a car, which is good, because the less we use the fewer solar panels we need to put up. They get you outside and enjoying what is still a very beautiful planet. And they will likely turn you into an evangelist for more bike lanes, thus setting off a spiralling virtuous . . . cycle. From the News Desk Daily Comment What’s Going On with Samuel Alito? The Justice’s objection to the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in an abortion-pill case is another catalogue of his resentments. By Amy Davidson Sorkin Q. & A. Is It Sexist to Want Dianne Feinstein to Retire? Debbie Stabenow, a Democratic colleague in the Senate, sees a double standard at work. By Isaac Chotiner Culture Dept. The Art World Georgia O’Keeffe Before She Was Famous She’s known for her paintings of skulls, flowers, and deserts. A new MOMA show suggests that her early work was stronger. By Jackson Arn Cultural Comment Jai Paul, a Mysterious Pop Legend, Is Finally Performing In his New York début, he was stiff at first, but the crowd loosened him up, and his voice soared. By Jia Tolentino Photo Booth Thomas Wågström’s Pictures of the Living and the Lifeless The mysterious photographs in the book “Case Closed” are more interested in the conditions under which human beings exist than in the lives they live. By Karl Ove Knausgaard Video Dept. The New Yorker Documentary Climate Dread Coexists with Merriment in “Belle River” In a short documentary, residents of Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin remain stalwart, and sometimes joyful, as they face the looming threats of floodwater. Film by Guillaume Fournier, Samuel Matteau, and Yannick Nolin Text by Linnea Feldman Emison Fun & Games Dept. Name Drop Play Today’s Quiz Can you guess the notable person in six clues or fewer? By Matt Jackson Daily Shouts Might as Well Ban It All Ban the President. Ban remote learning. Ban dumb questions. Ban singing Oasis at karaoke. By Sean Lavery Crossword A Beginner-Friendly Puzzle Nevada city that aptly rhymes with “casino”: four letters. By Patrick Berry Daily Cartoon Thursday, April 27th By Ellie Black P.S. Last night’s state dinner at the White House briefly transformed into a summer-camp talent show when the President of South Korea, Yoon Suk‑yeol, performed an entirely credible version of the opening lines of Don McLean’s “American Pie.” Not all state dinners have been so fun. As Laura Shaprio has noted, during the Depression, the Roosevelt White House was known for its belt-tightening—and reporters once “poked fun at a state dinner so dowdy it featured sweet-potato casserole with marshmallows.” Today’s newsletter was written by Ian Crouch. Thanks for reading. Let us know your thoughts about today’s edition. 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