Opinion Today: Learning to write again

A writer describes her traumatic brain injury, and what it has meant to relearn her craft. [View in browser](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP4QpAWh0dHBzOi8vbWVzc2FnaW5nLWN1c3RvbS1uZXdzbGV0dGVycy5ueXRpbWVzLmNvbS90ZW1wbGF0ZS9vYWt2Mj9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMTEyNyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMDg2ODQmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZwcm9kdWN0Q29kZT1UWSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTUxMDY1JnRlPTEmdXJpPW55dCUzQSUyRiUyRm5ld3NsZXR0ZXIlMkY2M2MyMmE2ZC02NWQzLTU0NTgtODFmYi1jYTEzZGIwZGRkYWQmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgplXxyUZGV78xyHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~)|[nytimes.com](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0SxaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~)[Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-ad-marquee) [Marquee Ad](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0SYaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYyMTM5JmxpPVRZJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1UWV8yMDIzMTEyNyZ0ZT0xJm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzExMjdXA255dEIKZV8clGRle_Mch1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) [Read more from Opinion](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vc2VjdGlvbi9vcGluaW9uP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) November 27, 2023 [Author Headshot] By Alexandra Sifferlin Senior Staff Editor, Opinion About two years ago, the fantasy and science fiction novelist Kelly Barnhill experienced a traumatic brain injury. Although she has been recovering ever since, her ability to write — fiction, especially — has been difficult to fully regain. Barnhill, who was once easily able to spin up new worlds, found herself struggling with stories that required significant use of memory, attention and imagination. She wrote an essay about this experience in a guest essay for Times Opinion. While traumatic brain injuries are fairly common, our understanding of them remains relatively limited. One reason is that recovery can look very different depending on the individual. In Barnhill’s case, her brain injury made it initially difficult for her to do anything, even small tasks like unloading the dishwasher — but she was especially pained over her loss of storytelling. “I am a person who thinks, speaks, feels and remembers. All of us are,” Barnhill writes in her essay. “But if I am a person who makes a living by transmuting these thoughts into plots and characters and pretty sentences, and if that ability to think is disrupted, am I still me?” When I first spoke to Barnhill about writing a guest essay, she made it clear that she needed a significant amount of time to do it. Her writing process had changed with her injury: It now largely consisted of putting together a single sentence or thought on a note card or Post-it, and eventually amassing enough of them for a piece. Filling a small space with words, and doing so repeatedly, helped her feel more accomplished. That’s largely how she wrote [her extraordinary essay](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vaW50ZXJhY3RpdmUvMjAyMy8xMS8yMi9vcGluaW9uL2JyYWluLXRyYXVtYXRpYy1pbmp1cnktd3JpdGluZy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~), as she explains in the piece: “I had to invent a new process in order to tackle the project: ideas inscribed one at a time, thought by thought, sentence by sentence, on note cards, each composed over days, weeks, months. Eventually, I laid them out carefully on the floor, followed by a nap (on top of said index cards). The order kept changing. The number of cards kept increasing. Until I could see it. My story. It’s still unfinished.” [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-universal-0) ADVERTISEMENT [Ad](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0SXaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NTk3ODUmbGk9VFkmbT1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkNyZwPVRZXzIwMjMxMTI3JnRlPTEmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMTEyN1cDbnl0QgplXxyUZGV78xyHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~) I was so moved when I received Barnhill’s draft. Not only is the writing masterful, it’s also educational and funny. Barnhill saved the notecards she used as aids to put the essay together, and while going through them I was struck that project is a testament to the resilience of Barnhill’s spirit and of the human brain in general. Barnhill has made immense progress over time, and she shows that through her essay. There are many people who will share in her experience of being profoundly changed, temporarily or permanently, by injury. But even those who haven’t may still relate to the experience of navigating a new normal after significant change, and the challenge of figuring out who you are that follows. [Read the essay:](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vaW50ZXJhY3RpdmUvMjAyMy8xMS8yMi9vcGluaW9uL2JyYWluLXRyYXVtYXRpYy1pbmp1cnktd3JpdGluZy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [[Article Image] Erinn Springer for The New York Times](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vaW50ZXJhY3RpdmUvMjAyMy8xMS8yMi9vcGluaW9uL2JyYWluLXRyYXVtYXRpYy1pbmp1cnktd3JpdGluZy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [Rebuilding Myself After Brain Injury, Sentence by Sentence Am I still a writer if I’ve lost my words? By Kelly Barnhill](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vaW50ZXJhY3RpdmUvMjAyMy8xMS8yMi9vcGluaW9uL2JyYWluLXRyYXVtYXRpYy1pbmp1cnktd3JpdGluZy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-universal-1) ADVERTISEMENT [Ad](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0SYaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MjAxODEyJmxpPVRZJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1UWV8yMDIzMTEyNyZ0ZT0xJm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzExMjdXA255dEIKZV8clGRle_Mch1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) Here’s what we’re focusing on today: Editors’ Picks [GUEST ESSAY The Witch Hunt Underway in Russia Expressing feminist views in Russia is now an increasingly dangerous thing to do. 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By Farah Stockman](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0ThaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNy9vcGluaW9uL2dvb2dsZS1mYWNlYm9vay1haS10cmFkZS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0ThaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNy9vcGluaW9uL2dvb2dsZS1mYWNlYm9vay1haS10cmFkZS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [JESSICA GROSE Americans Under 30 Don’t Trust Religion — or Anything Else Why the shift away from organized faith seems a little different for young adults. By Jessica Grose](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNS9vcGluaW9uL3JlbGlnaW9uLW5vbmVzLWdlbi16Lmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzExMjcmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTA4Njg0Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE1MTA2NSZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZV8clGRle_Mch1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNS9vcGluaW9uL3JlbGlnaW9uLW5vbmVzLWdlbi16Lmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzExMjcmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTA4Njg0Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE1MTA2NSZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZV8clGRle_Mch1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) [THE EDITORIAL BOARD The Only Way Forward Coexistence for Israelis and Palestinians is possible and is the only alternative to violence. By The Editorial Board](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNS9vcGluaW9uL2lzcmFlbC1nYXphLXBlYWNlLWNlYXNlZmlyZS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNS9vcGluaW9uL2lzcmFlbC1nYXphLXBlYWNlLWNlYXNlZmlyZS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-universal-2) ADVERTISEMENT [Ad](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0SYaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NzI2NTM3JmxpPVRZJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1UWV8yMDIzMTEyNyZ0ZT0xJm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzExMjdXA255dEIKZV8clGRle_Mch1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) [GUEST ESSAY Who Was the Real ‘Shaved Woman of Chartres’? An infamous victim of the postwar purges turned out to be a committed collaborator. By Valentine Faure](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TpaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNS9vcGluaW9uL3NpbW9uZS10b3VzZWF1LWZyYW5jZS1vY2N1cGF0aW9uLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzExMjcmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTA4Njg0Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE1MTA2NSZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZV8clGRle_Mch1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TpaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNS9vcGluaW9uL3NpbW9uZS10b3VzZWF1LWZyYW5jZS1vY2N1cGF0aW9uLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzExMjcmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTA4Njg0Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE1MTA2NSZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZV8clGRle_Mch1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) [SERGE SCHMEMANN A Powerful Tool for Fighting Corruption Is Going Extinct Local newspapers are failing. That’s a threat to democracy. By Serge Schmemann](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNi9vcGluaW9uL2xvY2FsLW5ld3NwYXBlcnMtZGVtb2NyYWN5LWpvdXJuYWxpc20uaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMTEyNyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMDg2ODQmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTUxMDY1JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgplXxyUZGV78xyHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNi9vcGluaW9uL2xvY2FsLW5ld3NwYXBlcnMtZGVtb2NyYWN5LWpvdXJuYWxpc20uaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMTEyNyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMDg2ODQmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTUxMDY1JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgplXxyUZGV78xyHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~) [GUEST ESSAY Young Chinese Women Are Defying the Communist Party Refusing to be pushed into traditional child-rearing roles, young women in China are quietly posing a challenge for its male-dominated government. By Leta Hong Fincher](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0ToaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNi9vcGluaW9uL2NoaW5hLXdvbWVuLXJlcHJvZHVjdGlvbi1yaWdodHMuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMTEyNyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMDg2ODQmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTUxMDY1JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgplXxyUZGV78xyHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0ToaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNi9vcGluaW9uL2NoaW5hLXdvbWVuLXJlcHJvZHVjdGlvbi1yaWdodHMuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMTEyNyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMDg2ODQmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTUxMDY1JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgplXxyUZGV78xyHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~) [GUEST ESSAY Why Napoleon, Once Larger Than Life, Now Feels So Small Napoleon’s story hasn’t changed. But in an age when many people feel buffeted by forces beyond their control, the notion of the Great Man struggles to inspire us. By Mark Mazower](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TeaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNi9vcGluaW9uL25hcG9sZW9uLW1vdmllLWxlZ2VuZC5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TeaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNi9vcGluaW9uL25hcG9sZW9uLW1vdmllLWxlZ2VuZC5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [GUEST ESSAY I Can Help Rebuild Gaza. First I Need to Survive Today. I just fled Gaza after 50 days of war. But I know I’ll be back one day, to rebuild. By Kamal Almashharawi](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TeaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNi9vcGluaW9uL2dhemEtd2FyLXNvbGFyLWVuZXJneS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TeaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNi9vcGluaW9uL2dhemEtd2FyLXNvbGFyLWVuZXJneS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [GUEST ESSAY How New Motherhood Changed Me as a Doctor A silly story about sweet potato fries connected me to a patient’s family in a new way. By Daniela J. Lamas](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNi9vcGluaW9uL2RvY3Rvci1wYXRpZW50cy1mYW1pbHktbW90aGVyaG9vZC5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNi9vcGluaW9uL2RvY3Rvci1wYXRpZW50cy1mYW1pbHktbW90aGVyaG9vZC5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [GUEST ESSAY Not Everything Has to Be Meaningful Sometimes painful experiences are just painful. And that’s ok, too. By Brad Stulberg](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNS9vcGluaW9uL2dyaWVmLW1lYW5pbmctbGlmZS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNS9vcGluaW9uL2dyaWVmLW1lYW5pbmctbGlmZS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [LETTERS Should Biden Bow Out, as David Axelrod Urged? Readers respond to a column by Maureen Dowd. Also: Speaker Mike Johnson’s lament; drive-through downsides; New Orleans drinking water.](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNi9vcGluaW9uL2JpZGVuLWRhdmlkLWF4ZWxyb2QtMjAyNC1lbGVjdGlvbi5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnRxkcP0TqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8yNi9vcGluaW9uL2JpZGVuLWRhdmlkLWF4ZWxyb2QtMjAyNC1lbGVjdGlvbi5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMxMTI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEwODY4NCZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTEwNjUmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmVfHJRkZXvzHIdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) Subscribe Today New York Times Opinion curates a wide range of views, inviting rich discussion and debate that help readers analyze the world. 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