Wolitzer’s Return

Hilma Wolitzer has a new novel out, and that, in itself, qualifies as news. Wolitzer, who was one of the more celebrated authors of the 1980s and early ’90s, went through a series of personal tragedies following the publication of her last novel in 1994, and simply stopped writing fiction. She seems almost embarrassed by the 12-year bout of writer’s block, but the malaise came to an abrupt end last year, when the main character in her new book sprang to life in her head.