Why people recommend it
The Need by Helen Phillips is an inventive and gripping novel that explores the disorienting realities of modern motherhood through a surreal, metaphysical lens. On an episode of The Book Review titled George F. Will on Conservatism's Homelessness, guest Alexandra Alter enthusiastically recommended the book during the weekly books segment. Alter noted that she absolutely loved the novel, though she cautioned that it is somewhat difficult to describe to prospective readers because of a major metaphysical twist that unfolds midway through the story, making it an experience best approached without prior spoilers. In a later episode titled Fiction About Unprecedented Situations, host Pamela Paul welcomed novelist Helen Phillips to discuss her latest work. Paul introduced Phillips by noting that The Need is her second novel written for adults, following her previous acclaimed work The Beautiful Bureaucrat, alongside her various collections of short stories and children's literature. The discussions highlighted Phillips's unique talent for blending domestic realism with unsettling, speculative elements, making her new book a must-read recommendation for fiction enthusiasts looking for unpredictable narratives that challenge conventional boundaries of genre and storytelling.
Who recommended it
- Pamela Paul Discussed
- Alexandra Alter Recommended
Pamela Paul — 2 mentions
“novelist Helen Phillips will tell us about her latest book The need”
“Howen Phillips joins us now her new novel is called the need it is her second novel for adults her first was the beautiful bureaucrat she's also written collections of short stories and a book for children”
Alexandra Alter — 1 mention
“so there's a book out this week that I absolutely loved but it's a little hard to describe because there's this big metaphysical twist that happens that you can't really talk about until you read it so you'll have to read it but it's called the need by Helen Phillips”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
- Exhalation
- A Good American Family
- How Attention Works
- Little Darlings
- Love and trouble
- Maggie Brown and Others
Other mentions (2: passing, ad reads, own books)
“Howen Phillips's new novel is called the need reviewed this week in The Thrillers issue of the New York Times book”
“um so for those who are curious to read these books tell us some of the titles we've got the Helen Phillips the need”