Emily St. John Mandel poses for a portrait on Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, in New York. Photo: Matt Licari/Invision/AP
After seven novels that span centuries, continents and even planets, Brooklyn resident Emily St. John Mandel has not only created a substantial body of work, but a universe unto herself — what admirers like to call the Mandelverse.
Artists have been known to say that a given work is the culmination of what preceded it, and Mandel’s latest, “Exit Party,” gathers characters and themes that readers of “Station Eleven,” “Sea of Tranquility” and other novels will recognize. Her narrative weaves together two genres she has long been known for, crime fiction and science fiction, and continues Mandel’s explorations of chaos, identity, impermanence and transcendence.
Happy Wednesday in NYC, where, for those looking to make some quick cash, the snows can’t come soon enough.
In the days and weeks following the storms that buried New York City in impassable mountains of soot-stained ice last winter, thousands of people signed up for the city’s emergency snow shovelling program, which paid volunteers about $19 an hour, or $28 after 40 hours worked in a single week. The program proved crucial in clearing crosswalks, bus stops, sidewalks and other public spaces in the city.
This year, Mayor Mamdani is getting ahead of the snowfall. The mayor announced yesterday that the city will up its hourly rate for snow-shovellers to $30/hour, or $45 after working 40 hours in a week. Anyone over the age of 18 and authorized to work in the U.S. can join the program, which opens for registration on Saturday. There will also be a paid 4-hour orientation.
“Last winter, thousands of New Yorkers stepped up to help their neighbors dig out from heavy snow and ice. This year, we’re raising their pay and making it easier to join the program — because when the snow comes, our city needs to be ready,” Mamdani said in a statement.
If you’re in need of some cold cash, ‘snow problem.
Mamdani and the Commission on Government Efficiency, the 2026 New York City Charter Revision Commission he convened, announced the “Vote on Faster Government” campaign on Tuesday as part of National Voter Registration Day.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and and Sanitation Commissioner Gregory Anderson on Tuesday announced the city has streamlined the process for Emergency Snow Shovelers and increased the rate to $30 per hour.
651 Arts, A performing arts and cultural center focused on African diasporic art, added Dr. Tashion Macon, Cori Murray and Toni Yuille Williams to its board of directors this week.
New York Attorney General Letitia James on Tuesday announced that her office has shut down Basic Group, a Gravesend architecture and construction consulting firm affiliated with PCM Architect PLLC, for defrauding the New York City Department of Buildings.
A recent New York Federal Reserve study pointed to a sharp increase in the post-college unemployed compared with other workers, with explanations ranging from artificial intelligence job displacement to a broader slowdown in hiring.
A Brooklyn lawmaker’s bill to protect taxpayers from fraudulent or ghost preparers has unanimously passed the House of Representatives and is headed to the Senate.
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Our World In Photos
Photo: Fernando Llano/AP
MEXICO CITY — Is this thing on?: President Claudia Sheinbaum rings the bell as she gives the annual independence shout from the balcony of the National Palace to kick off Independence Day celebrations at the Zócalo, Mexico City's main square, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026.
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New free standalone bathrooms will be installed at public plazas
This is one of the standalone bathrooms to be installed at public plazas around the five boroughs. Image: Office of Mayor Mamdani
Mamdani in January first announced the city’s commitment to a $4 million modular public bathroom pilot to bring these facilities to public plazas and high-traffic areas that don’t yet have reliable bathroom access. The New York City Economic Development Corporation selected Throne Labs through a competitive bidding process to deliver, operate and service the bathrooms.
These bathrooms will be installed at Columbus Park, between the State Supreme Court building and Brooklyn Borough Hall; Milestone Park in New Utrecht (Bensonhurst area); Avenue C Plaza in Kensington; and Fulton Street and Truxton Street in East New York.
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Happy Birthday former “Saturday Night Live” star Molly Shannon!
On this day in 1901, the Eagle reported, “With two tiny white pilot flags on the black hooded locomotive, the funeral train bearing the body of the martyred President started on its long journey to the national capital at 8:34 this morning. Only the engines and the observation car were shrouded in black. The other cars were unadorned. Behind the drawn blinds were Mrs. McKinley, President Roosevelt, the Cabinet and other high dignitaries of the government.”
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