The Book Review: On Toni Morrison’s genius

February 17, 2026

A black-and-white photo of Toni Morrison reading from one of her novels, which she holds open in her hands.

	By Joumana Khatib

Dear readers,

This week the Times critic Wesley Morris reviews a stunning new book, “On Morrison,” in which the writer Namwali Serpell guides readers through Toni Morrison’s most significant themes and work. It is, as he says, “an aptly Toni Morrison thing to do, write the book you’ve been dying to read.” The resulting examination is a “a novel-by-novel treatise on, inspection of, spelunking into, playing with Morrisonian philosophy, aesthetics, craft; and she might be having the time of her life,” he says of Serpell.

Perhaps most important, he writes, “the critical enterprise of ‘On Morrison’ corresponds with a quickening moral imperative to keep Morrison on our lips.” This might be the moment to revisit our guide to Morrison’s essential works — and tomorrow would have been her 95th birthday, not that you ever need a reason to read her books.

See you on Friday.

Editors’ Choice

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