Now, that’s not to say that books are only good for a hit of escapism — though to be clear, they can be terrific at that, as well. But this week’s publishing calendar also offers help for readers seeking to understand, or simply cope with, this one. Even when they’re not outright fever dreams , her worlds tend to be inescapably off — disconcertingly akimbo and bathed in unplaceable menace. Here, two longtime negotiators — Malley for the U.S., and Agha for the Palestinians — reflect on this painful road to ruin. She has spent a decade crafting her sophomore effort, a novel that swaps the multigenerational family drama of that book for a focus on chosen family.