When my spouse saw on Instagram that former first lady Michelle Obama had addressed her struggles as a tall girl on the latest episode of her podcast, he immediately sent it my way. He knew it would resonate — after all, that very day, the planned publication of my latest middle grade novel had been announced: a story about a 12-year-old girl whose 4-inch summer growth spurt and accompanying signs of womanhood begin drawing unwanted attention from family, friends and strangers.

I had never heard a word of criticism from this particular Likud minister on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. For years, in all our conversations, just fulsome praise, even when their party leader had been exposed in some of his worst moments. But no more.

Vladimir Putin last week gave details of Russia's stated intent to base tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. The flurry of alarmist reporting on what this meant highlights much of what is wrong with Western responses to Russian nuclear intimidation.