The Genius of Judy Audiobook By Rachelle Bergstein cover art

The Genius of Judy

How Judy Blume Rewrote Childhood for All of Us

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The Genius of Judy

By: Rachelle Bergstein
Narrated by: Mia Barron
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About this listen

An intimate and expansive look at Judy Blume’s life, work, and cultural impact, focusing on her most iconic—and controversial—young adult novels, from Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. to Blubber.

Everyone knows Judy Blume.

Her books have garnered her fans of all ages for decades and sold tens of millions of copies. But why were people so drawn to them? And why are we still talking about them now in the 21st century?

In The Genius of Judy, her remarkable story is revealed as never before, beginning with her as a mother of two searching for purpose outside of her home in 1960s suburban New Jersey. The books she wrote starred regular children with genuine thoughts and problems. But behind those deceptively simple tales, Blume explored the pillars of the growing women’s rights movement, in which girls and women were entitled to careers, bodily autonomy, fulfilling relationships, and even sexual pleasure. Blume wasn’t trying to be a revolutionary—she just wanted to tell honest stories—but in doing so, she created a cohesive, culture-altering vision of modern adolescence.

Blume’s bravery provoked backlash, making her the country’s most-banned author in the mid-1980s. Thankfully, her works withstood those culture wars and it’s no coincidence that Blume has resurfaced as a cultural touchstone now. Young girls are still cat-called, sex education curricula are getting dismissed as pornography, and entire shelves of libraries are being banned. As we face these challenges, it’s only natural we look to Blume, the grand dame of so-called dirty books. This is the story of how a housewife became a groundbreaking artist, and how generations of empowered fans are her legacy, today more than ever.

©2024 Rachelle Bergstein (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio
Authors Literary History & Criticism Popular Culture Women Young Adult 21st Century
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A Total Delight

A terrific listen done by a marvelous narrator, sharing an incredibly educational and entertaining look back at the life of Judy Blume. As a huge fan of Judy Blume, I was all in on everything about Judy's life and body of work. I can't recommend this book enough.

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