American Girls

For this monthly, we read Judy Blume’s iconic novel about faith and girlhood. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret may be from the 70s, but we found it to be a relevant and fun read as 90s girls. Protagonist Margaret is a curious and thoughtful pre-teen who has recently moved to a new suburb with her parents. Throughout the book, Margaret navigates questions about religion and her body while talking privately to god. Return to this classic book with us just in time for the release of a feature film version!   Original air date: April 21, 2023See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In October, we set out one morning for NYC to take a VIP tour of the American Girl Store. What happened next cannot be described in a mere text box. Did we do a photoshoot on a train? Did we learn about a heretofore unknown to us diagnosis? Did we read the main floor display of the store through the lens of 90s figure skating? Listen as we explore the store, visit the doll hospital, fix a hair crisis, and more.    Original air date: January 27, 2020See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 1951, Sydney Taylor introduced All-of-a-Kind Family to the world. Her novel about a Jewish family living on the Lower East Side in the early 20th century features five American girls: Ella, Henny, Sarah, Charlotte, and Gertie. These tight-knit sisters love to read, eat candy, and occasionally, dust for their mother. We talk about our (first) read of Taylor's book, which holds up all these years later as an absolute delight. We also discuss the biography From Sarah to Sydney (2021), by the late Jane Cummins and Alexandra Dunietz. How much of Sarah Brenner’s life was put into the all-of-kind-family? How did Sarah become Sydney Taylor? Join us in separating fact and fiction.   Original air date: May 27, 2022See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lois Lowry has written more than 40 books. As of this month, she is also featured in half of our 2021 Patreon episodes. This is incidentally very close to the total number of surviving Shakers. Just in time for spring, we read Lowry's Like the Willow Tree, a Dear America journey for the ages. Based on meticulous research at the Sabbathday Lake Shaker community, this book features a young diarist named Lydia who loses her parents to the flu pandemic. Though the Shakers initially wreck her plans, Lydia eventually teach her how to bend to the wind. We discuss Shaker controversies, our varying levels of interest in intentional communities, and much more. Like to read along? You can support the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village by purchasing Lowry's book here: https://www.maineshakers.com/product/like-the-willow-tree-by-lois-lowry/ . Our next book (May 2021) is Last Night at the Telegraph Club, a novel by Malinda Lo.   Original air date: April 21, 2021See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California P

For our twelfth Patreon episode, we chose the memoir of a modern diva and one of the most accomplished recording artists of all time. Join us as we consider The Meaning of Mariah Carey (2020) - an autobiography and fascinating portrait of race and fame in modern America. Why did Mariah have to sneak out to Burger King? What’s the deal with Carson Daly? Is Mariah the Queen of Christmas? We consider these pressing questions and more. Also—a very special thank you to everyone who’s been with us for a WHOLE YEAR! We look forward to bringing you more episodes in 2021.   Original air date: December 29, 2020See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lois Lowry's classic novel Number the Stars shares the true story of the Danish resistance movement during the Holocaust. For a generation of readers, the story of Annemarie Johnansen and her friend Ellen Rosen served as an introduction to the experiences of children raised in Europe over the course of World War II. When we first meet Annemarie, she is unsure as to whether she has courage, but she learns her own strength when she is compelled to stand up for her friend. For this month's Patreon episode, we talked about Lowry's achievement with this book and the challenges of writing violence and trauma into books for young adults.   Original air date: February 24, 2021See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Would you befriend a ghost? Better yet, would you leave the 1990s to spend time in the 19th century? Young Zoe, the protagonist of Stonewords, decides she's cool with doing both. From a young age, Zoe develops a bond with a girl named Zoe Louise. The relationship is rocky, and one of their main issues is that Zoe Louise is dead (or half dead, depending on the chapter). We go on a journey with Zoe to try and prevent her BFF's untimely demise in the 1800s. This episode includes discussion of time travel, Halloween, and our favorite scary stories.   Original air date: October 31, 2022See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With the 2022 Olympic Games warming our hearts and making us wish for brand new ice skates, we knew it was time...time to learn more about the one and only (Ambassador) Michelle Kwan! Join us in reading Heart of a Champion, one of Michelle Kwan's many autobiographies. Some people might wait to finish high school before writing a memoir, but Michelle had lived enough to write a book at 17. We talk about Michelle's years of training, her family's commitment to greatness, and of course, "the Tara Lipinski of it all." No coach has put us in, but we are ready to skate.   Original due date: February 24, 2022 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Imagine leaving your home in Washington, D.C., and moving to Hawaii mere weeks before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Barry Denenberg takes on this thought experiment and a world of family conflict in one of his offerings to the Dear America series. In this episode, we cover the absolute whirlwind that is Early Sunday Morning: The Pearl Harbor Diary of Amber Billows, Hawaii 1941. Released on October 1, 2001, Denenberg’s novel provides a brutal portrait of a young girl making sense of the attack on the USS Arizona. We talk about how this compares to the Nanea books and Denenberg’s unflinching approach to children’s literature. Follow us on social media: Instagram -@dollsofourlivespodcast Twitter - @dollslivespod Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DollsOfOurLivesPod/ Follow Allison on Twitter and Instagram @allisonhorrocks Follow Mary @mimimahoney (Instagram) or @marymahoney123 (Twitter)   Original air date: March 18, 2023See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://ar

The Princess Diaries is a novel about an ordinary teen, Mia Thermopolis, who discovers she is actually heir to a throne in a distant country few people have even heard of. In addition to the challenges of math class, Mia has to decide if she would like to be the ruler (someday) of this small, fictional foreign nation. We discuss this classic coming-of-age story and the enduring allure (or fear) of being a princess. Since this is also the same month that Prince Harry's memoir debuted, we also got into the connections between these two royals. What does it mean to take charge of your own story? Next up: We'll cover Everything I Need I Get from You: How Fangirls Created the Internet as We Know It by Kaitlyn Tiffany.   Original air date: January 28, 2023See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Did you know one of the greatest interpreters of literature is a dog? Wishbone is one of the greats, and on this ep we get into why. Original air date: October 16, 2023See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This month, we read A Coal Miner's Bride: The Diary of Anetka Kaminska. This fictional diary was written by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, who doesn’t shy away from complex or dark histories. Our lead Anetka marries a miner at age 13 and is a widow by 14. The book builds to the Lattimer massacre, with Anetka narrating her story and the challenges of being young and far from home along the way. Join us as we talk labor history, Loretta Lynn, and the purpose of diaries. Oh, and ... Did we mention how grateful we are for YOU?   Original air date: November 25, 2020See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Birchbark House has finally moved off the Patreon TBR list. This beautifully written novel by Louise Erdrich has been much requested by you, our listeners! Set in 1847, The Birchbark House is a story about an Ojibwa girl named Omakayas. Throughout the book, we spend several seasons with Omakayas and her kin as they weather a smallpox outbreak. Omakayas learns more about her own history and starts to see herself as a healer. We discuss Erdrich's beautiful writing, how this book connects to themes in American Girl books, and why this widely acclaimed book ought to have a place on your shelf. Original air date: August 27, 2022See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For this episode, Mary and Allison bravely took on a pair of brand-new Tamagotchi digital pets. It's true what folks say: the days are long, but the Tamagotchi years go very fast (especially when you hit the reset button). Learn about the origins of digital pets and hear our cautionary tales about the care and keeping of virtual creatures, including Neopets.   Original air date: August 23, 2023See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is this novel about a lavender haze or smoke and mirrors? How about both? In Lev AC Rosen’s Lavender House, a family of soap makers tries to keep their side of the street clean. There’s one big problem: someone in the Lavender home probably committed murder. Set in the Bay Area in 1952, Rosen’s novel imagines a home where queer love makes a chosen family—-and a poisonous mother tries to tear it apart. We discuss recent book bans and echoes of repression in historical fiction.   Original air date: May 26, 2023  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You asked and we answered! This month’s Patreon episode features your burning questions about our book, Dolls of Our Lives: Why We Can't Quit American Girl, out this month. What part of the book changed the most? Which topics required the most research? We cover these topics and more. This book would not exist without all of you, so this episode is also another chance to say thank you for your support! Original air date: November 30, 2023See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tis the season … to be bombarded with MLM offers, fanatic workout club ads, and thought-terminating cliches (well, it is what it is!). For this month’s episode, we discuss Amanda Montell’s Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism. Montell is a linguist interested in why people end up in cults and how cultish language shapes all of us.   Original air date: November 27, 2021See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This month our Patreon bonus features commentary on *Dear America: Voyage on the Great Titanic.*We talk about the iceberg-level cultural fascination with the ship, the Titanic Historical Society, and survivors' videos on Youtube. The Titanic documentary we discuss can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HchZvjV_4o   Original Air Date: April 20, 2020See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What does your family tree say about you? Maud Newton tackles this question in her new and powerful book, Ancestor Trouble. Through this project, Newton asks probing questions about a number of her ancestors, questioning family myths and stories along the way. Using her talent as a researcher, Newton uncovers the true stories of relatives whose lives were or are complex, fascinating, and at times, troubling. As we go along for the ride, Newton teaches us about genetic genealogy, ancestor worship, and much more. Part memoir, part social commentary, Newton’s book is great to sit with as we head into the holidays. Trigger warning: We do reference sexual assault and domestic violence in the course of discussing the content of this book.    Original air date: November 23, 2022See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Earlier this year, Selma Blair published her memoir entitled Mean Baby. Described as “mean” in her early years, Blair has been searching for labels that fit for decades. A self-described seeker, Blair has looked to psychics, fellow celebrities, teachers, and writers to figure out how to write her own story. In this book, Blair talks about some of her more famous roles (Cecile in Cruel Intentions, Vivian in Legally Blonde) and her great loves (a prep school, actor Jason Schwartzman, and her son, Arthur). A note from us: readers/listeners should know that Blair describes her experiences with eating disorders, mental health, substance abuse, and chronic illness with great detail.   Original air date: September 28, 2022See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.