American Girls

Buckle up for a real ride. We're taking you on an Alcott odyssey. First, we talk about the latest film adaptation of Little Women and ponder questions like: why didn't Greta Gerwig win ....everything? Is Thoreau a precursor to tiny house builders everywhere? We play a spirited game of scam or real Bronson Alcott business endeavor, and perhaps most importantly, report on recent communications by Comrade Spears   Original air date: March 31, 2020See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ashlee Simpson may have gifted us with her "Autobiography," but on this episode we take a deep dive into Jessica Simpson's latest memoir, Open Book. We discuss memoir as a form, Newlyweds, the Nick Lachey of it all, the toxicity that is John Mayer, and more.   Original air date: May 29, 2020See 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 The Age of Phillis by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers. This book of poetry examines the inner life and historical worlds of Phillis Wheatley Peters. Jeffers first learned of Phillis in school as one of America’s firsts. In this telling of Phillis’s story, Jeffers begins in West Africa, with the life that came before Phillis was an enslaved poet in Boston. Using historical research, Jeffers probes the under-examined aspects of Phillis Wheatley Peters’s life. How did she fall in love, nurture her faith, and make lasting friendships? Join in our discussion of this rich book.   Original Air Date: January 25, 2021See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Shine bright like a diamond / Find light in the beautiful sea / I choose to be happy…” Did you know that these lyrics were written about The Mystery At Lilac Inn, the fourth Nancy Drew mystery? Ok, before you call Rihanna on us, we know that they're not. However, we do hope that you'll still stand with us under a proverbial umbrella for a re-read of a Nancy Drew classic*. In this bizarrely action-packed story, Nancy has to find a jewel thief, save herself from a submarine, and navigate a stolen identity. While the true mysteries of Nancy’s world are not discussed within the pages of this book, we take on the hard questions such as whether Nancy actually had a job, and why she is single. We also consider what Nancy Drew meant to us as children, what she means to us now, and the many uses of a Nancy tote bag or purse. Like most "classic" books, this one had to be heavily edited between the 1930s and 1960s for racist language and themes.   Original air date: March 29, 2021See Privacy Policy at https://art19.

When author Frances McNamara isn't "sailing on the Charles River in Boston or beaching on Cape Cod," she's dropping red herrings & killing characters living in 1890s Chicago. Join us as we talk about "Death at Hull House," McNamara's second Emily Cabot Mystery. This former librarian has a brand (Progressive-era crime solving in Illinois) and we respect it. Grab a spare chair from a settlement  house near you and settle in for a discussion on death, intrigue, and smallpox. Curious about what's coming next? We will be reading A Journey to the New World: The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple, Mayflower, 1620 See you in September.   Original air date: August 30, 2020See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Picture it: you are sitting in a doctor's office some time in your childhood. What magazine is strewn about the waiting area? For this episode, we tackled a publication that is probably tucked away in the recesses of your memory bank: Highlights Magazine. For decades, young people have sent letters to Highlights, a magazine especially designed by psychologists for kids*.* Some of these letters have been preserved in an archive in Ohio. Dear Highlights is a curated collection of some of these letters and a kind of "time capsule" of childhood. We talk about what changes over time in these letters--and what doesn't change in the responses. We also learn a thing or two from the editors' replies, such as how to get Baby Beluga out of your head once it's stuck (a real question asked of Highlights staff). Original air date: April 20, 2022See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This month we tackled a much-requested book: Esther Forbes's Johnny Tremain (1943). For some authors, winning a Newbery Medal would be enough. Others might dip out after a Pulitzer Prize. Esther Forbes won a Newbery and a Pulitzer within a few years--all while a war was on. During this episode, we discuss Forbes's fascinating career (read as: obsession with Paul Revere). Against this backdrop, we also track Johnny Tremain's puzzling journey from apprentice to American revolutionary. At the start of the book, Tremain is yet another young man trying to make his way in colonial Boston. Then, an injury forces Tremain to rethink his career plans, his love life, and the stories he's been told about his lineage. Despite the challenges in front of him, Tremain somehow feels both despondent and totally prepared to pivot from "aspiring silversmith" to international super spy/soldier. We talk about Tremain's transformation, the timing of the book's publication, and the author's push for men to "stand up" and fight. Next

. . . .Well, we seem to have not remembered and this story may have tested our patience. In this episode, we re-read the first Dear America book, set on and off the Mayflower in 1620-1621. Protagonist/diarist Remember a.k.a."Mem" experiences a lot of hardship and seasickness in this 1996 ribboned classic. She gets jealous when her friend is the "first" to step on Plymouth Rock and that's just the beginning. In our coverage, we talk about life in the 1600s, the limits of historical fiction, and representations of indigenous life in "pilgrim" stories. Want to learn more re-indigenizing education? Check out the Akomawt Educational Initiative -  @akomawt on Twitter. Original air date: September 28, 2020See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode, we talk the first Babysitter's Club book and the latest Netflix adaptation. We talk about which member of the BSC we identified with as young readers and how we feel now, and much more. This episode is dedicated to Grandma Mimi, forever prom queen. Due to Covid restrictions, we were not able to record this in Stoneybrook, CT.   Original air date: July 24, 2020See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

People often say that fame comes with a price. But how high should that price be, especially for women? This month, we read Sarah Ditum's Toxic: Women, Fame, and the Tabloid 2000s, a pop history book that explores this question. Through Toxic, Ditum re-evaluates the lives and careers of nine women who made headlines in the period she calls the "upskirt decade" or "tabloid 2000s." From Britney Spears to Jennifer Aniston, Ditum offers a new perspective on  people who were constantly under the microscope of Perez Hilton --  and the glare of paparazzi cameras. We talk about Ditum's nine short biographies and consider how this book serves as a history of the internet.   Original air date: March 27, 2024See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Writer Kaitlyn Tiffany is a smart culture critic, podcasts host, and longtime fan of One Direction. All of these things are almost equally relevant to our episode this month. Her new book, Everything I Need I Get From You, offers insight into the idea of the screaming female fan, from Beatlemania to the present. Tiffany, a longtime follower of 1D, asks important questions about the internet and what it means to be a fan. Why did a 1D devotee make a shrine to Harry Styles’s vomit? What’s at stake in fandom communities on the web? Why have many people traded anonymity on the web for having a brand? Maybe the internet is just a bunch of tubes, but Tiffany makes us think about them as complicated echo chambers, too.   Original air date: February 15, 2023See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode, we're going to a place where the lights are bright, the music is dim, and everything smells vaguely like cookies, pretzels, and overpriced lotions. That's right, we're going to the mall. Despite many predictions of near death, the mall is alive and well in many parts of the USA (and parts of the world). For this episode, we discuss Alexandra Lange's 2022 book Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall. Lange's architectural history takes us all the way back to the beginning, which in the case of malls, is not that long ago. Starting with early American malls in post-war America, Lange offers a sharp overview of how malls came to be and considers where they are still thriving now. We talk about our own relationships to malls and bigger questions raised by these American institutions. Is the mall a useful third space for communities? Or, are malls simply the best place to be wowed by build-a-bear operations and rollercoasters? Original air date: January 29, 2024See Privacy Policy at h

Just over 100 years ago, W. E. B. Du Bois created a magazine just for children. The Brownies’ Book: A Monthly Magazine for Children of the Sun reached thousands of children in the early 1920s...including (the fictional) Claudie Wells. For this month's episode, we reviewed a 2023 tribute to The Brownies' Book curated by a team of scholars and artists. Their Love Letter to Black Families includes material from the original Brownies' magazines, such as poems by Langston Hughes and historic photographs, along with newly commissioned collages, essays, and tributes. We talk about how this book that was largely made in homage to Du Bois and the Harlem Renaissance speaks to children and adults living in the contemporary, post-2020 world.   Original air date: February 23, 2024See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There may be a timeline where we do not cover Britney Spears's new autobiography. But this is not that timeline--and in this universe, our  December 2023 Patreon episode is all about The Woman in Me. We talk about the highlights from Britney's book that have already gotten the most media attention (namely, a boy band member's indiscretions). But we also dive into the less discussed, yet profound and surprising insights Britney offers about recent years in her life. From her upbringing in Louisiana to her Vegas residency, this book is filled with great Britney lore and a good deal of tragedy. We discuss Britney's voice as an author and the continued reckoning led by other mistreated early '00s pop stars. Original air date: December 20, 2023See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Filing cabinet fans, here we go! For this Patreon episode, we are diving right into the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. This 1967 classic features the Kincaid kids, who just need a break from home — and the allure of solving an art mystery. Whether you really love hanging files, eccentric older people, or beds in museums, this book has a little bit of something for everyone (and a chauffeur). If you’ve never dreamed about sleeping in The Met, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler still has an enduring appeal. We talk about the value of stories that center smart and funny young people, without a moralizing "parents just don’t get it" ending. So, will you accept this rose, we mean, invitation to the Met?   Original air date: June 29, 2021 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us in exploring the magic that is The Witch of Blackbird Pond! We take you into author Elizabeth George Speare's world (1958) and her take on Connecticut Colony (circa 1680s). Trees will be used to harbor important charters, Quaker heroes will hide out by the town pond, and one spunky Kit will win you over as she avoids legal charges for witchcraft. Light a pumpkin spice candle and grab your map of the 17th century colonies--it's the season of the witch.   Original air date: October 31, 2020See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For this year's October Patreon, we chose a topic that can be truly scary: revisiting high school. A lot of people have turned to sitcoms to see what their teenage years might be like. With her latest book, journalist Thea Glassman makes a case for the importance of teen dramas such as Dawson's Creek, Glee, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In revisiting seven hit shows from the late 1990s/early 2000s, Glassman pulls from insider interviews and offers perspective on why we ought to care about these characters. Through seven essays, Glassman gives us plenty of moments for nostalgia, asking us to remember Carlton's dance moves and the angst of the drawn out Joey/Pacey/Dawson love triangle. Whether you watched these particular shows or not (Friday Night Lights, anyone?) you will appreciate Glassman's take on youth culture. We discuss the sitcoms we loved as well as what we're enjoying these days (including some content on the other end of the life spectrum, ahem, Golden Bachelor).   Original air date: October 27

This Pride month, we chose to cover three biographical projects that focus on Black queer experiences. First, we talk about two different approaches to presenting the life of Marsha P. Johnson, an important activist involved in the 1969 uprising at the Stonewall Inn. With the Drunk History episode "Marsha P. Johnson Sparks the Stonewall Riots," and the short film "Happy Birthday, Marsha!" we see two paths to sharing Johnson's story & her connection to Pride. We also talk about the gaps in the documentary "The Gospel According To André" -  a recent study of the icon Andre Leon Talley. Join us for this look at the man called "the Kofi Annan of what you've got on" and the woman who insisted: "no pride for some of us, without liberation for all of us!" Also mentioned on this episode: Mini-Syllabus: Memes and Blackness by Amber Officer-Narvasa   Original air date: June 27, 2020See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Do you remember this classic novel by Karen Cushman? Set in the Middle Ages, The Midwife’s Apprentice is about a girl named Alyce who is anything but mid. In spite of many challenges, starting with the fact that she sleeps in a dung-pile, Alyce finds her way in the world (and makes a few friends) while learning to be a midwife. We talk about our own medieval times, the transmission of medical knowledge, and what happens when cats name themselves (purr!). Original air date: March 26, 2022See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Clear your calendars. Burn a chakra candle. Prepare yourself for the greatest love story that never needed to be told. Join us as we tackle Ann Rinaldi's first and most unforgettable historical romance: Time Enough for Drums (1986). The cover poses the question: "Can Jem ever love a Tory?" Please trust us that this will be the lowest on your list of questions after following along with our Rinaldi read. Original air date: February 28, 2020See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.