The Genius of Judy takes an exp ansive look at Judy Blume&rsquo\;s life\, work\, and cultural impact\, foc using on her most iconic&mdash\;and controversial&mdash\;young adult novel s\, from Are You There God? It&rsquo\;s Me\, Margaret to Blubber. \;
\nEveryone knows Judy Blume.
\nHer 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?
\nIn The Geniu s of Judy\, her remarkable story is revealed as never before\, beginn ing 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 t ales\, Blume explored the pillars of the growing women&rsquo\;s rights mov ement\, in which girls and women were entitled to careers\, bodily autonom y\, fulfilling relationships\, and even sexual pleasure. Blume wasn&rsquo\ ;t trying to be a revolutionary&mdash\;she just wanted to tell honest stor ies&mdash\;but in doing so\, she created a cohesive\, culture-altering vis ion of modern adolescence.
\nBlume&rsquo\;s bravery provoked backlas h\, making her the country&rsquo\;s most-banned author in the mid-1980s. T hankfully\, her works withstood those culture wars and it&rsquo\;s no coin cidence that Blume has resurfaced as a cultural touchstone now. Young girl s 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&rsquo\;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 l egacy\, today more than ever.
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\nAbout the Author: Rachelle Bergstein is a lifestyle writer\, author\, and editor\, focused on style\, pop culture \, and families. Her work has appeared in the New York Post\, The New York Times\, NPR\, and more. She is the author of three books: Wo men from the Ankle Down\, Brilliance and Fire\, and The Genius of Judy. She lives with her husband and son in Brooklyn. Find out more at RachelleBergstein.com.
\nThis program is sponsored by the Friends of Duncan Library and the Friends of Beatley Central Library.\n
Upcoming and previously broadcast author talks can be viewed here.
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