**Questions for the speaker can be submitted on the Registration page.**
\nYou&rsquo\;re invi ted to an online intimate conversation with bestselling author Rachelle Be rgstein as she chats about her newest book\, The Genius of Judy.& nbsp\;This book takes an expansive look at Judy Blume&rsquo\;s life\, work \, and cultural impact\, focusing on her most iconic&mdash\;and controvers ial&mdash\;young adult novels\, from \;Are You There God? It&rsquo \;s Me\, Margaret \;to \;Blubber. \;
\nEve ryone knows Judy Blume.
\nHer books have garnered her fans of all ag es 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 ce ntury?
\nIn \;The Genius of Judy\, her remarkable story is revealed as never before\, beginning with her as a mother of two searc hing for purpose outside of her home in 1960s suburban New Jersey. The boo ks she wrote starred regular children with genuine thoughts and problems. But behind those deceptively simple tales\, Blume explored the pillars of the growing women&rsquo\;s rights movement\, in which girls and women were entitled to careers\, bodily autonomy\, fulfilling relationships\, and ev en sexual pleasure. Blume wasn&rsquo\;t trying to be a revolutionary&mdash \;she just wanted to tell honest stories&mdash\;but in doing so\, she crea ted a cohesive\, culture-altering vision of modern adolescence.
\nBl ume&rsquo\;s bravery provoked backlash\, making her the country&rsquo\;s m ost-banned author in the mid-1980s. Thankfully\, her works withstood those culture wars\, and it&rsquo\;s no coincidence that Blume has resurfaced a s a cultural touchstone now. Young girls are still cat-called\, sex educat ion curricula are getting dismissed as pornography\, and entire shelves of libraries are being banned. As we face these challenges\, it&rsquo\;s onl y 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.
\nRegister now for a conversation you don&rsquo\;t want to miss!
\nAbout the Author: Rachelle Bergstein is a lifestyle writer\, author\, and editor\, focused on style\, pop culture\, and families. Her work has appea red in the \;New York Post\, \;The New York Times\, \;NPR\, and more. She is the author of three books: \ ;Women 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.
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