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, 2022 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With so much recent discussion about the ideas and intentions of the "founders," we decided to watch the film version of the musical 1776...so you won't have to. Clocking in at 2 hours and 45 minutes, this performance will give you more questions than answers as to how the Declaration of Independence was actually written. We talk about Mr. Feeny's (a.k.a William David Daniels's) turn as John Adams, what's really going on with the depiction of Thomas Jefferson's wife, and the general fixation with leading white men of this era.   original air date: July 27, 2022 See 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.

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, 2020 See 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, 2021 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A wise person once said: "having fun is never hard when you've got your library card." To this precious adage, we'd like to add an additional locale for future fun consideration: the fictional Telegraph Club. In this month's feature, we decided to read Malinda Lo's phenomenal YA book Last Night at the Telegraph Club. We discuss the fantastic resources in the book (a bibliography! timelines!) along with the super-accurate-yet-still-deeply-compelling historical adventures of protagonist Lily Hu. While trying to dodge accusations of Communism, keep up her high math grades to participate in the space race, AND help a friend win Miss Chinatown, Lily catches feelings for her classmate Kath. Tune in to hear us discuss their romance at the Telegraph Club -- and to discover whether this Space Girl finds the one who can "know the galaxies of (her) heart."   Original air date: May 30, 2021 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In anticipation of the Barbie movie coming out this July, we took a dive into the corporate history of America’s (smaller) doll. Join us for a review of Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World's Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her. Robin Gerber’s dual biography charts the rise of Barbie under the leadership of the ruthless girlboss Ruth Handler. Her book shares fascinating information about the culture of Mattel—and explains how Barbie and Ken got their names. Much like the Barbie movie, whether you have a love or hate the doll, this episode is for you. Original air date: July 17, 2023 See 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, 2024 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

. . . .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, 2020 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In preparation for our upcoming Melody episodes, this month’s feature is Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop (2022). Shine Bright is Danyel Smith's love letter to the important musicians in her life. A prominent music journalist, Smith has sat across from some of the biggest names in pop over the past few decades. In a series of biographical chapters, Smith shares her experiences with singular talents like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and more, weaving in her own story as a fan. We discuss this insightful and well researched history of Black women in pop, sharing some of what we’ve learned from Smith. 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: June 25, 2023 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, 2023 See 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, 2022 See 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, 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, 2020 See 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, 2021 See 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, 2020 See 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, 2023 See 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, 2020 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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, 2020 See 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, 2021 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.