A New Jersey native, author Judy Blume’s fiction books for children, teens, and adults have garnered her fans of all ages for decades, sold tens of millions of copies, and made her one of the most popular, admired, and controversial writers of her time.
On Wednesday, May 21, author Rachelle Bergstein will take an in-depth look at Blume’s life, work, and cultural impact during a virtual and intimate discussion centered around her new book, The Genius of Judy: How Judy Blume Rewrote Childhood for All of Us. During the 2:00pm program, open to all Edison Public Library cardholders, Bergstein will reveal details about Blume’s personal and professional life.
The books Blume wrote starred regular children with genuine thoughts and problems, but behind those deceptively simple tales, Blume explored the pillars of the growing women’s rights movement, in which girls and women were entitled to careers, bodily autonomy, fulfilling relationships, and even sexual pleasure. Blume wasn’t trying to be a revolutionary—she just wanted to tell honest stories—but in doing so, she created a cohesive, culture-altering vision of modern adolescence through titles such as Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret; Blubber; Forever; Tiger Eyes; and dozens more.
Blume’s brave writing provoked backlash, making her the country’s most-banned author in the mid-1980s, but her books, including her most iconic and controversial young adult novels, withstood those culture wars. While she did not set out to be a revolutionary, Blume, in her quest to tell honest stories, created a cohesive, culture-altering vision of modern adolescence that was not written - let alone spoken — about at that time.
Register now to join Bergstein, who is also the author of
Women from the Ankle Down and
Brilliance and Fire, and whose work has appeared in the
New York Post,
The New York Times,
NPR, and more, for this upcoming program. Questions for Bergstein may also be submitted prior to the event through the registration page. Those unable to attend the
How Judy Blume Rewrote Childhood for All of Us virtual chat live may log on at a later date by visiting the
Library Speaker’s Consortium link located in the
Databases section on the Edison Public Library’s
website.
