To talk about ACOTAR, Jessica is joined this week by special guest Alyssa Morris, whose popular Romancing the Phone newsletter demystifies into BookTok trends and digs into the publishing industry. Alyssa and Jessica talk about the phenomenon of A Court of Thorn and Roses (banned statewide in Utah schools), what's really happening with romance and …

Read, Review, and Recommend! These are the suggestions by today's guest, children's book author, Rob Sanders, about how to support writers of challenged and banned books. Join us for this delightful conversation about the cutest book we will ever feature on this show, Book Comes Home: A Banned Book Journey--Rob's most recent book that had us remini…

Is this the funniest episode about The Satanic Verses ever recorded? We like to think so! Join us as Christine and Jessica finish their discussion on this controversial book. Jessica loved it, Christine not so much, but they both found it deeply relevant to our current day. Join the conversation on Substack! If you'd prefer to be a Patreon subscrib…

Christine and Jessica discuss one of the most controversial books in the world since its publication in 1988. Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses caused an immediate uproar; after the Ayatollah Khomeini declared a fatwa, Rushdie spent ten years in hiding. Even when it was over, he was not safe: a knife-wielding attacker in 2022 stabbed him in the f…

Whew, Christine has THOUGHTS in today's episode as she and Jessica discuss All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson, one of the most frequently banned books in the country. Christine makes the point that, just because a book shouldn't be banned, doesn't mean it shouldn't be critiqued. But what are the boundaries of that criticism, and how do we gr…

In the first episode of season 3, Christine and Jessica ask the question that is on everyone's lips: WTF, USA? They look at the state of the country and book banning in these deeply unprecedented times--and still, as always, find both humor and hope. We announced in this episode: you can now find us on Substack too! Sign up to join our community an…

In this season finale, Christine and Jessica reflect on the first two seasons of "The Beautiful and Banned" in a year in which book banning has exploded in our country--more than 10,000 books were banned in the last school year alone, up from a record 3,000+ the year before. After two seasons of the podcast, Jessica and Christine talk about what th…

Christine and Jessica discuss Kindred by Octavia E. Butler. This seminal work explores the idea that we are always connected to our national and familial past--in this case, literally. As they discuss, many of the concepts in The Handmaid's Tale that are apocalyptic possibilities--oppressive treatment of women, forced pregnancies, restricting the r…

Carolyn Foote, co-founder of Texas FReadom Fighters joins Christine and Jessica in a riveting conversation about the recent history of book banning in the US, and what's about to come. This discussion blew our minds--we understand the outrage, the fear, and the political strategies in totally new ways. Of course it was the experienced librarian who…

Jessica and Christine discuss THE HANDMAID'S TALE, a shockingly relevant book for our current political moment. As Margaret Atwood says in her 2017 introduction to the 1985 books, times of political authoritarianism bring out the true believers, sadists, and opportunists, and the "literature of witness" is an important "act of hope." Join in as Chr…

GO VOTE! On this Election Day, Christine and Jessica talk about The 1619 Project by focusing on two essays in particular: "Capitalism" by Matthew Desmond and "Politics" by Jamelle Bouie. These essays provide fascinating insights into our current own moment--and the inequality and tensions that were built into our political systems from the very beg…

In a continuation of last week's episode, Christine and Jessica discuss THE 1619 PROJECT by Nikole Hannah-Jones, the New York Times Magazine, and others, especially "Democracy" (by Hannah-Jones), "The Creation of Race" (by Dorothy Roberts), and "Sugar" (by Kahlil Gibran Muhammad). They talk about why this book is controversial, what it means for it…

In this mini-episode, Christine and Jessica have a live conversation at the Brooklyn Public Library's first ever Freedom to Read Rally at the Grand Army Plaza! On October 19, the BPL organized a nationwide rally with more than 200 libraries across the country celebrating our freedom to read. Jessica and Christine talk about The 1619 Project and the…

ON SATURDAY, OCT. 19, JOIN CHRISTINE AND JESSICA AT THE BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY! Stay tuned for the end of the episode for all the details about Saturday's "Freedom to Read Day of Action Rally," and see if one of the other 300 events that day throughout the country is happening near you! This episode is a little different: inspired by last week's e…

THIS EPISODE, y'all. Christine and Jessica have an absolutely fascinating conversation with Courtney Gore, a school board member from Granbury ISD. Courtney ran on a campaign to change what was happening in public schools because she'd heard that there were groups actively trying to sexualize children, particularly through the "Social and Emotional…

Christine tells Jessica about Fahrenheit 451 the Musical...oh, wait, no, that's just what she invented on the spot. This is about the 1953 novel by Ray Bradbury, a staple of high school and college classrooms that eerily predicts our own ban-happy, screen-happy times. Come for the discussion of one of a canonical banned book, stay for Christine's e…

Jessica interviews Charley Rejsek, the CEO of BookPeople, the largest independent bookstore in Texas (and Jessica's hometown bookstore in Austin). This incredible conversation sheds light on what is happening in Texas, which is, in many ways, the epicenter of the fight for the freedom to read. Recent legislation in Texas demands that bookstores--al…

In Episode 3, Jessica tells Christine about Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo. This fast-paced book--which shows "what life might have been like for a queer Asian American girl who dreamed of rocket ships, growing up in the 1950s"--is a coming-of-age narrative with a love story. However, it's also a deeply poignant book that tells a st…

Christine is joined by special guest, actor Kelly AuCoin, who plays "Dollar" Bill Sterns on Billions and Pastor Tim on The Americans (among many other roles!). They discuss "Life of Brian," the 1979 Monty Python sensation that was banned instantly for its irreverence and satire. This dark comedy still speaks incredibly well to our own particular ag…

Send us a text In Episode 1 of Season 2, Christine and Jessica discuss I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. This book has been deeply influential in Jessica's life since her 10th grade teacher, Ms. Snow, gave her a copy of the book. Christine--a longtime fan of Angelou's "Phenomenal Woman" and other poems--reads the book for the first t…

In this special bonus episode, Christine and Jessica recorded a conversation with NPR's Maureen Corrigan live at Wilkes University! Listen in to this incredible, wide-ranging conversation as Maureen--who recorded a Great Course about banned books throughout history--shares her vast knowledge with Christine, Jessica, and their audience. COMING SOON:…

In Part 2 of the season finale, Christine and Jessica watch and discuss the second half of Birth of a Nation (screenplay by D.W. Griffith and Frank E. Woods). Part 2 is...well, bonkers doesn't cover it. The racist wheels are OFF! What a way to end the season! Today is release day for Jessica's next book We Were Illegal: Uncovering a Texas Family's …

In Part 1 of the season finale, Christine and Jessica watch and discuss the first half of Birth of a Nation (screenplay by D.W. Griffith and Frank E. Woods). The movie, which was the catalyst for the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan in the late 1910s and early 1920s, is groundbreaking technically and cinematically; it is also a deeply offensive propa…

Jessica tells Christine about Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, an utterly beautiful graphic memoir about Bechdel's coming of age as a queer artist and the death of her father. The layered narrative is funny, poignant, brilliant, and heartbreaking. It's also one of the few books we've talked about to be challenged or banned at the post-graduate level. Co…

Christine tells Jessica about A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen. The groundbreaking play premiered in 1879, and yet it's shockingly relevant today. Christine goes into the history of the play, the fascinating plot, and her own personal connection with the twists of this devastating story. Preorder Jessica's book, We Were Illegal: Uncovering a Texas Fa…

Jessica tells Christine about The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, and the wild number of rabbit holes she went down in researching this fast-paced, often bonkers thriller: she's never seen so many papyrus-font-fueled conspiracy theories in her life. If you haven’t yet become a Patreon subscriber, you can join now for just $3 a month. In addition to joi…

Christine tells Jessica about Brokeback Mountain, the 2005 film based on a short story by Annie Proulx, with a screenplay written by Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry. Often reduced to being called the "gay cowboy movie," as Christine tells Jessica, this complex film is actually about societal constraints and battering against cultural boundaries. As…

In this teaser, you can hear the first 18 minutes of the rich conversation we had with Patty McCormick, author of SOLD, about a banned book that had a big impact on her. Tobias Wolff's THIS BOY'S LIFE is consistently one of the most challenged books in the country, and it prompted a rich discussion about life and art and why we write. The full epis…

Jessica tells Christine about Sold by Patricia McCormick, a 2006 National Book Award finalist about a young girl who was sex trafficked from Nepal to India. The book, which is told through a series of lyrical vignettes, is beautifully written, and builds empathy in its young readers for children who are forced into difficult situations. And yet, ac…

Christine chats with special guest, Lucie Tiberghien, about the works of Molière, who was banned 350+ years ago in France, what he did that got the church in France so angry, and why his work still speaks to us today. You can watch his play, The Miser, at "Molière in the Park" this April and May at Prospect Park in Brooklyn (links below). "The Beau…

Jessica tells Christine about The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman, the remarkable graphic memoir written by the son of Holocaust survivors about his family's experiences, and the shocking reason why it's banned--we couldn't believe it. Come for the deep-dive discussion about stunningly beautiful literature about the most awful parts of human nature…

Christine tells Jessica about A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry and they geek out about Hansberry's genius and the way she manages to write about so many core issues of her time in one single play, which would later be banned. "The Beautiful and Banned" is produced by Jessica Goudeau and Christine Renee Miller. Follow us on social media: @b…

Jessica tells Christine about The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie and why it's been one of the top ten most banned books of the last decade, as well as the controversy around the author himself. "The Beautiful and Banned" is produced by Jessica Goudeau and Christine Renee Miller. Follow us on social media: @beautifulan…

Christine tells Jessica about The Exorcist film (with a screenplay by William Blatty, based on the book by Blatty), including why it was banned, its effects on the audience at the time, and the real life "curses" on the movie set--plus a truly bonkers real-life ghost story! "The Beautiful and Banned" is produced by Jessica Goudeau and Christine Ren…

Jessica and Christine discuss the images and controversial parts of Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe in this second episode of a two-part series; they also lay out the fears and worldviews that are leading to book banning, and what's at stake in these discussions right now. "The Beautiful and Banned" is produced by Jessica Goudeau and Christine Renee Mi…

Jessica tells Christine how Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe came to be the most banned book in the US, in part one of a two-part series. "The Beautiful and Banned" is produced by Jessica Goudeau and Christine Renee Miller. Follow us on social media: @beautifulandbannedpod, @christinereneemiller, and @jessica_goudeau. You can find out how to support us …

Christine tells Jessica about the history and reception of Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye--still one of the most banned books in the US--in a surprisingly emotional conversation. "The Beautiful and Banned" is produced by Jessica Goudeau and Christine Renee Miller. Follow us on social media: @beautifulandbannedpod, @christinereneemiller, and @jessic…

Jessica explains to Christine about F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Beautiful and Damned--a book that was not only banned, it gives a fascinating critique of censorship in the 1920s (plus it's where we got the name of our podcast!). "The Beautiful and Banned" is produced by Jessica Goudeau and Christine Renee Miller. Follow us on social media: @beautiful…

Trailer for "The Beautiful and Banned," a weekly podcast diving into banned books, plays, and films now and throughout history with Christine Renee Miller and Jessica Goudeau. Find out more at beautifulandbannedpod.com. Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode! Episode 1 is coming Tuesday, 2.27.2024. We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text to …