On Episode 105, Alli sets aside her very real, very intense fear of birds for a conversation about Mr. Popper’s Penguins. Written in 1938 by Richard and Florence Atwater, this Newbery Honor winner is the story of a house painter named Mr. Popper who dreams of traveling to the Arctic and the penguins who come into his life thanks to one of his heroes, explorer Admiral Drake. Alli and her guest Swati chat about the many antics of Popper’s penguins, as well as the extent to which Mr. Popper represents a little bit of all of us! They also talk about how the book would be received by animal rights groups if it were published in 2020, the lack of nuance in Mrs. Popper’s portrayal, and cancel culture, more broadly.

Swati Teerdhala is the author of The Tiger at Midnight and The Archer at Dawn. Follow her on Instagram (@swatiteerdhala) and Twitter (@swatiteerdhala)!

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