The SSR Podcast

This week, join Alli and her guest for an exciting voyage to Antarctica… and also for a conversation about Troubling a Star by Madeleine L’Engle. The fifth installment in L’Engle’s beloved Austin Family Chronicles series, the book was published in 1994 and explores subjects of espionage, nuclear waste dumping, drug trafficking, and more. Join the fun as we try to unpack all of it—and don’t be turned off if you’re not familiar with the story. Alli and Elise both read Troubling a Star, and they’re still not sure how much they know about it.

Elise Hu is a journalist, podcaster, and entrepreneur. Host of TED Talks Daily and co-host of Forever 35, Elise also recently published Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital. Follow her on Instagram @elisewho.

CHECK OUT ELISE’S BOOK HERE!

CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS MADELEINE L’ENGLE EPISODES:

Episode 15: A Wrinkle in Time

Episode 184: A Ring of Endless Light

CHECK OUT ELISE’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

What Looks Like Bravery: An Epic Journey Through Loss to Love by Laurel Braitman

Toward Eternity by Anton Hur

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi

Thick: And Other Essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom

MORE READING:

“Troubling a Star, by Madeleine L’Engle” (Pickle Me This, 2019)

“Troubling a Star by Madeleine L’Engle” (Fill Your Bookshelf, 2020)

“Troubling a Star” (Kirkus, 1994)

“Book Review: Troubling a Star by Madeleine L’Engle (1994)” (Read-at-Home Mom, 2014)

“The Creepy Authoritarianism of Madeleine L’Engle” (The Paris Review, 2019)

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As you wish(ed), listeners, it’s time to unpack The Princess Bride. Alli and her guest focus on the 1973 novel by William Goldman but bring in lots of context from the cult classic movie, as well. Adventures, unreasonable beauty standards, metanarratives, beloved characters, and iconic lines abound!

Georgia Clark is an award-winning, six-times published novelist and performer. She’s the author of Island Time, It Had to Be You, The Regulars, The Bucket List, and others. Her latest novel, Most Wonderful, is now out and ready to claim its spot on your holiday season TBR. Follow Georgia on Instagram @georgialouclark.

CHECK OUT GEORGIA’S BOOKS:

Island Time

It Had to Be You

The Regulars

The Bucket List

Most Wonderful

CHECK OUT GEORGIA’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

All Fours by Miranda July

Whoever You Are, Honey by Olivia Gatwood

The Prospects by Kt Hoffman

Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London

MORE READING:

“Book Review: The Princess Bride by William Goldman” (Lara’s Wanderings, 2020)

“The Princess Bride: We love the book and the film” (Fantasy Literature)

“The Princess Bride at 50” (Quillette, 2023)

“Book Review — The Princess Bride by William Goldman” (Muse With Me, 2018)

“The Princess Bride: The ‘Good Parts’” (Out of the Box, 2017)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Almost seven years into SSR, we’ve covered almost all of Judy Blume’s kid lit masterpieces. On Episode 298, Alli and her guest dive into a Blume novel that feels like something of an outlier: Tiger Eyes, which was published in 1981. In it, Judy takes a darker tone, exploring matters of violence, loss, hypocrisy, and mental health. Tune in to learn more about how Tiger Eyes stands apart from the rest of Blume’s beloved backlist and what makes it special.

TW: infertility, gun violence, substance abuse, anxiety, depression

Courtney Preiss is the author of Welcome Home, Caroline Kline. Follow her on Instagram @cocogolightly.

CHECK OUT COURTNEY’S BOOK HERE!

CHECK OUT COURTNEY’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison

MORE READING:

“Life in Books: Tiger Eyes” (Much Madness is Divinest Sense, 2010)

“Judy Blume Hits The Big Screen With Tiger Eyes Adaptation” (NPR, 2013)

“Tiger Eyes: Judy Blume’s book and its film adaptation” (American Indians in Children’s Literature, 2012)

“Willa Holland Tells Us All About Starring in the Judy Blume Flick Tiger Eyes” (Teen Vogue, 2013)

“Judy Blume on the Tiger Eyes Film, What She’s Reading, and Why Moms Can’t Get Their Daughters to Read Her Books” (Vanity Fair, 2013)

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At long last, it's John Green time! Episode 297 unpacks Looking for Alaska, the YA superstar's award-winning debut novel. Conversations range from manic pixie dream girls and the male gaze to addiction and the problematic language that made Alli and her guest cringe in 2024.

TW: suicide, addiction, parental loss

Alissa DeRogatis is the author of Call It What You Want. Subscribe to her Substack newsletter

Probably Oversharing and follow her on Instagram @alissaderogatis.

CHECK OUT ALISSA’S BOOK HERE!

CHECK OUT ALISSA’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

Old Enough by Haley Jakobson

It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

OTHER BOOK SHOUTOUTS:

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

Magnolia Parks by Jessa Hastings

MORE READING:

“Looking for Alaska” (Kirkus, 2005)

“Book Nook: Looking for Alaska” (Shorewood Ripples, 2022)

“Book Review: Looking for Alaska by John Green” (Of Whiskey and Words)

“Book Review: Looking for Alaska by John Green” (A Paper Arrow, 2019)

“Looking for Alaska by John Green — review” (The Guardian, 2013)

“Looking for Alaska” (School Library Journal, 2005)

“Book Review for Teens: John Green Looking for Alaska” (Your Teen, 2014)

“Book Review: Looking for Alaska” (Sara du Jour, 2014)

“How Hulu’s Looking for Alaska Updates John Green’s Book for a New Generation” (Time, 2019)

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You already know that Ramona Quimby is curious, precocious, hilarious, and bold... but now she gets to be brave, too. On Episode 296, Alli and her guest take a close look at the third book in Beverly Cleary's beloved Ramona series, Ramona the Brave. There's classroom enemies, feminism, craft projects, scary new bedrooms, and big moments of self-esteem. What more could you want?

Jessie Rosen is a writer, producer, educator, and speaker. Her novel The Heirloom is available wherever books are sold. Follow Jessie on Instagram @jessierosenwriter.

CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS RAMONA EPISODES:

Episode 18: Beezus and Ramona (with Penny Luksic)

Episode 253: Ramona the Pest (with Kara Alloway)

CHECK OUT JESSIE’S BOOK HERE!

CHECK OUT JESSIE’S BOOK RECOMMENDATION:

There’s Nothing Wrong With Her by Kate Weinberg

MORE READING:

“Beverly Cleary Made It OK To Be A Ramona In A World Of Susans” (BuzzFeed News, 2021)

“How Ramona Quimby Helps Kids Make Sense of This Unstable World” (Literary Hub, 2019)

“Ramona the Brave” (Kirkus, 1975)

“Book Review: Ramona the Brave” (A Journey of Words, 2023)

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**Please note that the Bookshop.org links above are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through these links. Please do not feel inclined to purchase unless you are excited to add these books to your TBR list!**

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Abby and Alli welcome their first-ever guest to the WriTing Friends series for a conversation about the publishing process, astrology, and everything in between.

Carinn Jade is the co-host of Pop Fiction Women and the author of The Astrology House. Follow her on Instagram @carinnjade.

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Longtime listeners know that Sarah Dessen books always, always bring the spice and juicy discussion to the podcast. This episode is no exception as Alli and her guest dish about 1998's Someone Like You. The book tackles a lot of issues—and we try to do the same on today's show. Topics include bad boyfriends, intense friendships, losing your virginity, teen pregnancy, and tension between kids and parents.

Aurora Palit's debut novel Sunshine and Spice is now available wherever books are sold. Follow her on Instagram @aurorapalit.

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Jump aboard Episode 293 for a transatlantic voyage on the gorgeous writing of kid lit GOAT, Sharon Creech. This week, it's all about her 2000 Newbery Honor winner, The Wanderer, and the big thinking it inspires. Alli and her guest dive into discussions of trauma, accidental feminism, real-world fantasy, diary-style writing, and so much more.

Charlee Dyroff is the author of Loneliness & Company. Follow her on Instagram @charleedyroff.

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Join Alli and her guest for a trip to one of our favorite settings: Stonybrook, Connecticut—home of the Baby-Sitters Club. This time, the discussion focuses on the fourth book in Ann M. Martin's beloved series, Mary Anne Saves the Day, which is a critical text in the BSC cinematic universe. Tune in to Episode 292 to hear us talk about Mary Anne's day-saving efforts, as well as conflict resolution, crisis situations before cell phones, the big Dawn intro, messages about bodies and beauty, found family, and (as always) so much more.

Afoma Eme-Umesi is a writer, voracious reader, and the founder of Reading Middle Grade, a website dedicated to sharing books for middle grade readers. Afoma loves contemporary realistic fiction and will never say no to a graphic novel. Follow her on Instagram @whatafomareads, check out Reading Middle Grade's Patreon, and sign up for her newsletter.

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