Seeing the American Girl Store Through Silver Eyes
Dolls of Our Lives
In October, we set out one morning for NYC to take a VIP tour of the American Girl Store. What happened next cannot be described in a mere text box. Did we do a photoshoot on a train? Did we learn about a heretofore unknown to us diagnosis? Did we read the main floor display of the store through the lens of 90s figure skating? Listen as we explore the store, visit the doll hospital, fix a hair crisis, and more. Original air date: January 27, 2020
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50 Shades of Red, White, and Blue (Ann Rinaldi's first and most unforgettable historical romance: Time Enough for Drums (1986)
Dolls of Our Lives
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
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Little Women
Dolls of Our Lives
Buckle up for a real ride. We're taking you on an Alcott odyssey. First, we talk about the latest film adaptation of Little Women and ponder questions like: why didn't Greta Gerwig win ....everything? Is Thoreau a precursor to tiny house builders everywhere? We play a spirited game of scam or real Bronson Alcott business endeavor, and perhaps most importantly, report on recent communications by Comrade Spears Original air date: March 31, 2020
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This is Not a Drill: Dear America: Voyage on the Great Titanic
Dolls of Our Lives
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: Original Air Date: April 20, 2020
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Open Book by Jessica Simpson
Dolls of Our Lives
Ashlee Simpson may have gifted us with her "Autobiography," but on this episode we take a deep dive into Jessica Simpson's latest memoir, Open Book. We discuss memoir as a form, Newlyweds, the Nick Lachey of it all, the toxicity that is John Mayer, and more. Original air date: May 29, 2020
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Marsha, Marsha, Andre
Dolls of Our Lives
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 " and the short film "" we see two paths to sharing Johnson's story & her connection to Pride. We also talk about the gaps in the documentary - 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...
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Allison and Mary’s Great Idea
Dolls of Our Lives
On this episode, we talk the first Babysitter's Club book and the latest Netflix adaptation. We talk about which member of the BSC we identified with as young readers and how we feel now, and much more. This episode is dedicated to Grandma Mimi, forever prom queen. Due to Covid restrictions, we were not able to record this in Stoneybrook, CT. Original air date: July 24, 2020
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Full House: A Jane Addams Mystery
Dolls of Our Lives
When author Frances McNamara isn't "sailing on the Charles River in Boston or beaching on Cape Cod," she's dropping red herrings & killing characters living in 1890s Chicago. Join us as we talk about "Death at Hull House," McNamara's second Emily Cabot Mystery. This former librarian has a brand (Progressive-era crime solving in Illinois) and we respect it. Grab a spare chair from a settlement house near you and settle in for a discussion on death, intrigue, and smallpox. Curious about what's coming next? We will be reading A Journey to the New World: The Diary of Remember...
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Dear America, Did you read The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple?
Dolls of Our Lives
. . . .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...
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Season of the Witch (of Blackbird Pond)
Dolls of Our Lives
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
info_outlineFiling cabinet fans, here we go! For this Patreon episode, we are diving right into the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. This 1967 classic features the Kincaid kids, who just need a break from home — and the allure of solving an art mystery.
Whether you really love hanging files, eccentric older people, or beds in museums, this book has a little bit of something for everyone (and a chauffeur). If you’ve never dreamed about sleeping in The Met, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler still has an enduring appeal. We talk about the value of stories that center smart and funny young people, without a moralizing "parents just don’t get it" ending. So, will you accept this rose, we mean, invitation to the Met?
Original air date: June 29, 2021