EP 239: Mark Oppenheimer on the Life and Times of Judy Blume

EP 239: Mark Oppenheimer on the Life and Times of Judy Blume

From Lean Out with Tara Henley by Tara Henley

March 11, 2026 · 36 min

About this episode

Mark Oppenheimer discusses the life and works of Judy Blume, highlighting her impact on childhood and adolescence literature.

Many of us grew up reading classics from the great Judy Blume, from Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret to Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Blume, now in her eighties, is famous for writing about childhood and adolescence with humour and heart. This week, our guest on the program has published a remarkable book documenting her life story. Mark Oppenheimer is an American journalist and author. He’s the editor of the online religion and politics magazine ARC. His latest book is Judy Blume: A ...

People in this episode

Host: Tara Henley

Guest: Mark Oppenheimer

Topics covered

  • Judy Blume
  • literature
  • childhood
  • adolescence
  • biography
  • journalism

Keywords

  • Judy Blume
  • Mark Oppenheimer
  • biography
  • literature
  • childhood
  • adolescence
  • journalism

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ARC

Books & works: Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

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