Gabfest Reads | The Unlikely Rise of Judy Blume

Gabfest Reads | The Unlikely Rise of Judy Blume

From Political Gabfest by Slate Podcasts

April 18, 2026 · 40 min

About this episode

Emily Bazelon interviews Mark Oppenheimer about his book on Judy Blume's life and impact on literature.

Emily Bazelon talks with journalist Mark Oppenheimer about his new book Judy Blume: A Life . Oppenheimer, who spent years with Blume’s papers at Yale and conducted extensive interviews with the author herself, traces how a restless housewife in New Jersey became one of the most beloved—and most banned—writers in American history. They discuss what made Blume’s frank, funny voice so revolutionary for young readers in the 1970s, the surprisingly progressive household that shaped her, and the genius of Forever , her landmark novel in which teenage sex is depicted as pleasurable rather than catastrophic. They also dig into the scandalous adult novel Wifey , Blume’s dogged persistence through rejection, and her tireless championing of other writers’ right to be read. Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Nina Porzucki. Need to set up your Slate Plus feed? If you subscribed through Slate.com, check out our FAQ at slate.com/podcastfaqs for easy instructions. Members subscribed via Apple Podcasts get automatic access—no setup required. Hosted on Acast. See…

People in this episode

Host: Emily Bazelon

Guest: Mark Oppenheimer

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Yale

Books & works: Judy Blume: A Life, Forever, Wifey

Places: New Jersey

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