The SSR Podcast

Alli and Abby are BACK for the fifth installment of SSR: WriTing Friends, this time for a conversation with memoirist Molly Roden Winter about the personal, vulnerable, intimate experience of putting one's own story on paper for public consumption. They put their heads together to consider the similarities and differences between writing fiction and writing memoir and tackle some specific aspects of the former: the nature of memory, the ethics of reviewing memoirs, how to edit your personal experience, reading your old journals, having hard conversations, and what we can learn from someone else's story.Molly's New York Times bestselling debut memoir—More: A Memoir of Open Marriage—is available wherever books are sold. Follow her on Instagram @mollyrwinter.CHECK OUT MOLLY'S BOOK HERE!CHECK OUT MOLLY'S BOOK RECOMMENDATION: Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

On Episode 304, Alli and her guest right the wrong (???) of somehow missing The Catcher in the Rye in their reading lives. In this juicy, thoughtful episode, they consider the book's place in the American canon and on school reading lists everywhere. They chat about sad boy fiction, Holden Caulfield's complicated character and legacy, love bombing, New York City as a character, teen angst, slut shaming, and more.TW: death by suicide, sexual assaultBeth Kander is a writer with tangled roots in the Midwest and Deep South. Described as a "genre-defying author and playwright" (Oxford American), her work has been called "riveting" and "habit-forming." I Made It Out of Clay is her latest novel. Follow Beth on Instagram @bethkander.CHECK OUT BETH'S BOOKS:I Made It Out of ClayDo Not Eat This Book!CHECK OUT BETH'S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:The Husbands by Holly GramazioThe Measure by Nikki ErlickNight Owls by A.R. VishyCleat Cute by Meryl WilsnerMORE READING: "Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger — review" (The Guardian, 2012)"The Meaning of The Catcher in the Rye" (Thought Catalog, 2024)"Story Skeleton — The Catcher in the Rye" (The Darling Axe, 2023)"From everyteen to annoying: are today's young readers turning on The Catcher in the Rye?" (The Guardian, 2019)"He's Not Holden!" (Slate, 2013)"I Hated Catcher in the Rye As A Teen — But It's Exactly The Book I Needed As An Adult" (Bustle, 2018)

It's our first-ever holiday episode! No matter what you celebrate at this time of year, Episode 303 will get your wheels turning as we unpack The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. Alli and her guest chat about the surprisingly religious bent of the book, among other things: the unruly children trope, nativity plays, the book's new adaptation, fatphobia, and disappearing narrators.Sarai Johnson is the author of Grown Women. Follow her on Instagram @sarajwrites.CHECK OUT SARAI'S BOOK HERE!CHECK OUT SARAI'S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:Demon Copperhead by Barbara KingsolverGather Me: A Memoir in Praise of the Books That Saved Me by Glory EdimMORE READING:"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Early Review" (Love Thy Nerd, 2024)"Review: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson" (The Story Sanctuary, 2020)"Book Review: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" (A Journey of Words, 2022)"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever—Book Review" (Simply Learning Together, 2022)"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" (Bookology, 2019)"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever in Public School?" (Reddit, 2022)

We’ve covered our fair share of Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield’s high school hi-jinx on the podcast, but at long last, Alli and her guest turn their attention to a kinder, softer version of the twins: the middle school sub-series, Sweet Valley Twins. Episode 302 is all about The Curse of the Ruby Necklace, which chronicles the ~super chilling~ journey the twins take when they find their way to a local Hollywood film set and a decades-old family mystery. Guest Sally Franson is a superfan of the series and this book, and the episode is a rollicking good time that celebrates Jess and Liz as sixth graders with questionable detective skills.Sally Franson is the author of Big in Sweden and A Lady’s Guide to Selling Out. Follow her on Instagram @sallyjf.CHECK OUT THE SWEET VALLEY EPISODES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:Episode 202: Tall, Dark, and Deadly (Sweet Valley High #126) (with Andie J. Christopher)Episode 289: Alone in the Crowd (Sweet Valley High #28) (with Claire Lombardo)CHECK OUT SALLY’S BOOKS:Big in Sweden A Lady’s Guide to Selling OutCHECK OUT SALLY’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:Swift River by Essie ChambersBlood Test: A Comedy by Charles BaxterShow Don’t Tell: Stories by Curtis SittenfeldMORE READING:“My Erotic Awakening in the Pages of ‘Sweet Valley High’” (The New York Times, 2024) <— written by our guest!“The lasting power of ‘Sweet Valley Twins’: How my daughter and I are connecting over the series” (Today, 2024)“YA Authors Reminisce About the Influence of ‘Sweet Valley High’” (Publishers Weekly, 2024)

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 TimeEpisode 184: A Ring of Endless LightCHECK OUT ELISE’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:What Looks Like Bravery: An Epic Journey Through Loss to Love by Laurel BraitmanToward Eternity by Anton HurYou Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke EmeziThick: And Other Essays by Tressie McMillan CottomMORE 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)

Join Alli as she marks the big 3-0-0 with a rare (and unscripted!) solo show. She reflects on why she struggled to plan this special episode, what she’s been thinking about as this milestone approaches, the journey she’s taken with SSR since 2018, and the behind-the-scenes struggles she rarely shares. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Cheers to 300 episodes!

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 TimeIt Had to Be YouThe RegularsThe Bucket ListMost WonderfulCHECK OUT GEORGIA’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:All Fours by Miranda JulyWhoever You Are, Honey by Olivia GatwoodThe Prospects by Kt HoffmanFang Fiction by Kate Stayman-LondonMORE 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)

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, depressionCourtney 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 EspachSo Thirsty by Rachel HarrisonMORE 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)

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 lossAlissa DeRogatis is the author of Call It What You Want. Subscribe to her Substack newsletterProbably Oversharing and follow her on Instagram @alissaderogatis.CHECK OUT ALISSA’S BOOK HERE!CHECK OUT ALISSA’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:Old Enough by Haley JakobsonIt’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned VizziniOTHER BOOK SHOUTOUTS:Prep by Curtis SittenfeldMagnolia Parks by Jessa HastingsMORE 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)