I have recently acquired a new bookish obsession. Along with being an enthusiastic book nerd I am also an enthusiastic podcast addict. I listen to countless podcasts of all varieties but none of have touched my bookish heart like this one has. The Blume Saloon is a weekly podcast in which Alison and Jody talk about the wonderful Judy Blume. If you grew up reading Judy Blume as a pre-teen then you NEED this podcast in your life.
Alison and Jody select a book from the Blume anthology and host a read-a-long of sorts. They read some chapters and discuss them each week. Listeners are welcome to read along should they choose but there is no need because the ladies do a fantastic job of talking in depth about the book. One of the things I love about this podcast is that Alison and Jody are hilarious and down to earth. They share stories from their preteen years and have brilliant responses to the events in the book. I love this because it makes me reminisce back on my own preteen years and relate to the character in each book. They read certain passages out loud and pair it with music to make it sound dramatic and retro.
At the start of each book, Alison and Jody break down the time period which is incredibly helpful. They talk about the top movies, music and other events that occur when the book was originally published. This is actually vital for me because it sets the scene of when the main character was living the life of a preteen which, no matter what when you read the book, is exponentially different. A preteen is very much a product of their culture and surroundings so it is really helpful to know about the world they are living in. The historical recap is really one of my favorite parts.
Along with their own commentary, Alison and Jody share clips of commercial ads, songs and conduct quizzes from teen magazines from the 70s and 80s. Honestly, each episode is like two girlfriends talking about the awkward years of adolescence and being a teenager. It is honest and the writing of Judy Blume is timeless so everyone can relate to what is being talked about. This is true even if you have never read Judy Blume in your life. Blume had a knack for creating a believable teenager.
Instead of binge listening to this podcast like I have others I am taking my time. This is a new podcast so the backlist is not big. This means that I am quickly approaching real time where I will have to wait each week for a new episode. The Blume books that have been covered on the podcast are as follows: Are You There God? It’s Me. Margaret, Tiger Eyes, Then Again, Maybe I Won’t and Deenie.
I have loved reliving this great books of my childhood. It has been awesome looking back on the books that helped me understand the angst of growing up. I have greatly enjoyed examining the writing of Judy through my adult eyes. I missed out on so many important things I think because so much of what Judy writes is subtle and intentional. I really hope that I realized the correlation of events and got the big take away.
I am a Blume Head!
So The Blume Saloon has an awesome Instagram account. I was in love with this podcast after the first episode. I knew right away that it was going to be a brilliant podcast. After about thirteen episodes I did an Insta post expressing my love for their podcast. They responded and asked for my address so they could send me something. I got the most amazing mail EVER.
I got an awesome pin, a handwritten thank you and an envelope covered in scratch and sniff stickers. It makes me love them even more. It makes me even more of a fan. It makes me want to champion them and spread the word. I had already planned on doing this but after this awesome package in the mail I will do my very best to recruit some Blume Heads.
Thank you Alison and Jody for creating such a wonderful podcast that, I am sure, have a special place in so many hearts! Please give it a listen. You will not regret it!
This Bookish Life 