{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"034: 90 Million Books Sold - And Yet, Judy Blume Has Been Banned: Rachelle Bergstein Reveals the Radical Truth","description":"Despite selling over 90 million books worldwide, Judy Blume remains one of the most banned authors in America. On Your Radical Truth, host Margaret Mary O\u2019Connor welcomes bestselling author and cultural commentator Rachelle Bergstein to explore Blume\u2019s fearless legacy - and the fierce censorship she faced. In this powerful episode, Rachelle, author of The Genius of Judy, shares why Blume\u2019s honest portrayals of puberty, sexuality, and family life resonated so deeply with generations of readers - and why her books continue to spark controversy today. From the 1970s battles over Are You There God? It\u2019s Me, Margaret to today\u2019s alarming surge in modern-day book bans, Judy Blume\u2019s story remains more relevant than ever. Rachelle and Margaret Mary dive into:   How Blume\u2019s books became lifelines for young readers when adults stayed silent   Why today\u2019s censorship battles are even more dangerous than those of the past   The chilling rise of historical erasure through modern legislation   How Blume\u2019s creative rebellion helped fuel the modern feminist voice   Rachelle also discusses her new book, The Genius of Judy, a USA Today bestseller praised by BookPage, The Los Angeles Times, Kirkus Reviews, and more. Learn why Blume\u2019s timeless stories still matter - and why protecting the freedom to read has never been more urgent. Find The Genius of Judy wherever books are sold and follow Rachelle\u2019s work on her Substack newsletter, Banner Year, where she tracks the escalating crisis of book banning in America. Full shownotes:  www.YourRadicalTruth.com\/034-Rachelle-Bergstein&amp;nbsp; ","author_name":"Your Radical Truth podcast","author_url":"https:\/\/yourradicaltruth.com\/podcast\/","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/36357480\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/88AA3C\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/content\/187642000"}