Dolls of Our Lives

Latest Episodes:

Dear America, Did you read The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple? Oct 01, 2024

Show notes

. . . .Well, we seem to have not remembered and this story may have tested our patience.

In this episode, we re-read the first Dear America book, set on and off the Mayflower in 1620-1621. Protagonist/diarist Remember a.k.a."Mem" experiences a lot of hardship and seasickness in this 1996 ribboned classic. She gets jealous when her friend is the "first" to step on Plymouth Rock and that's just the beginning. In our coverage, we talk about life in the 1600s, the limits of historical fiction, and representations of indigenous life in "pilgrim" stories.

Want to learn more re-indigenizing education? Check out the Akomawt

Educational Initiative - @akomawt on Twitter.

Original air date: September 28, 2020

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Esther Forbes's Johnny Tremain (1943) Oct 01, 2024

Show notes

This month we tackled a much-requested book: Esther Forbes's Johnny Tremain (1943). For some authors, winning a Newbery Medal would be enough. Others might dip out after a Pulitzer Prize. Esther Forbes won a Newbery and a Pulitzer within a few years--all while a war was on.

During this episode, we discuss Forbes's fascinating career (read as: obsession with Paul Revere). Against this backdrop, we also track Johnny Tremain's puzzling journey from apprentice to American revolutionary. At the start of the book, Tremain is yet another young man trying to make his way in colonial Boston. Then, an injury forces Tremain to rethink his career plans, his love life, and the stories he's been told about his lineage. Despite the challenges in front of him, Tremain somehow feels both despondent and totally prepared to pivot from "aspiring silversmith" to international super spy/soldier. We talk about Tremain's transformation, the timing of the book's publication, and the author's push for men to "stand up" and fight.

Next month? We ditch silversmiths and follow Ambassador Kwan in her pursuit of the gold.

Original air date: January 28, 2022

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Highlights from Dear Highlights Oct 01, 2024

Show notes

Picture it: you are sitting in a doctor's office some time in your childhood. What magazine is strewn about the waiting area?

For this episode, we tackled a publication that is probably tucked away in the recesses of your memory bank: Highlights Magazine. For decades, young people have sent letters to Highlights, a magazine especially designed by psychologists for kids*.* Some of these letters have been preserved in an archive in Ohio. Dear Highlights is a curated collection of some of these letters and a kind of "time capsule" of childhood. We talk about what changes over time in these letters--and what doesn't change in the responses. We also learn a thing or two from the editors' replies, such as how to get Baby Beluga out of your head once it's stuck (a real question asked of Highlights staff).

Original air date: April 20, 2022

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Full House: A Jane Addams Mystery Oct 01, 2024

Show notes

When author Frances McNamara isn't "sailing on the Charles River in Boston or beaching on Cape Cod," she's dropping red herrings & killing characters living in 1890s Chicago. Join us as we talk about "Death at Hull House," McNamara's second Emily Cabot Mystery. This former librarian has a brand (Progressive-era crime solving in Illinois) and we respect it. Grab a spare chair from a settlement house near you and settle in for a discussion on death, intrigue, and smallpox.

Curious about what's coming next? We will be reading A Journey to the New World: The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple, Mayflower, 1620

See you in September.

Original air date: August 30, 2020

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The Many Mysteries of the Lilac Inn Oct 01, 2024

Show notes

“Shine bright like a diamond / Find light in the beautiful sea / I choose to be happy…”

Did you know that these lyrics were written about The Mystery At Lilac Inn, the fourth Nancy Drew mystery?

Ok, before you call Rihanna on us, we know that they're not. However, we do hope that you'll still stand with us under a proverbial umbrella for a re-read of a Nancy Drew classic*. In this bizarrely action-packed story, Nancy has to find a jewel thief, save herself from a submarine, and navigate a stolen identity. While the true mysteries of Nancy’s world are not discussed within the pages of this book, we take on the hard questions such as whether Nancy actually had a job, and why she is single. We also consider what Nancy Drew meant to us as children, what she means to us now, and the many uses of a Nancy tote bag or purse.

Like most "classic" books, this one had to be heavily edited between the 1930s and 1960s for racist language and themes.

Original air date: March 29, 2021

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Meet Phillis Oct 01, 2024

Show notes

This month we read The Age of Phillis by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers. This book of poetry examines the inner life and historical worlds of Phillis Wheatley Peters. Jeffers first learned of Phillis in school as one of America’s firsts. In this telling of Phillis’s story, Jeffers begins in West Africa, with the life that came before Phillis was an enslaved poet in Boston. Using historical research, Jeffers probes the under-examined aspects of Phillis Wheatley Peters’s life. How did she fall in love, nurture her faith, and make lasting friendships? Join in our discussion of this rich book.

Original Air Date: January 25, 2021

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Open Book by Jessica Simpson Oct 01, 2024

Show notes

Ashlee Simpson may have gifted us with her "Autobiography," but on this episode we take a deep dive into Jessica Simpson's latest memoir, Open Book. We discuss memoir as a form, Newlyweds, the Nick Lachey of it all, the toxicity that is John Mayer, and more.

Original air date: May 29, 2020

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Little Women Oct 01, 2024

Show notes

Buckle up for a real ride. We're taking you on an Alcott odyssey. First, we talk about the latest film adaptation of Little Women and ponder questions like: why didn't Greta Gerwig win ....everything? Is Thoreau a precursor to tiny house builders everywhere? We play a spirited game of scam or real Bronson Alcott business endeavor, and perhaps most importantly, report on recent communications by Comrade Spears

Original air date: March 31, 2020

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139: It Takes Two: Isabel and Nicki Apr 15, 2024

Show notes

For our final episode, we took some twinspiration from the newest historical AGs: Isabel and Nicki Hoffman. When we meet Isabel, she is trying to perfect her Spice Girls choreography in time for a performance on New Year's Eve. Nicki, on the other hand, is learning how to make zines and skateboarding around Seattle. Both girls are struggling with sharing a bedroom, defining Girl Power, and the threat of a Y2K meltdown. We talk about twin tropes, our own pop culture memories from 1999, and the portrayal of Seattle in the book Finally, we wrap up by answering listener questions (Does Mary still miss Nan? What are our favorite house museums? Best part of doing the podcast?) and sign off one last time. Thank you to all of our listeners! We so appreciate all of you, and the community we've made together. Thank you for being a friend! Resources: You can find episodes, resources, and a link to our merch store and patreon on our website: dollsofourlivespod.com Order our book: Dolls of Our Lives: Why We Can't Quit American Girl Order our audiobook: Dolls of Our Lives: Why We Can’t Quit American Girl (Digital Audio) You can subscribe to Mary's newsletter, Landline, here: https://marymmahoney.substack.com/ Check out books we mention at our bookshop.org storefront. We love to hear from you! Drop us a line dollsofourlivespod@gmail.com Follow us on social media: Instagram -@dollsofourlivespodcast Twitter - @dollslivespod Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DollsOfOurLivesPod/ Follow Allison on Twitter and Instagram @allisonhorrocks Follow Mary @mimimahoney (Instagram) or @marymahoney123 (Twitter) Need a source of calm in your day? Listeners will get a free audiobook when you start a new monthly Libro.fm membership for $14.99 a month. You'll get two audiobooks for the price of one in your first month as a member. Valid in the US and Canada.Subscribe to Libro FM! Choose from over 150,000 audiobooks and even support your local bookstore with your purchases as a member. To sign up, use code DOLLS or this link: https://tidd.ly/3EwqiF5

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138: Courtney: Friendship Superhero and American Girl Consumer Apr 01, 2024

Show notes

It's 1986, and Courtney Moore's summer break is off to a great start. After participating in Hands Across America, she's ready to hit the arcade, read her American Girl catalogue, and make new friends, including a boy named Isaac. But Courtney faces unexpected challenges when she hits the books that fall. When others learn that Isaac is HIV positive, he is forced to leave Courtney's school. For this episode, we brought in an expert to talk about Courtney's ensuing public health campaign and what someone her age would have known about the HIV crisis in the mid-1980s. Our special guest Myrna Moretti, a PhD Candidate at Northwestern University, also gave us great insight into how Courtney consumes technology, '80s arcade culture, and the real queer-led activist movement that fought for a cure for HIV/AIDS. Special Note: As we shared in the introduction, we have decided to end the show after covering "Meet Isabel and Nicki" on our next episode. We are so grateful for five wonderful years with this amazing community of listeners! We will keep the Discord community active and hope it continues to thrive (we love being part of it ourselves!) and will not produce a Patreon episode in April. We will be recording the final episode soon and would love to share your messages and answer a few questions. You can share messages and questions with us here: https://forms.gle/uzDk7A9DpScA5RvK8 We will also post on Instagram to collect messages and questions there. Thank you again for enriching our lives, and this show, beyond measure. Resources: Here is a lecture by Dr. Cait McKinney referenced by our guest, Myrna: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHjXxV16So8&t=2006s You can find episodes, resources, and a link to our merch store on our website: dollsofourlivespod.com Order our book: Dolls of Our Lives: Why We Can't Quit American Girl Order our audiobook: Dolls of Our Lives: Why We Can’t Quit American Girl (Digital Audio) Check out books we mention at our bookshop.org storefront. We love to hear from you! Drop us a line dollsofourlivespod@gmail.com Follow us on social media: Instagram -@dollsofourlivespodcast Twitter - @dollslivespod Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DollsOfOurLivesPod/ Follow Allison on Twitter and Instagram @allisonhorrocks Follow Mary @mimimahoney (Instagram) or @marymahoney123 (Twitter) You can subscribe to Mary's newsletter Landline here: https://marymmahoney.substack.com/ Need a source of calm in your day? Listeners will get a free audiobook when you start a new monthly Libro.fm membership for $14.99 a month. You'll get two audiobooks for the price of one in your first month as a member. Valid in the US and Canada.Subscribe to Libro FM! Choose from over 150,000 audiobooks and even support your local bookstore with your purchases as a member. To sign up, use code DOLLS or this link: https://tidd.ly/3EwqiF5

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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