Carolyn Foote, co-founder of Texas FReadom Fighters joins Christine and Jessica in a riveting conversation about the recent history of book banning in the US, and what's about to come. This discussion blew our minds--we understand the outrage, the fear, and the political strategies in totally new ways. Of course it was the experienced librarian who is also a freedom fighter whose words changed our lives!

"The Beautiful and Banned" is produced by Jessica Goudeau and Christine Renee Miller. Follow us on social media: @beautifulandbannedpod, @christinereneemiller, and @jessica_goudeau.

Read Jessica's latest book, We Were Illegal: Uncovering a Texas Family's Mythmaking and Migration.

If you’d like to advertise with us, visit the "Contact Us" page on our website. If you liked our show, please rate and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere you listen to podcasts. The best way to support a new podcast is to share it with your friends!

Our co-producer, Rob Heath, wrote and performed our theme music. Kalin Siegwalddesigned our logo. Steph Karpuek is our amazing podcast assistant. This is A Sisters By Different Misters Production.

Join us next week as Christine and Jessica talk about Octavia Butler's Kindred!

Episode 12 Links:

• The Texas FReadom Fighters
• FReadom Fighters Becky Calzada and Carolyn Foote featured in People Magazine as the 2023 Women Changing the World
• The organizations Carolyn mentioned to support currently: The ACLU, American Library Association, and PEN America
• And don't forget your local libraries--here's a place to find one near you

We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text to suggest books, plays, films, or guests, or just share your thoughts!

Jessica and Christine discuss THE HANDMAID'S TALE, a shockingly relevant book for our current political moment. As Margaret Atwood says in her 2017 introduction to the 1985 books, times of political authoritarianism bring out the true believers, sadists, and opportunists, and the "literature of witness" is an important "act of hope." Join in as Christine and Jessica laugh and cry and talk about what is coming next.

"The Beautiful and Banned" is produced by Jessica Goudeau and Christine Renee Miller. Follow us on social media: @beautifulandbannedpod, @christinereneemiller, and @jessica_goudeau.

Read Jessica's latest book, We Were Illegal: Uncovering a Texas Family's Mythmaking and Migration.

If you’d like to advertise with us, visit the "Contact Us" page on our website. If you liked our show, please rate and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere you listen to podcasts. The best way to support a new podcast is to share it with your friends!

Our co-producer, Rob Heath, wrote and performed our theme music. Kalin Siegwalddesigned our logo. Steph Karpuek is our amazing podcast assistant. This is A Sisters By Different Misters Production.

Join us next week as Christine and Jessica talk to Carolyn Foote of the Texas FREADom Fighters!

Episode 11 links:

• Margaret Atwood bio on Britannica (Happy 85th birthday, Margaret Atwood!)
• On The Handmaid's Tale being banned, including a very recent article about it being banned (again) in Florida
• Atwood with a flamethrower trying to burn her "unburnable" book
• "Who's Afraid of The Handmaid's Tale?" in The Atlantic

We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text to suggest books, plays, films, or guests, or just share your thoughts!

GO VOTE! On this Election Day, Christine and Jessica talk about The 1619 Project by focusing on two essays in particular: "Capitalism" by Matthew Desmond and "Politics" by Jamelle Bouie. These essays provide fascinating insights into our current own moment--and the inequality and tensions that were built into our political systems from the very beginning. It's perfect to listen to while you're standing in line to vote today!

"The Beautiful and Banned" is produced by Jessica Goudeau and Christine Renee Miller. Follow us on social media: @beautifulandbannedpod, @christinereneemiller, and @jessica_goudeau.

Read Jessica's latest book, which she talks about in this episode and which goes well with The 1619 Project, We Were Illegal: Uncovering a Texas Family's Mythmaking and Migration.

If you’d like to advertise with us, visit the "Contact Us" page on our website. If you liked our show, please rate and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere you listen to podcasts. The best way to support a new podcast is to share it with your friends!

Our co-producer, Rob Heath, wrote and performed our theme music. Kalin Siegwalddesigned our logo. Steph Karpuek is our amazing podcast assistant. This is A Sisters By Different Misters Production.

Join us next week as Christine and Jessica discuss their next book, which will be determined based on what happens this week in our country.

Episode 10 links:

• The 1619 Project, created by Nikole Hannah-Jones and the New York Times Magazine
• Nikole Hannah-Jones
• The 1619 Project podcast from the New York Times
• The 1619 Project documentary on Hulu
• The 1619 Project curriculum from The Pulitzer Center

We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text to suggest books, plays, films, or guests, or just share your thoughts!