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Behind The Story: Author Talk with Rachelle Bergstein

A CCPL Virtual Author Speaker Series Program

2025-05-21 14:00:00 2025-05-21 15:00:00 America/New_York Behind The Story: Author Talk with Rachelle Bergstein Virtual -

Wednesday, May 21
2:00pm - 3:00pm

Add to Calendar 2025-05-21 14:00:00 2025-05-21 15:00:00 America/New_York Behind The Story: Author Talk with Rachelle Bergstein Join us and author Rachelle Bergstein to discuss how Judy Blume rewrote childhood for all of us! Virtual -

Join us and author Rachelle Bergstein to discuss how Judy Blume rewrote childhood for all of us!

You’re invited to an online intimate conversation with bestselling author Rachelle Bergstein as she chats about her newest book The Genius of Judy. This book takes an expansive look at Judy Blume’s life, work, and cultural impact, focusing on her most iconic—and controversial—young adult novels, from Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret to Blubber

Everyone knows Judy Blume.

Her books have garnered her fans of all ages for decades and sold tens of millions of copies. But why were people so drawn to them? And why are we still talking about them now in the 21st century?

In The Genius of Judy, her remarkable story is revealed as never before, beginning with her as a mother of two searching for purpose outside of her home in 1960s suburban New Jersey. The books she wrote starred regular children with genuine thoughts and problems. But behind those deceptively simple tales, Blume explored the pillars of the growing women’s rights movement, in which girls and women were entitled to careers, bodily autonomy, fulfilling relationships, and even sexual pleasure. Blume wasn’t trying to be a revolutionary—she just wanted to tell honest stories—but in doing so, she created a cohesive, culture-altering vision of modern adolescence.

Blume’s bravery provoked backlash, making her the country’s most-banned author in the mid-1980s. Thankfully, her works withstood those culture wars and it’s no coincidence that Blume has resurfaced as a cultural touchstone now. Young girls are still cat-called, sex education curricula are getting dismissed as pornography, and entire shelves of libraries are being banned. As we face these challenges, it’s only natural we look to Blume, the grand dame of so-called dirty books. This is the story of how a housewife became a groundbreaking artist, and how generations of empowered fans are her legacy, today more than ever.

Register now for a conversation you don’t want to miss!

About the Author: Rachelle Bergstein is a lifestyle writer, author, and editor, focused on style, pop culture, and families. Her work has appeared in the New York Post, The New York Times, NPR, and more. She is the author of three books: Women from the Ankle Down, Brilliance and Fire, and The Genius of Judy. She lives with her husband and son in Brooklyn. Find out more at RachelleBergstein.com

To view a recording of this event or to see the full archive of Behind the Story events, click here. Scroll to search for the event you are looking for.


The views expressed by presenters are their own, and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Charles County Public Library.

Charles County Public Library events are accessible for all. If you have an accessibility request, please contact programs@ccplonline.org three business days prior to the event.

Virtual


Hours
Mon, May 05 9:00AM to 8:00PM
Tue, May 06 9:00AM to 8:00PM
Wed, May 07 9:00AM to 8:00PM
Thu, May 08 9:00AM to 8:00PM
Fri, May 09 1:00PM to 5:00PM
Sat, May 10 9:00AM to 5:00PM
Sun, May 11 Closed

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Join us and author Liann Zhang to discuss writing brilliant, dark, and diabolical thrillers!
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Wed, May 21, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Join us and author Rachelle Bergstein to discuss how Judy Blume rewrote childhood for all of us!
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Wed, May 21, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Join artist Jojo Liu as she teaches the art of traditional Chinese calligraphy in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Wed, May 21, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Join artist Jojo Liu as she teaches the art of traditional Chinese calligraphy in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

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Tue, Jun 10, 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Administración del Seguro Social provee protección para los trabajadores y sus familias.
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Tue, Jun 10, 1:30pm - 2:30pm
The Social Security Administration provides protection for workers and their families.
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Tue, Jun 10, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Learn about caring for loved ones in the late stages of Alzheimer's.

Tue, Jun 10, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
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