EW’s columnist celebrates the well-deserved renaissance of the novelist who gave us ‘‘Are You There God?
So how poetic is it that Blume herself is suddenly everywhere?
Who knew that a benevolent, instructive mother of three could be this hip?
Blume is a generational icon, and rightfully so.
I grew up devouring the Blume canon at our woefully small public library.
But the first book I read of Blumes was not one of her infamous adolescent sagas.
They lived in New York City!
They played in Central Park!
Their building had an elevator operator!
Aside from those thrilling details, I related to Peters youthful nihilism.
At 9 years old, he already identified as the titular nothing.
He was Alvy Singer in saddle shoes.
Blumes stuff had an edge; it was grimly hilarious and worthy of my attention.
Its Me, Margaret.
If Picasso had his Blue Period, then Judy Blume had her Period Period.
I imagine its because these stories belong to young women.
Real young women, not singing Disney cheerleaders, hair-flipping pop stars, or cartoonish socialites.
Seriously, Lars von Trier couldnt have crafted a more harrowing tale of female suffering.
Almost accidentally, she joins a ring of bullies who ritually torment a chubby girl named Linda.
Instead of making Linda repulsive or saintly, Blumes victim is as ordinary as the girls who tease her.
The book, unlike others written for girls my age, refused to tell me how to feel.
And yet, looking back, its rich with revealing symbolism.
(In one scene, Linda comes to school dressed as Little Red Riding Hood.
Out come the wolves, indeed.)
In fact, all of Blumes books are full of cinematic details.
I imagine its because these stories belong to young women.
Real young women, not singing Disney cheerleaders, hair-flipping pop stars, or cartoonish socialites.
Judys girls are imperfect and unsure; they tend to vacillate maddeningly between outspokenness and passivity.
Its definitely not the stuff of Hollywood.
But Judy Blumes bildungsromans are as sweeping and intense as anything we see on screen these days.
Theyd make great disaster movies, and anyone whos been a teenager knows thats not an overstatement.
Judy Blume: Share the random memories that have stuck with you on PopWatch
