Judy Blume, A Life: Mark Oppenheimer & Molly Ringwald

Are you there, God? It's us, fans of Judy Blume, eagerly anticipating a definitive biography of the legendary young adult novelist. Now, with unprecedented access to papers, correspondence, and the author herself, acclaimed biographer Mark Oppenheimer has provided just that: a beautiful, multidimensional portrait, and the first authorized biography of Judy Blume. Oppenheimer goes deep, exploring Blume's middle-class 1950s upbringing, complicated childhood, varied relationships and marriages, unabashed sexual experiences, bouts of heartache and loss, and enduring legacy as a champion of free speech and contemporary literature. Oppenheimer peels back the curtain to reveal the woman behind the literary empire in all her complex, multifaceted glory – a true gift for anyone who grew up reading and loving these extraordinary books.

In this once-in-a-lifetime event, memoirist, translator, actor, and avowed Judy Blume fanatic Molly Ringwald hosts a conversation with Mark Oppenheimer about the real woman behind the iconic persona, and the unlikely journey of her literary ascension.

ABOUT THIS EVENT'S GUESTS:

Mark Oppenheimer has been covering American religion for 25 years. He holds a Ph.D. in religious studies from Yale, and has taught at Stanford, Wesleyan, Wellesley, NYU, Boston College, and Yale, where he was the founding director of the Yale Journalism Initiative. From 2010 to 2016, he wrote the "Beliefs" column, about religion, for The New York Times, and he has also written for publications including The New Yorker, The Nation, GQ, Slate, and many more. He created Unorthodox, the world's most popular podcast about Jewish life and culture, with over 7 million downloads to date. More recently, he hosted an eight-part podcast called Gatecrashers, about the history of Jews and antisemitism at Ivy League schools. He is the author of five books, including The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia and, most recently, Squirrel Hill: The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, four daughters, one son, and two dogs.

Molly Ringwald is an actor, translator, and author. She has published two bestselling books, Getting the Pretty Back and When It Happens to You, and translated the award-winning bestselling French novel Lie With Me by Philippe Besson and the memoir My Cousin Maria Schneider by Vanessa Schneider. Her essays have appeared in the New York Times, The New Yorker, Vogue, Marie-Claire, and The Guardian. Her extensive film credits include Paul Mazursky's Tempest, the iconic John Hughes films Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, and The Breakfast Club, the indie film All These Small Moments, and Netflix’s The Kissing Booth.

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This event is part of our signature Salon Series, where we host local and international authors, artists and thinkers in conversation about their new books and big ideas.

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PLAN YOUR VISIT:

Location: Bram and Bluma Appel Salon, Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge Street), 2nd floor

Time: Doors open 6:00pm, Event starts 7:00pm.

Tickets: Free registration required.

Ticket policy: We oversell these events to make sure that the greatest number of people have an opportunity to attend. Tickets are guaranteed until 6:45pm or until capacity is reached. Any remaining space will be opened up to the rush line beginning at 6:45pm. Seating first come, first served. Tickets do not guarantee seats.

Accessibility: TPL is committed to accessibility. If you are Deaf or have a disability and would like to request accommodation for this event, please contact [email protected] or 416-393-7099 at least three weeks prior to the event.

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Host or Publisher Toronto Public Library