Beyond the Shelves: A History of Chick Lit

Beyond the Shelves: A Podcast from the Des Moines Public Library

On this month's podcast, Jes and Sarah talk about the history of Chick Lit - how it started (Bridget Jones's Diary), how the genre was covered in the press, and what new types of books have spawned from it today.

Show Notes

What They're Reading

• Everything Is Tuberculosis, by John Green
• Cleat Cute, by Meryl Wilsner
• While the Duke Was Sleeping, by Samara Parish
• Harriet Tubman Live in Concert, by Bob the Drag Queen
• Woodworking, by Emily St. James
• Stag Dance, by Torrey Peters
• The Deep Dark, by Molly Knox Ostertag

To Be Read

• Oathbound, by Tracy Deonn
• First Time Caller, by B.K. Borison
• The Road of Bones, by Demi Winters
• Blood over Bright Haven, by M.L. Wang
• Stop Me if You've Heard This One, by Kristen Arenett
• Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison

Reading Material

• "What is Chick Lit? A Brief History from the Inside," by Lucida Rosenfeld
• "The Power of Chick Lit," by Jane Carrell and Meghan Hall
• "The Great Escape: Modern Women and the Chick Lit Genre," by Maureen Lynch Cooke