If you ask any kid who grew up reading Judy Blume, they’ll tell you exactly what they’ve learned from each of Blume’s books; each book introduced which taboo rituals of the passage; perhaps even where they were, physically and developmentally, when they first stumbled upon this information. They can vividly remember the exact page number of the paperback that was passed around in middle school, on which the most eye-opening passages appeared.
I recently reread her classic, “Is God There? That’s me, Margaret,” before seeing film adaptation opens this week, 52 years after the book was published.
In my memory, “Margaret” is mostly about puberty, especially about the first time you get your period. I vividly remember the famous scenes when Margaret first saw tampons and when she and her friends exercised to “get rid of those baby bras,” chanting, “We must – we have to – we have to increase our breasts!”
When I reread the book, however, I was struck not only by its Important Moments but also by the many small, almost trivial moments that I involuntarily integrated into my understanding of the world. .
There is an early scene in which Margaret’s father injures himself while mowing the lawn and Margaret runs out into the yard “to find something”, in case the doctor can stitch it up.
I paused. This scene is as real to me as one of my own memories. When I read the book as a teenager, it was the first time I heard of such a macabre surgical procedure. I haven’t actively thought about it again, but “you should always look for chi” has become part of my understanding of aleck’s intelligent world, a bit of wisdom, never to be lost. suspect. I never tie this knowledge back to the book or any source.
“Margaret” also instilled in me the belief that wearing loafers with socks makes a person “look like a kid” and that it is possible to get a custom label made for a homemade sweater that says “ Made Expressly for You… by Grandma.” Small details, certainly not the main theme of the book, were not something I wanted to tell any adult at the time that I “taken away” from reading it.
The “Margaret” movie — which you should watch if you love the book, or love director Kelly Fremon Craig’s first film, “Edge of Seventeen” — is filled with these details, quietly shifting moments. young readers. As I watched it, I felt very little electrical connection made between my childhood brain and my adult brain, between the data entered decades ago and the coherent knowledge it became. wall.
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CULTURE WEEK
CULTURE HISTORY
📚 “Faith” (Tuesday): In this novel by Hernan Diaz, now available in paperback, the life of an early 20th-century New York tycoon is told from four different perspectives. Named one of the newspapers of The Times 10 best books of 2022We call “Trust” an “interesting pursuit”.
🍿 “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (Friday): As one of the few directors to jump back and forth between the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe, James Gunn is trying his hand at Star Lord and Co. before doing another super reboot. Expect jokes, classic rock tunes, and mild profanity.
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Artichoke Carbonara
Whether you’re planning a spring festival get-together or looking to make yourself something extra special for dinner this weekend, Anna Francese Gass will be a treat. artichoke carbonara maybe just the thing. In her clever recipe, she levels up easy weeknight pasta by stirring in canned or frozen artichokes, adding flavor and texture without much effort. For the vegetarian version, skip the pancetta and caramelize some onions or mushrooms in the pan instead. Then top each bowl with a raw egg yolk for the best carbonara sauce imaginable.
TIPS FROM WIRECUTTER
Make your cold beer
Unless you’re a year-round lover of iced coffee, you’re probably making the annual transition from hot to cold brew. At the coffee shop, it can be a bit of a splurge, but at home, switching to cold brew can really save you money. A good cold brew, like Wirecutter’s pick from OXO, can smooth the rough edges of mediocre, cheap coffee beans, creating a sweet, mellow concentrate that can last all week. I even like to brew the same grounds twice – coffee experts may disagree, but the results are great, especially with a hint of milk. — Marguerite Preston
WEEKEND GAME
New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers, NHL playoffs: These two teams are so close together that you can see the arena from the roof of the other team with no skyscrapers in the way. Maybe that’s why they look so comfortable in away games: Rangers started the series with two wins by a margin in Newark, and then the Devils won two in Manhattan. The Devils are currently leading the series with a score of 3-2 and could go on with a win tonight. Good news for them: The game takes place in New York. 8 p.m. Eastern on ABC.
More NHL news
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The Islanders – New York’s other team – was remove last night by Hurricane Carolina. The Dallas Stars beat the Minnesota Wild.
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Boston Bruins’ historic season in trouble: After a lost last nightthey will advance to Game 7 against the Florida Panthers.
NOW TO PLAY
Yesterday’s Pangram from Spelling Bee was excitement. This is today’s quiz.
What were the 10 hardest and easiest words of the past week by Spelling Bees? See our list here.
