Christine and Jessica discuss one of the most controversial books in the world since its publication in 1988. Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses caused an immediate uproar; after the Ayatollah Khomeini declared a fatwa, Rushdie spent ten years in hiding. Even when it was over, he was not safe: a knife-wielding attacker in 2022 stabbed him in the face and neck, resulting in several injuries and the loss of his sight in one eye--that attacker will be sentenced in April. Ever wondered why the book was so controversial and what Rushdie said that was so offensive? Join us for the first of two parts on this fascinating, scandalous book!

Join the conversation on Substack! If you'd prefer to be a Patreon subscriber, you can join now for just $3 a month. Thank you for your support! The success of this podcast depends on you!

"The Beautiful and Banned" is produced by Jessica Goudeau and Christine Renee Miller. Follow us on social media: @beautifulandbannedpod, @christinereneemiller, and @jessica_goudeau.

If you have questions for us, visit the "Contact Us" page on our website. If you liked our show, please rate and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere you listen to podcasts. The best way to support our podcast is to share it with your friends!

Our co-producer, Rob Heath, wrote and performed our theme music. Kalin Siegwalddesigned our logo. Jillian Benedict is our amazing podcast assistant. This is A Sisters By Different Misters Production.

Episode 3 Links:

• "The Satanic Verses," Brittanica
• "A tsunami of outrage: Salman Rushdie and The Satanic Verses," The Guardian, August 2022
• "What is a fatwa and why did Iran issue one against Salman Rushdie for The Satanic Verses in 1989?" The Independent, April 2024
• "New Jersey man is convicted of attempted murder in the stabbing of Salman Rushdie," Associated Press, February 2025
• “The Salman Rushdie Affair: Apostasy, Honor, and Freedom of Speech," M.M. Slaughter,Virginia Law Review, vol. 79, no. 1, 1993, pp. 153–204. JSTOR.

We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text to suggest books, plays, films, or guests, or just share your thoughts!

Whew, Christine has THOUGHTS in today's episode as she and Jessica discuss All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson, one of the most frequently banned books in the country. Christine makes the point that, just because a book shouldn't be banned, doesn't mean it shouldn't be critiqued. But what are the boundaries of that criticism, and how do we grapple with those questions in an age of censorship?

Please note: this episode uses explicit language in a few instances.

Join the conversation on Substack! If you'd prefer to be a Patreon subscriber, you can join now for just $3 a month. Thank you for your support! The success of this podcast depends on you!

"The Beautiful and Banned" is produced by Jessica Goudeau and Christine Renee Miller. Follow us on social media: @beautifulandbannedpod, @christinereneemiller, and @jessica_goudeau.

If you have questions for us, visit the "Contact Us" page on our website. If you liked our show, please rate and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere you listen to podcasts. The best way to support a new podcast is to share it with your friends!

Our co-producer, Rob Heath, wrote and performed our theme music. Kalin Siegwalddesigned our logo. Jillian Benedict is our amazing podcast assistant. This is A Sisters By Different Misters Production.

Episode 2 Links:

• George M. Johnson's website
• Publishers Weekly book deal announcement for their forthcoming books
• A 2022 NPR piece about the book being banned

We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text to suggest books, plays, films, or guests, or just share your thoughts!

In the first episode of season 3, Christine and Jessica ask the question that is on everyone's lips: WTF, USA? They look at the state of the country and book banning in these deeply unprecedented times--and still, as always, find both humor and hope.

We announced in this episode: you can now find us on Substack too! Sign up to join our community and support our work; you can hear episodes of "The Beautiful and Banned" there (though nothing else will change--we're still on all the same podcast sites). You can support us by pledging to "The Injustice Report," where we're including the podcast as part of Jessica's relaunched newsletter that delivers "reporting that bends the arc of justice." If you'd prefer to be a Patreon subscriber, you can join now for just $3 a month. Thank you for your support! The success of this podcast depends on you!

"The Beautiful and Banned" is produced by Jessica Goudeau and Christine Renee Miller. Follow us on social media: @beautifulandbannedpod, @christinereneemiller, and @jessica_goudeau.

If you have questions for us, visit the "Contact Us" page on our website. If you liked our show, please rate and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere you listen to podcasts. The best way to support a new podcast is to share it with your friends!

Our co-producer, Rob Heath, wrote and performed our theme music. Kalin Siegwalddesigned our logo. Jillian Benedict is our amazing podcast assistant. This is A Sisters By Different Misters Production.

Join us in two weeks as Christine and Jessica discuss All Boys Aren't Blue (March 11).

Episode 1 Links:

• From The Guardian, a look at what PEN America says about this particular moment
• January 24 notice: U.S. Department of Education Ends Biden’s Book Ban Hoax and a response from The 19th News; ALA's response: "Book bans are real"
• January 29 Executive Order: “ENDING RADICAL INDOCTRINATION IN K-12 SCHOOLING”
• Every Library's report on "Legislation of Concern"
• From Texas Freedom to Read Project's Texas Legislative Session Overview, and Frank Strong's "Anger and Clarity" newsletter: subscribe today!
• Read Jessica's latest book, We Were Illegal: Uncovering a Texas Family's Mythmaking and Migration.

We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text to suggest books, plays, films, or guests, or just share your thoughts!