Butts: A Backstory
by Heather Radke
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21:30
Frank Buckley interviews author Heather Radke via video call
1K
13
Feb, 2023
Spoiler:
Interviewer Frank Buckley reads aloud a biographical passage from Radke’s book that he found “heartbreaking,” to which the author responds with a bit of cultural history: that growing up in the 90s in a primarily-white suburb of Lansing, Michigan, the “in” body was not a J. Lo or Kardashian type but instead a Kate Moss look. In writing the book, she wanted to explore self-image, cultural beauty norms, and how butts eventually went mainstream. She notes, however, that we could have the same conversations about almost any body part.
34:20
Esquire fiction editor and author present live at bookstore plus Q&A
664
8
Dec, 2022
Spoiler:
Appearing at a book signing that was also live-streamed on YouTube, author Heather Radke starts by reading the opening passage of her new book. Adrienne Westenfeld, Esquire’s Books and Fiction Editor, accompanies Radke, asking questions about the book’s themes and inception. Covering a range of topics, from the Buns of Steel workout craze to archeological labels such as calling big-hipped figurines “fertility goddesses,” Radke reflects on her journey and responds to audience questions at the end.
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Publications
The New York Times: ‘Butts: A Backstory’ Tells Us to Take Them Seriously
The Washington Post: Go ahead and giggle. ‘Butts’ is a serious look at women’s backsides.
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