Latest / Books and Box Office Besties / Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid · Books and Box Office Besties

• 0:30
  SPEAKER_01: Just love that intro.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_01: So here we are.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to Books in Box Office Besties, where we share our love for books with our besties.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_01: I'm Kim and my co-host is Wendy.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: Hi everybody.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: Today we're going to be discussing Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reed.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: But first we need to add a disclaimer.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: We're going to discuss the book Inside and Out, leaving no doubt how it ends.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: So if you read the book, no surprises, just lots of opinions.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: And if you haven't read the book, you might want to stick around and get the inside scoop before you read the book.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: The choice is yours, but we hope you stay.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: Do you think they'll stay?
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, wouldn't you, Wend?
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely, I would.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and let's get started here.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, and before we get started here, as a follow-up to our last podcast, Wendy, our super slew, found a copy of Do Black Patton Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know how she did it, but she not only found it, she actually bought two copies.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, I did, and it's not even in print anymore.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: Amazing how her superpowers works.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: It's just amazing.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, and did you know back in the day it was an off-Broadway hit?
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: It was a hilarious musical worth looking into.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: If it's still out there, I don't know.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: But if not, it's definitely a good coming-of-age book.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: And I stand behind it all the way.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: And next week, Kim will give us a recap.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_01: What?
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_01: No, I mean, yes, of course I would.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_01: Remember the last podcast?
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_01: How much it was haunting me?
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_01: It still does.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_01: Um, yes, I will be glad to.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_01: But do you want me to give you a recap through the eyes of the adolescent Kim?
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_01: Or would you rather do it through the eyes of the more mature Kim?
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_01: Is there a difference?
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_01: Well, you've known me all this time.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_01: You tell me, Wendy.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_01: Which one would you be afraid not to hear from?
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_01: I look forward to it either way.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, thank you.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_01: Well, you know what?
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_01: I think we should do a show on the first book our besties remember reading.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_01: I think this could be really interesting.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: That's a great idea.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: We could call it Do You Remember?
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: And then the besties can tell us about the first book they remember reading, why they enjoyed it, and if they would read it again.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: I can't wait to do that.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that sounds great.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: I'm glad I thought of it.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: Well, getting back to our book Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reed, did you know that it was one of the top red books in 2025?
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: No.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: After reading the book, I can definitely see why.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: It was an amazing book full of suspense, sprinkled with ambition, courage, during a time in our history that wasn't so accepting.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_01: I know, exactly.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_01: And um, I'm going to give it a little recap before we start to dive into the characters.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, but first, to help set the scene, we have to consider the time period.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_01: This is in the late 70s, early 80s.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_01: Women in the workplace held more positions, believe it or not, as admin or secretaries, you know, the kind, can you go make some coffee for me and the boys?
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_01: Well, men made more money than women doing the same job.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_01: The good old boy system was still in place, and minorities faced barriers, violence, and pay discriminations, among other things, while society suffered from homophobia.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_01: These were difficult times for marginalized groups.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_01: Well, now that we all have a good feel of what was going on back in the day, let's begin.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_01: Wendy, take it away.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, thank you.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: Our main character is Joan Goodwin.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: She grew up in a traditional family with traditional values that shaped her character.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: Whereas her sister, Barbara, was her polar opposite, dropping out of college, having a child out of wedlock, and struggling on her own, well, with Joan's assistance.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: Joan, on the other hand, was quiet, brilliant, an astronomy professor whose dream was to become an astronaut.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_00: And back in those days, it was just a dream.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: It wasn't until NASA opened up the doors and began recruiting women scientists for the space shuttle program in the late 70s and early 80s that Joan earns a coveted spot among a class of astronaut candidates.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: As she goes through her rigorous training, she forms deep friendships with the fellow astronauts, especially with Vanessa Ford.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: As Joan's confidence grows, so does an unexpected romance with fellow astronaut Vanessa.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: Due to an era's attitude towards same-sex relationships, they are forced to keep their romance a secret.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: The book alternates between her journey through NASA's program and the present-day space mission that goes terribly wrong, creating mounting suspense for the reader as the characters arrive at this pivotal point.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_00: The first chapter begins with an explosion in space.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_00: The last chapter brings us back to that explosion.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: Four of them are in the shuttle.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_00: Joan is the sole voice down in mission control.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: There's a hole somewhere in the ship, and oxygen is leaking out.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: They have seconds to find it.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: Two of the astronauts are dead.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: Lydia plugs the leak before falling unconscious.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_00: It's left to Vanessa to fix the hull and pilot the ship home in time to save Lydia.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_00: Now, can I relay the beautiful way this was written and do it justice?
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely not.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: Can we discuss how this made us feel?
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_00: That's for sure.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: I love the book.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_00: Overall, what did you think about the book, Wend?
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I absolutely love the book.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's a must-read for everybody.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: It's a good book for people who love space, science fiction, and romance.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I agree, and I'm glad you suggested it.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_01: Because I'm not really a fan of sci-fi.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_01: It's not the type of book I would have picked.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_01: Plus, the cover of the book was a turnoff for me, if I'm being totally honest.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_01: But I'm so glad that you suggested it because I absolutely loved it.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_01: It was a simple, beautiful book that told and explained a little bit about our society at that day in time.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I know the cover's a little out there.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: I wasn't crazy about it either, but if I went by the covers of the books, I would have missed a lot of great books.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: So, Kim, how did you feel about the alternating timeline and did it increase the suspense for you?
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_01: Oh gosh, yes, it did.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_01: As the story unfolds perfectly, the suspense constantly builds.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know how the author did it, but she did it.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_01: Both in Joan's private life and her professional life, because obviously her private life with Vanessa is suspense itself back in the day.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_01: And then her professional life, you know, is she is she gonna handle it?
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_01: So yes, I do think.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_01: How about you?
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I generally don't like an alternating timeline, but I think it works well in building suspense in this particular book.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: And when it gets made into a movie, uh huh.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_00: It will work very well.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: So actually, I can't imagine how it would work without the alternating timeline.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_00: Which was more compelling for you?
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_01: Um the love story or more of the NASA storyline?
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_00: Well, that's a difficult question for me because I love a good sci-fi.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: I loved The Martian, Apollo 13, Project Hail Mary, but I also enjoy a good romance, and this was both.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_01: Are you sure it's not the Ryan Gosling talking in you?
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_01: Or is it really the sci-fi talking in you?
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_01: We know how you feel about that one.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_01: I think it's a little of both.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_01: Is he on your Christmas card list?
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_01: Is he one of your personal friends like Matthew McConaughey?
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_01: No, no, we're working on it though.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_01: We're working on it.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_01: You would have okay.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_01: You heard it first here.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: All right, we're working on it.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_00: The best friends are always last to know.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: Have you noticed that, Besties?
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: Would you say that this book is more romance or sci-fi centered, though?
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_01: Um, hard to say.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_01: I would okay, yes.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_01: The more I think about it, I would say it's about 75% romance and 30% sci-fi.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_01: It was just this beautiful clandestine love affair between two humans.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, looking back at it, you think, oh, how ridiculous.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_01: You know, they were so private about everything.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_01: But it was a beautiful relationship.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, it's not spicy, it's not dirty, it's not trashy.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_01: It was just a beautiful story set in the historical time period that not only frowned upon it, but it could cost you your career, your family, friends, and maybe your life.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_01: And while all this is building up, Joan and the other female astronauts are making history by being one of the first females to be in the NASA program and go to outer space.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, the pressure was definitely on them.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: They were like a bug under the microscope, and everyone was watching.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: One slip-up could ruin it for the future of women in the program.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: You might even say they were held to higher standards than the men.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, of course, isn't it always that way?
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_01: So between the love, the breaking of the old glass ceiling, and they had a lot on the line, wouldn't you say?
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, yes, absolutely.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, do you think it accurately reflects the challenges that women faced in the early 1980s?
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_00: Yes and no.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_01: I think if you were born in that time period, you'd understand what they were going through.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_01: And that is kind of why I gave that little recap on society in the 70s, 80s for those besties who weren't here yet.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_01: But honestly, the author could have just written a little bit more about the barriers the women were facing in that time period and the space program.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_01: So she touched on it.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_01: I think she did a good job, but there was so much more she could have said.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_00: But obviously, she did it.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_00: Well, yeah, she did write about some of those barriers.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, but I mean that she could have added a little bit more.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_01: Say, like the Sally Ryder being the first woman in space program in the late 70s, or the first Japanese American, the African American, and so forth in the space program.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_01: And it would have been interesting to see how much women scientists made compared to men.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_01: I know I should have Googled it before we did this podcast, it just kind of struck me now, but I live in the moment.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_01: Anyways, I know I may be getting off on a rant.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_01: Obviously, the author did the right thing, and the book was a huge success.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_01: So yes, everything was good.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_01: How about you, Wend?
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_01: What do you think?
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_01: 50-50, 60-40, romance sci-fi.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, what percentage would you give it if you had to add that to the book?
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, I'll talk about the romance a little.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_00: I think the book for me was pretty much 50-50.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_00: And again, like I said, that was perfect because I love books about going into outer space, but obviously I love a romance.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, who doesn't?
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_00: But I think Joan continued to grow into her own, and especially because of the romance.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um, remember prior to entering the program, she was more of a recluse, she was a little bit of a nerd.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_00: The only passion she really had was for the stars.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: She didn't have an interest in a relationship.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_00: She even thought, how could a person possibly be in a committed relationship?
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, she never had one.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_00: It was so foreign to her.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_00: It wasn't until she was kind of forced into a team with the other like-minded people.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: She felt safe and the people respected her that she started bonding with her team and her relationship started taking shape with Vanessa.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: She learned that vulnerability isn't a weakness.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: I think it enhanced her as a person and she grew.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_00: Although, saying that, I guess it wasn't just the romance, it was the space program and the romance both together.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, well said, Wendy.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_01: I would agree with that.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_01: And I I also want to point out one other thing.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_01: It wasn't until she was interacting with her team, and particularly Vanessa, that she realized that she was attracted to Vanessa.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think she really knew who she was until she got more interactive with humans in general.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_01: What do you think, Wend?
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_00: I really think the space program and getting such strong bonds with these people, and like I said before, her feeling safe and accepted that really helped her form this relationship and stirring.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, but I think it also was able for her to let her guard down, even though she didn't really know why her guard was up.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_01: But being in that relationship with other people, other like-minded people, people accepted her for who she was, a brilliant astronomer, right?
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_01: So did you have, or I should ask, who is your favorite character?
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_00: Well, are we talking main characters or supporting characters?
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_00: Because if we're talking main characters, obviously I would say Joan.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_00: But we both would.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_01: How about your one stood out to you?
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_01: Put it that way.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: The one that stood out to me most would be Frances, who was her niece.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that she was the missing piece that made family for Joan.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_00: I think she grounded Joan.
• 13:50
  SPEAKER_00: But I also think that Francis needed Joan, especially when her mother sort of left her to her own devices, and then Joan stepped in and became a mother to her.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_01: And I just I think that's I think that's interesting because it seems like Joan has more motherly instincts than her sister.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_00: She absolutely did.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_00: And and you know, I her sister Barbara, she wasn't a horrible person, she just she was Barbara, you know, she just wanted she had her child, young, she and she was the baby of the family, and she was always everybody always gave in to her.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_00: And I just think Frances brought out a lot in a lot of people though, because Vanessa loved Frances, people on her team loved her, and I feel like Frances, her niece, helped bond the team together a little bit.
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_00: It helped her keep her relationship going with her sister.
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_00: I think Frances was a good supporting character.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_00: From that perspective, I would have to agree.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_01: Joan didn't really have a choice.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_01: Well, yes, she did.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_01: She did have a choice, but you know, Joan being the very responsible one and caring, and apparently the most the more maternal instincts than her own sister.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, I agree with that.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_01: But for me, the supporting actor, I mean the actor, the character, I've already got this on the big screen, people.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_01: Let me tell you.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_01: And Anne Hathaway is gonna be in here.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_01: We'll let you guess when she's gonna play.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so, anyways, I I think for me, uh, I think that I would have to say it's Vanessa.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_01: Just think about it.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_01: If she never met Vanessa, I'm not sure she would be as open.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_01: Would she be happy?
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_01: Would she be comfortable in her own skin?
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_01: And would she be a real team player?
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_01: I just don't know.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_01: I think that Vanessa brought so much out of her.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_01: So, and and I and I think that her and Vanessa were actually soulmates.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_01: I would agree with that.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_01: So, what do you think about Joan as a person, Wend?
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I think Joan brings a lot to the table.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_00: Her ambition was always innate since she was a child.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_00: She strived to be the best.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: But what I think really helped Joan shape her ambition in a positive direction was the advice she received from her own mom when she was younger.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_00: What was that?
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_00: Well, when Joan was young, she was the smartest in the class until one day a new boy came into class who was almost as smart as her.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_00: Almost.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, he's probably gonna make more money than her, too, in the future.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_00: Probably.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_00: He just needed a little more help and he asked Joan for help.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_00: And she was always helping everybody, but Joan told him no because she was afraid that he would do better than her.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_00: Now, when Joan went home and told her mom, her mom gave her this advice.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_00: She said, if you're going to be proud of yourself for being generous, you have to do it even if you might lose something.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_00: You have to have something on the line for it to be called character, and you see that play out throughout her entire life.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_00: That is so true.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_01: That is probably why Joan is a good team player and is always the first one to be called on to do a space mission.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_01: Which, if you remember, her colleague Lydia was very upset.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_01: Lydia even confronted Joan.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_01: Why did you get picked and not me?
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_01: Did Joan get upset or say, ha ha?
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_01: No, she took the high ground and basically told her what you just said.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_01: I just love that about Joan, how she helps lift people up.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_01: And after that in the book, and the little conversation that they had after she spelled it out for Lydia, she hugged her.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, Joan was really inclusive.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_00: She she was definitely a great character.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_00: Kim, what was your favorite part of the book?
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_01: Oh my gosh, I thought you never asked.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, there are so many ways to answer that, but off the top of my head, I would have to say the very last page.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_01: Because after crying my eyes out and thinking, why did I even read this book and sobbing?
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_01: Then it all fell together in the very last page.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_01: I can't ask for anything more or anything less from the author.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_01: It was just perfect.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_01: And seriously, I really was crying boo-boo tears.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_01: I just get so emotionally attached to my characters.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_00: I told you we didn't do it justice when we read about the last part of the book.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, you absolutely have to read this book.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_01: If you want, we'll even send you a complimentary box of tissues.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_01: Um hey Wendy, what did you think about it?
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_00: Well, my favorite part of the book is a little bit different than yours.
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_00: I really like the part where the team was required to parasail.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_00: I think it was parasailing, and then they had to unhook something.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_00: They were actually parasailing behind a boat.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_00: They had to unhook when they were several hundred feet above the water, and then fall to the water, inflate a raft, crawl up onto the raft, and give a thumbs up.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_00: And that was uh, and for an abonus adrenaline rush, you get to talk to your team about how many sharks are in the water, but don't worry, you won't see them coming, you know.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_00: And it was, I mean my gosh, she was so scared.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_00: They were all scared.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_00: And again, this is possibly they could die trying this because other candidates have died in in their training, or they could get kicked out of the program for not trying at all.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_00: Not really sure if that's a choice.
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_00: If you ask me, do or die, exactly.
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_00: But her ambition and wanting to be a role model for her niece gave her the confidence to do it, and she did it, she got it right on the first go.
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_00: And what she said after that, she said, My God, what else can I do?
• 19:33
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, doesn't that say something about her about human inner strength that people don't know what they have?
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_00: Do we all know what we're capable of?
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, to me, that was just very, very profound.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_01: Enlightening.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_01: That's I would have to agree with that.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_01: It's very enlightening.
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_01: A lot of people don't know what they're capable of until pushed to the limits.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I don't know if I could have done that.
• 19:57
  SPEAKER_01: My limits, I think, are set a lot lower.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_00: I think you would have given it a good try.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I think I think we you may have been talking to me in the hereafter.
• 20:08
  unknown: Uh you're right.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_01: I cried the pressure.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_01: I'd probably try, but doesn't mean I was gonna make it.
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_01: Um, yeah, so I think it was just such a beautiful, beautiful book, and I agree with you.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, I hope everybody reads this book.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_01: Wendy, are there any final words here?
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_01: Um no, I think that's good for me.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_00: How about you, Kim?
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_01: I would love to interview the author and talk to her about her writing style because she doesn't overdo it one way or the other.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_01: Her book, it wasn't trashy, it wasn't like, oh, 50 shades of gray.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_01: No, it was such a good book.
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_01: It was an easy read.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_01: And I just I mean, I have read other books, and some authors will throw everything at the end of the book, like, oh, I'm gonna turn this, which doesn't even add to the book, but everything this author did was beautifully written.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and the suspense, I mean, she kept the suspense going, both on the personal side and on her professional side.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_01: So I hope all of our besties read this book and and let us know what you think of it.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_00: And oh, you know what?
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_00: I lied.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_00: I do have one more thing to say.
• 21:23
  SPEAKER_00: There is another podcast out there.
• 21:26
  SPEAKER_00: It's called Bookish University, and the host is Dr.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_00: Amanda, and she's a professor of communication, and she did a whole podcast on Taylor Jenkins Reed.
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_00: So if you like this author as much as we did, because we also read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, I believe it was called, which it was also a very good book.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's what put her on the map.
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_00: If you like this author, definitely listen to Bookish University.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_00: It was a great, great podcast, but that's it.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_01: Um, well, in that case, boom, bada boom, boom.
• 22:01
  SPEAKER_01: Do you know what time it is now?
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_01: Wendy, how would you rate this book out of five popcorns?
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_01: Five being excellent.
• 22:08
  unknown: Pop pop pop pop.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_00: I would definitely give this book five popcorns.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, now Wendy, can we justify that?
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_00: I think everything we just said justifies that.
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_01: This was oh, true, true, true.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, put it this way.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_01: Let's have a standard.
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_01: Would well we know that one too.
• 22:25
  SPEAKER_01: Would you recommend this to your mom to read?
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, I think my mom would like this book.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_00: I do.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, that's it.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_00: And I can't actually I can't wait to see the movie because we know it got picked up.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_00: And uh, but here's the thing we didn't talk about.
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_00: Do you think the movie will do it justice?
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_01: No, I don't think so.
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I can't imagine how it could.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, read the book.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_01: Just read the book.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_01: If you're gonna go to if you want to know what the it's about, read the book first before you go to the movies.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_01: That's all I can say.
• 22:57
  SPEAKER_00: I agree with that.
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_00: We'll see what how many popcorns we give the movie when it comes out.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_01: So the other thing too is how I judge a book.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you're probably wondering how I'm rating this.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_01: I would give this a five-two because yes, A, I would recommend it.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_01: And B, I think I was up till like 2 30 in the morning.
• 23:18
  SPEAKER_01: I had to finish it.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_01: I just couldn't put it down.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_01: So when you come across the book that you are excited about, you want to tell your besties about, and you can't put down.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_01: And trust me, I love to sleep.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_00: So definitely I would that's a good reason to give it five popcorns.
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_00: If it keeps you up at night, it definitely is a five popcorn book.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_01: I know that we need our sleep, trust me.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_01: That's right.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, Wendy, take it away with closing.
• 23:46
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 23:46
  SPEAKER_00: Well, besties, this was fun, but it's time to bid ado.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_00: We've just completed podcast number three, and we're starting to get past some of our hiccups.
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_00: If you would like to contact us, we can't wait to hear what our besties have to say on this one.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_00: You can contact us or give us a jingle at books and box office besties at gmail.com or on Facebook and on Instagram, same name.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_01: And I think please share and follow and tell your friends.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_01: Bread the tea.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_01: We can't wait to hear from you.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_01: So we're gonna let you slide out with this beepop going on.
• 24:25
  SPEAKER_00: Yep, this outro that Kim loves.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_00: You can be bop to the outro.
• 24:29
  unknown: Yeah.