Satire: writing just below "over-the-top" with Jane Roper Episode 364

<p>The book is <em>The Society of Shame</em><em> </em>and one of the many, many ways you can tell it’s satire is that it keeps making people who don’t get it mad. Satire is fiction, hopped up on humor and then amped up by all the things that seem like they couldn't quite happen and yet you know they might. (Another commonality of good satire? The most outrageous bits are often the ones that come straight from the headlines. </p><p>The author is Jane Roper, who is also the author of a memoir, <em>Double Time: How I Survived–and Mostly Thrived–Through the First Three Years of Mothering Twins</em>, another novel, <em>Eden Lake</em>, numerous personal essays and humor pieces, and a very eclectic Substack, <em>Jane’s Calamity</em>. </p><p>She MAY be the first graduate of the famous <a target="_blank" href="https://writersworkshop.uiowa.edu/">Iowa Writer’s Workshop</a> to appear on the pod, and we talk about that, as well as the parenting memoir ghetto. But mostly we’re focused on satire—what it is, how it’s really playing with fire, and why it still needs heart. </p><p><strong>A few other satires mentioned:</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/a/1183/9780544704831">Dietland</a>, Sarai Walker</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/a/1183/9781982156190">The Startup Wife</a>, Tahmima Anam</p><p><strong>#AmReading</strong></p><p><strong>Jane:</strong> <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/a/1183/9780593542781">The One</a>, Julia Argy</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/a/1183/9780778333425">Daughters of Nantucket</a>, Julie Gerstenblatt</p><p><strong>KJ:</strong> <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/a/1183/9780358677888">Ms. Demeanor</a>, Elinor Lipman</p><p>Find Jane on Instagram - <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/writerjaneroper/">@writerjaneroper</a></p><p></p><p>If you love a good writing retreat—especially one that comes with good solid coaching and the chance to meet others who are working on similar projects—here’s one to check