Yesteryear: Tradwives, Time Travel and the Performance of Modern Womanhood

 Yesteryear: Tradwives, Time Travel and the Performance of Modern Womanhood What if the life you've always dreamed about wasn't quite what you imagined? Yesteryear has become one of the most talked-about books of the year, captivating readers with its thought-provoking premise while sparking passionate conversations about motherhood, marriage, feminism, social media and the growing tradwife movement. In this episode, I'm joined by a good friend of The Grown-Up Girls Report, Mandy Newman. Mandy is an author, a teacher, and a fabulous thinker. I absolutely love talking books with Mandy because she's incredibly thoughtful, asks brilliant questions, and always notices things I've completely missed. It's so lovely to have her back. Together, we unpack Caro Claire Burke's debut novel and explore why it has struck such a chord. We discuss the rise of tradwife influencers, the pressure to perform our lives online, and whether we're really longing for the past—or simply searching for certainty, community and meaning in an increasingly complicated world. Along the way, we explore the novel's biggest ideas, the questions it raises about modern womanhood, and why it has resonated so strongly with readers around the world. Because perhaps Yesteryear isn't really a novel about time travel at all. Perhaps it's a story about the roles we play, the expectations we carry, and the versions of ourselves we present to the world. Whether you've already read Yesteryear or you're simply curious about the conversations surrounding it, we'd love you to join us. Alex xx Main Topics Covered • Why Yesteryear became one of the year's biggest books • Caro Claire Burke's inspiration for the novel • The rise of the tradwife movement and why it resonates with so many women • Natalie: heroine, villain or victim? • Motherhood, marriage and the invisible expectations placed on women • The impact of social media on identity and authenticity • Performance versus reality in our online and offline lives • The novel's themes of nostalgia, faith, feminism and modern womanhood • Why Yesteryear has generated such passionate discussion among readers • The question at the heart of the novel: Does life influence the performance, or does the performance eventually become life? Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome back and today's book club discussion 00:45 – Introducing Mandy Newman 02:15 – Why Yesteryear has become such a cultural phenomenon 04:45 – Meet the author: Caro Claire Burke 08:00 – What exactly is a tradwife? 12:00 – The premise of Yesteryear 16:00 – Natalie: heroine, villain or victim? 22:00 – Motherhood, marriage and impossible expectations 27:30 – Social media, performance and authenticity 32:30 – Feminism, faith and modern womanhood 36:30 – Why readers have connected so strongly with Yesteryear 40:00 – Final thoughts, ratings and recommendations Resources & Links • Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke • Hannah Neeleman from Ballerina Farm • Nara Smith • Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke (Disney +) Key Takeaways • Consider the roles you perform in your own life—and whether they reflect who you really are. • Ask yourself whether we're longing for the past, or simply for more certainty, connection and simplicity. • Reflect on how social media shapes the way we see ourselves and one another. • Remember that behind every carefully curated life is a far more complicated human story.  Want more from The Grown-Up Girls Report? Follow along and join the conversation:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegrownupgirlsreport/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegrownupgirlsreport/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thegrownupgirlsreport🎧 Subscribe so you never miss an episode.