Is 'Yesteryear' worth the hype? This book club episode digs into the buzz
This preview is based on the published show notes, not the full audio. The episode centers on Caro Claire Burke’s debut novel “Yesteryear,” its viral premise, and whether the book lives up to the attention surrounding it.
Based on the show notes, this episode of the Book Review Book Club is a timely pick for listeners curious about one of the season’s most talked-about novels. Host MJ Franklin is joined by Jennifer Harlan and Joumana Khatib to discuss **“Yesteryear,”** Caro Claire Burke’s debut about Natalie Heller Mills, a tradwife influencer whose carefully curated online persona collapses when she is suddenly transported to 1855. The setup alone suggests a conversation that could appeal to listeners interested in internet performance, gender roles, conservative Christian branding, and the gap between public image and private reality. The notes frame the novel as both a satire of influencer culture and a speculative what-if: what happens when someone who profits from romanticizing the past is forced to actually live in it? If you’re deciding whether to listen, the main draw here seems to be the episode’s central question: **does the novel live up to the hype?** The show notes emphasize just how much attention the book has received, from a film adaptation in development with Anne Hathaway to a “Good Morning America” Book Club selection and a run on The Times best-seller list. That makes this episode sound especially useful for listeners who want a critical conversation before picking up the book themselves. The notes also mention several other titles discussed in the episode, including **“Gone Girl,” “The Power,”** and **“Eileen,”** which hints at broader literary comparisons and context. If you enjoy book-club style debate around buzzy fiction, this looks like a strong candidate.
About this episode
<p>“Yesteryear,” Caro Claire Burke’s debut novel, tells the story of Natalie Heller Mills: an ultrasuccessful tradwife influencer who posts about her life on Yesteryear Ranch, a homestead where she grows her own food, tends to cows and chickens, raises her six children and models a particular brand of conservative Christian womanhood. But not all is as it seems. Behind the cameras, nannies care for the children, Natalie shops for the types of groceries she decries online, she detests her husband with his manosphere beliefs, and she’s on the cusp of being exposed by a rogue video producer.</p> <p>One day she wakes up and discovers she has been transported to 1855, forced to live the pioneer persona she has been performing online. How did she get there? How can she escape? And what does her misery mean about the lifestyle she has embraced for profit?</p> <p>"Yesteryear" was met with fanfare after it was published in April. Even before the book was released, it was scooped up for <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/07/anne-hathaway-yesteryear-movie-amazon-mgm-caro-claire-burke-1236027903/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a film adaptation that Anne Hathaway</a> is set to star in and produce. The novel was selected as <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/07/anne-hathaway-yesteryear-movie-amazon-mgm-caro-claire-burke-1236027903/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a “Good Morning America” Book Club pick</a>; Burke appeared on “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGrMt2bFy1g" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Late Night With Seth Meyers</a>”; and the book has spent more than a month on The Times’s best-seller list.</p> <p>Everyone, it seems, is talking about “Yesteryear.” But does it live up to the hype? On this episode of the Book Review Book Club, the host MJ Franklin discusses the book with his colleagues Jennifer Harlan and Joumana Khatib.</p> <p><strong>Other books mentioned in this episode:</strong></p> <ul> <li>“Running Out of Time,” by Margaret Peterson Haddix</li> <li>“Gone Girl,” by Gillian Flynn</li> <li>“The Power,” by Naomi Alderman</li> <li>“Eileen,” by Ottessa Moshfegh</li> <li>“The Compound,” by Aisling Rawle</li> <li>“Hot Girls With Balls,” by Benedict Nguyen</li> <li>“Just Watch Me,” by Lior Torenberg</li> <li>“A Good Person,” by Kirsten King</li> <li>“The Guest,” by Emma Cline</li> </ul> <p>Subscribe today at <a href="http://nytimes.com/podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer">nytimes.com/podcasts</a> or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher</a>. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.</p> <p><p>Subscribe today at <a href="http://nytimes.com/podcasts">nytimes.com/podcasts</a> or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher">https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher</a>. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.</p></p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>