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Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger
In Defense of the Preppy (w/ Lisa Birnbach)
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In Defense of the Preppy (w/ Lisa Birnbach)

Author of The Official Preppy Handbook gives insights into the book’s origins and implications

Lisa Birnbach is the author of over 20 books, including The Official Preppy Handbook, a cultural phenomenon from the early 1980s.

The book sold more than a million copies and has been cited as an inspiration to the founder of J. Crew and is thought to have boosted the growth of LL Bean. In "T.O.P.H.," Birnbach celebrated, skewered, and democratized the concept of preppiness, with writing the New York Times described as “affectionate but acerbic.” Upon re-visiting the book, I found her reflections on money, fashion, status, and the social hierarchy as insightful and hilarious today as they were forty years ago.

In this thoroughly enjoyable interview, we talk about the preppy aesthetic, Connecticut, and how the world has (and hasn’t) changed since she launched this juggernaut into being. Celebrated for her keen eye and sharp wit, Lisa Birnbach is an award-winning journalist, cultural commentator, and bestselling author. She has written for The New York Times, The New Yorker, Parade, Rolling Stone, and New York magazine. You should check out her podcast, "5 Things with Lisa Birnbach." Lisa spoke to me from her home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

See more about Lisa here: lisabirnbach.com

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