Becoming an author has fulfilled a lifelong dream for Jennifer Wright. The Glencoe, Illinois Native, and St. John’s College grad published her first book, “It Ended Badly,” in 2015. In 2017, she released two more books, “Get Well Soon,” and “Killer Fashion,” and in 2019 published another called “We Came First.” When she’s not writing novels, Jennifer hosts Popcorn Book Club, a podcast featured by IHeartRadio. The former editor-at-large for Harper’s Bazaar has also contributed to The Washington Post, The New York Times, The New York Post, The New York Observer, Time Out New York, and many others.
While many people struggle with writing at such a young age, for Jennifer it came naturally.
“I think as early as fifth grade, teachers decided for me that writing was my “thing.” I won a bunch of literary prizes in school, other kids went to me for help on English homework, in high school my English teacher read one of my papers and informed the class that writing would be my profession, as though it were a foregone conclusion. I loved that. I think all kids are looking to define themselves, and it was nice to be known for something and get positive reinforcement from authority figures.”
She decided to attend St. John’s College for her undergraduate degree in Liberal Arts due to their unconventional teaching methods. So much of someone’s engagement in history correlates to how it’s presented. However, St. John’s tells history through primary sources, instead of through your standard textbook. Much is the same when reading Jennifer’s work, instead of focusing solely on the monotonous details, her work hones into the personalities of history’s people.
With a style that separates her from her peers, Jennifer understands that some of the most eccentric people are often the ones at the front lines of history. Her style uniquely blends these historical individuals with current events forming a modern retrospective. Originating this style during her weekly “Shelved Dolls” columns at the now-defunct TheGloss.com. This way of writing brought the stories of forgotten women from the past to life. These pieces flourished at TheGloss.com and would serve as a precursor to the lively tone you can now find in her books.
“People in the past weren’t aware they were living in the past. They did not always speak eloquently and dole out wise advice. I want them to seem as human as possible, and not put them on pedestals, because they were so terribly human. Which, of course, doesn’t mean they don’t offer a lot of advice and perspective on our own times — just that they shouldn’t be fundamentally intimidating by virtue of having lived in the past. I hope that taking a lighter tone when writing about them means that people who want to read something fun and gossipy will be more inclined to learn more about history. History really is just composed of people, and people are funny.”
Taking the basis of her “Shelved Dolls” editorials and expanding that notion, Jennifer’s books would become a reimagining of what the modern history book should aspire to be. Derived from primary sources, her work flaunts historical personalities for what they truly were. In 2015, Jennifer released her first book, “It Ended Badly,” where she would explore some of history’s most notorious breakups, packed with uprisings, and other gruesome repercussions. In 2017, she released two more books, “Killer Fashion,” and “Get Well Soon.” In “Killer Fashion,” she would recount some of the ghastliest betrayals of clothing imaginable. And fitting to the circumstances of our current day in 2017, Jennifer would invite her readers to “We Came First,” a retelling of some of history’s worst outbreaks and the ones who fought them. In 2019, her novel titled, “We Came First,” told the stories of some of history’s most cunning women as they enrich your life with their proficient relationship advice. All four books heavily feature Wright’s distinct voice, while simultaneously promoting the individual’s personage.
As an advocate for social issues, Jennifer uses her audience to draw attention to the struggles that are affecting those without a voice. Approaching today’s issues with an array of thoughtfulness and compassion, subsequently, from reading her work, her audience gains strengthening insight. Some of her recent stories feature A History of Conspiracy Theories in America, A look to the Past When Studying Pandemics, How Every Abortion is a Medical Essential, and many more.
“I recently saw a tweet that said the COVID response is like watching someone fail an open-notes test, and I feel that really strongly. It’s pretty frustrating to write a book like Get Well Soon, which is all about how leaders and civilians who responded well or poorly to outbreaks of diseases in the past and then see leaders today choose all of the worst approaches. There’s another quote I like that says “Those who fail to study the past are condemned to repeat it. Those who do study the past are condemned to sit around and watch everyone else repeat it.”
As Jennifer brings once dead tales back to life, she further educates her readers on the difficulties of today. She is an author advocating for democracy and knowledge. You can find Jennifer speaking frequently on these issues, as she hosts panels at schools, museums, and bookstores, along with other venues. Her thought-provoking work invites readers to thoroughly analyze their lives and those around them. If more authors wrote with the passion Jennifer channels into her work, the world would be a more thoughtful place.
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