Crushmore

APPLE BOOKS REVIEW

These deeply personal essays about youthful awkwardness and uncertainty are a beautiful reminder that the experiences we find the most isolating are often nearly universal. Penn Badgley, Sophie Ansari, and Nava Kavelin regularly dig into just these sorts of stories with guests like Conan O’Brien and Ariana Grande on their podcast Podcrushed. Here, the three of them candidly explore their own unique but relatable teen memories, inviting us into the big and small moments that have stuck with them the most. Sophie Ansari broke our hearts reliving the party she attended at age 11 where the texture of her curly hair made her feel like the ultimate outsider. Badgley opens up about the jarring transition from being a homeschooled introvert to a professional actor at age 12. Kavelin reveals how, even in adulthood, her mother’s death felt like the final chapter in her own coming of age. Reflective and insightful, Crushmore will leave you with greater empathy for anyone who’s gone through the harrowing ordeal of adolescence—including yourself.