38: A PLACE FOR US with Brandon Wolf

38: A PLACE FOR US with Brandon Wolf

Author: Jennifer Taub & Politicon LLC August 13, 2023 Duration: 57:57
Brandon Wolf, author of the memoir A Place for Us joins Jen on Booked Up today. Brandon is a survivor of the 2016 horric domestic terror attack at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida where his best friends, Drew Leinonen and Juan Guerrero, and 47 others were murdered. Brandon has honored the victims’ legacies with action, advocating for LGTBQ+ civil rights and gun-safety reform. Today Brandon is the press secretary for Equality Florida. 

Brandon’s memoir is beautifully-written and incredibly moving. Here’s just one expression of glowing praise for A Place for Us. Joy Reid, host of TheReidOut said “One of the most powerful voices of his generation, Brandon Wolf tells a story of race, place, and the sturggle for belonging that will drive you to tears and expand your capacity for hope, as well as your appreciation for the power of community. A true inspiration.”

You may also know Brandon from his newspaper opinion pieces and as a contributor on MSNBC’s The ReidOut and on American Voices with Alicia Menendez. 



Contact Booked Up:
You can email Jen & the Booked Up team at: BOOKEDUP@POLITICON.COM or by writing to: 

BOOKED UP 
P.O. BOX 147
NORTHAMPTON, MA 01061

Get More from Brandon Wolf:
Website | Author of A PLACE FOR US


Get More from Jen Taub:
taubjen on Threads| Money & Gossip  Substack | Author of BIG DIRTY MONEY 



For anyone who’s ever finished a great book and immediately wanted to dissect it with a smart friend, Booked Up with Jen Taub is that conversation. Hosted by author and legal commentator Jennifer Taub, this podcast digs into the ideas, arguments, and narratives shaping our world, all through the lens of what we’re reading. It’s less a formal book review and more a lively, critical exploration. Episodes weave together themes from politics, culture, and current events, treating books as vital source material for understanding the bigger picture. You’ll hear Taub’s insightful commentary and analysis, often drawing connections between an author’s work and the real-world issues it illuminates. The discussion feels urgent and relevant, whether tackling a new release or a classic with renewed significance. Listening to this podcast is like joining a book club where the conversation is always sharp, informed, and unafraid to challenge conventional wisdom. It’s for readers, thinkers, and anyone curious about the power of stories to explain our complicated present.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 59

Booked Up with Jen Taub
Podcast Episodes
59: Sgt. Aquillino Gonell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:06
Today nearly three years after the attack on the US Capitol my guest is American hero, Aquillino Gonell, author of the new book American Shield: The Immigrant Sergeant Who Defended Democracy. You know Staff Sergeant Gone…
58: Norman Lear: Even This I Get to Experience [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:36
Welcome back to Booked Up, a podcast that features you, me and our favorite authors. We release a new episode every Sunday morning. Today for the December book club, we are discussing Norman Lear, the Hollywood legend wh…
57: THE OCTOPUS IN THE PARKING GARAGE with Rob Verchick [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:47
Rob Verchick, author of the award-winning new book, The Octopus in the Parking Garage: A Call for Climate Resilience is Jen’s guest today. Why this unusual title? As he describes: “One morning in Miami Beach, an unexpect…
55: Chuck Collins on ALTAR TO AN ERUPTING SUN [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:05
Chuck Collins, author of several works of nonfiction including The Wealth Hoarders: How Billionaires Pay Millions to Hide Trillions is Jen’s guest today. They mostly discuss his debut novel, Altar to an Erupting Sun, a n…
54: Orly Lobel on THE EQUALITY MACHINE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:26
Today Jen’s guest is Orly Lobel, author of the recent book THE EQUALITY MACHINE: Harnessing Digital Technology for a Brighter, More Inclusive Future. Orly just sold the film rights to her book on Barbie to CBS Studios. T…
53: THE WOMAN IN ME by Britney Spears [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:12
For our special book club episode today, we are discussing the new bestselling memoir – THE WOMAN IN ME by pop icon Britney Spears. As you know, Britney is a multiplatinum, Grammy-Award winning entertainer. She has sold…
52: Taylor Lorenz is EXTREMELY ONLINE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:40
Today Jen’s guest is Taylor Lorenz, author of the new book, Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet. Together they discussed many topics including the controversy around mommy blo…
51: Andrea Chalupa on DICTATORSHIP IS EASY [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:23
Today Jen’s guest is journalist, filmmaker, author, and activist Andrea Chalupa. You know Andrea from her award-winning podcast Gaslit Nation that she founded with Sarah Kendzior. Fake populism. Demonizing the press. Sca…
50: Illeana Douglas on CONNECTICUT IN THE MOVIES [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:01
Film star Illeana Douglas is Jen’s guest today. Ileana is the author of the gorgeous new book: Connecticut in the Movies: From Dream Houses to Dark Suburbia. This spans around 100 years from the silent film era up throug…