Judy Blume Showed Innocence Isn't 'Forever' Even in an age of sexting and online porn, Blume's 1975 teen novel is still considered controversial. Writer J. Courtney Sullivan says she picked up Forever... for the scandal — but she stayed for the feminist lesson. At its core, the novel is about young women who make responsible choices — and have sex on their own terms.

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Judy Blume Showed Innocence Isn't 'Forever'

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MICHELE NORRIS, Host:

Author J. Courtney Sullivan has been revisiting an adolescent reading obsession about first love. To this day, Sullivan confesses she can still reread it in a single sitting and enjoy every single page. Her confession is part of our series My Guilty Pleasure, where authors recommend a book they're embarrassed to love.

COURTNEY SULLIVAN: It was 1993. I didn't know then that "Forever" had caused an uproar when it was released in 1975 or that some people called it smut or that it would go on to be one of the most banned books in America. Had I realized this, I would have read it much sooner.

NORRIS: While rereading "Forever" on the subway recently, I could feel the guy beside me skimming over my shoulder. I glanced at him. He gave me a strange look. I hardly cared.

NORRIS: J. Courtney Sullivan is the author of "Commencement."

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