Isn't She Fictional

About Isn't She Fictional

Isn't She Fictional is a bookish podcast for readers who love fiction and non-fiction. Each episode features a book recommendation, then discusses a related topic.

Publisher

Meghan Valentina

Category

arts

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

16 Jun 2026

Latest episode

17 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

6 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   17 Jul 2026

   J.M. Barrie, The Man Who Created Peter Pan (P2)

   In the final episode of season one of Isn't She Fictional and our two-part episode on J.M. Barrie, we conclude our exploration of the life and times of the man who created Peter Pan. Book Link- https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/darling-girl-a-novel-of-peter-pan_liz-michalski/29236962/?resultid=94fbf1e0-87c4-4cf7-8440-0c1ac181631d#edition=66092497&idiq=61584018 (https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/darling-girl-a-novel-of-peter-pan_liz-michalski/29236962/?resultid=94fbf1e0-87c4-4cf7-8440-0c1ac181631d#edition=66092497&idiq=61584018) Sources- • Hide and Seek with Angels. A Life of J.M. Barrie. The Author of Peter Pan. by Lisa Chaney. St. Martin’s Press. New York. 2005. • https://www.biography.com/authors-writers/jm-barrie (https://www.biography.com/authors-writers/jm-barrie) • http://neverpedia.com/pan/Barrie_family#google_vignette (http://neverpedia.com/pan/Barrie_family#google_vignette) • https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e2-97c7-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99 (https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e2-97c7-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99) • https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/11/22/lost-boys (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/11/22/lost-boys) • https://jmbarrie.co.uk/search?category=documents (https://jmbarrie.co.uk/search?category=documents)

2. 

   14 Jul 2026

   J.M. Barrie, The Man Who Created Peter Pan (P1)

   In episode five of Isn't She Fictional, our book, Darling Girl by Liz Michalski, a retelling of the classic Peter Pan, leads us to a two-part visit to the immense, at times tragic and controversial, life of James Matthew Barrie, the man who created Peter Pan. Book Link- https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/darling-girl-a-novel-of-peter-pan_liz-michalski/29236962/?resultid=94fbf1e0-87c4-4cf7-8440-0c1ac181631d#edition=66092497&idiq=61584018 (https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/darling-girl-a-novel-of-peter-pan_liz-michalski/29236962/?resultid=94fbf1e0-87c4-4cf7-8440-0c1ac181631d#edition=66092497&idiq=61584018) Sources- • Hide and Seek with Angels. A Life of J.M. Barrie. The Author of Peter Pan. by Lisa Chaney. St. Martin’s Press. New York. 2005. • https://www.biography.com/authors-writers/jm-barrie (https://www.biography.com/authors-writers/jm-barrie) • http://neverpedia.com/pan/Barrie_family#google_vignette (http://neverpedia.com/pan/Barrie_family#google_vignette) • https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e2-97c7-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99 (https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e2-97c7-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99) • https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/11/22/lost-boys (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/11/22/lost-boys) • https://jmbarrie.co.uk/search?category=documents (https://jmbarrie.co.uk/search?category=documents)

3. 

   7 Jul 2026

   The Steven Callahan Story: 76 Days Lost at Sea

   Inspired by our book recommendation, Life of Pi by Yann Martel, we are exploring the very real survival story of Steven Callahan, who, through a series of unfortunate events and immense survival skills, survived 76 days lost at sea. Book Link- https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/life-of-pi-by-yann-martel/246634/?resultid=b0ef5ada-4698-4579-8981-c45cec1c5813#edition=2348691&idiq=1470226 (https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/life-of-pi-by-yann-martel/246634/?resultid=b0ef5ada-4698-4579-8981-c45cec1c5813#edition=2348691&idiq=1470226) Sources- • Adrift, 76 Days Lost at Sea. by Steven Callahan. First Mariner Books Edition, 2002. • https://www.sailingeurope.com/blog/survival-at-sea-the-thrilling-story-of-steve- (https://www.sailingeurope.com/blog/survival-at-sea-the-thrilling-story-of-steve-) callahan • https://www.npr.org/2013/02/24/172632549/real-life-shipwreck-survivor-helped- (https://www.npr.org/2013/02/24/172632549/real-life-shipwreck-survivor-helped-) life-of-pi-get-lost-at-sea • https://www.boatus.com/expert-advice/expert-advice- (https://www.boatus.com/expert-advice/expert-advice-) archive/2012/december/behind-the-scenes-with-the-original-pi • https://youtu.be/uUyt_iW9dVk?si=3QXM1nJIWnkxgmFf (https://youtu.be/uUyt_iW9dVk?si=3QXM1nJIWnkxgmFf) (I Shouldn’t be Alive episode) • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Callahan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Callahan) • https://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/sailing/04/22/clam.ppl/index.html (https://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/sailing/04/22/clam.ppl/index.html)

4. 

   30 Jun 2026

   The Winterbourne View Abuse Story

   In this episode of Isn't She Fictional, inspired by our book recommendation, None of This is True by Lisa Jewell, we are taking a trip to the U.K. to examine the unfortunate and true story of the Winterbourne View abuse scandal. Winterbourne View was a facility where individuals with autism and learning disabilities were sent against their will and their caretakers will under the order of the Mental Health Act of 1985, but instead of receiving proper care, they were gravely mistreated and abused. Book Link- https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/untitled-a-novel_lisa-jewell/37521314/?resultid=769380b0-7dd0-4d8a-b173-091c8d509d3e#edition=65484195&idiq=58925257 (https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/untitled-a-novel_lisa-jewell/37521314/?resultid=769380b0-7dd0-4d8a-b173-091c8d509d3e#edition=65484195&idiq=58925257) Sources- https://www.mind.org.uk/ (https://www.mind.org.uk/) (UK Mental Health Resource) https://autismsociety.org/ (https://autismsociety.org/) (US Autism Resource) • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAUkzWFFdqQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAUkzWFFdqQ) (BBC Panorama film report) • https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/u-k-government-faces-lawsuit-over- (https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/u-k-government-faces-lawsuit-over-) mistreatment-of-autistic-people/ • https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-20078999 (https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-20078999) • https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-20084254 (https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-20084254) • https://www.anncrafttrust.org/learning-disability-and-autism-no-longer-to-be- (https://www.anncrafttrust.org/learning-disability-and-autism-no-longer-to-be-) listed-as-a-mental-health- disorder/#:~:text=Currently%20people%20with%20a%20learning,This%20is%20 set%20to%20change. • https://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/our-policy-work/mental-health-act-review/ (https://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/our-policy-work/mental-health-act-review/) • https://www.local.gov.uk/publications/get-act-mental-health-act- (https://www.local.gov.uk/publications/get-act-mental-health-act-) 2022#:~:text=(LPS)%20scheme.- ,The%20new%20Mental%20Health%20Act%20proposals,compulsory%20treatm ent%20under%20section%203. • https://post.parliament.uk/research-briefings/post-pn-0695/ (https://post.parliament.uk/research-briefings/post-pn-0695/) • https://historicengland.org.uk/research/inclusive-heritage/disability-history/1832- (https://historicengland.org.uk/research/inclusive-heritage/disability-history/1832-) 1914/ • https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-20092894 (https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-20092894) (full list of sentencing) • https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-19990628 (https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-19990628)

5. 

   23 Jun 2026

   The Occupation of Alcatraz Island

   Episode two of Isn't She Fictional, inspired by the book There There by Tommy Orange, looks back at the multiple occupations of Alcatraz Island and the indigenous history surrounding the rock and the fight for land back. link to the book- https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/there-there_tommy-orange/18599686/#edition=19795318&idiq=29351443 (https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/there-there_tommy-orange/18599686/#edition=19795318&idiq=29351443) Sources- • Heart of the Rock. The Indian Invasion of Alcatraz by Adam Fortunate Eagle. in collaboration with Tim Findley. University of Oklahoma Press. 2002. • https://ltbbodawa-nsn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The-Creation-Story-Turtle-Island.pdf (https://ltbbodawa-nsn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The-Creation-Story-Turtle-Island.pdf) • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEmae2PsWJI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEmae2PsWJI) •https://ospi (https://ospi).k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2023-08/1969-alcatraz-hs.pdf • https://www.nps.gov/alca/learn/historyculture/we-hold-the-rock.htm (https://www.nps.gov/alca/learn/historyculture/we-hold-the-rock.htm) • https://www.legendsofamerica.com/ca-alcatraz/ (https://www.legendsofamerica.com/ca-alcatraz/) • https://www.britannica.com/place/Alcatraz-Island (https://www.britannica.com/place/Alcatraz-Island)

6. 

   16 Jun 2026

   Aqua Tofana

   In the first episode of Isn't She Fictional our book recommendation is The Lost Apothecary by Sara Penner. For our topic, we are taking a Magic School Bus ride back to 17th-century Italy, the criminal magic underworld, and one of the most notorious slow-acting poisons of the time: Aqua Tofana. Book link- https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-lost-apothecary-a-novel_sarah-penner/26594046/?resultid=1ab12f9d-f357-45ab-800b-e03d223aa08a#edition=59453629&idiq=52061496 (https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-lost-apothecary-a-novel_sarah-penner/26594046/?resultid=1ab12f9d-f357-45ab-800b-e03d223aa08a#edition=59453629&idiq=52061496) Sources- Toxicology in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. by Philip Wexler. Academic Press. 2017 https://mikedashhistory.com/2015/04/06/aqua-tofana-slow-poisoning-and-husband-killing-in-17th-century-italy/ (https://mikedashhistory.com/2015/04/06/aqua-tofana-slow-poisoning-and-husband-killing-in-17th-century-italy/) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128095546000068 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128095546000068)

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

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Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.