Just Plain Wrong
Three Mennonite librarians discuss depictions of Amish, Mennonites, and other plain groups in media and popular culture. We review Amish romance novels, other Amish fiction, movies, TV episodes, and more! New episodes most Wednesdays. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram @plainwrongpod
Episodes
103 episodes since 2020
A Variety of Bananas: Wrapping up Season 6, featuring the return of Tillie!
This week, Tillie returns! We chat with Tillie about Season 6, her experience leading SST (Study Service Term) in Ecuador, and what the best things are to take to a potluck. We also do our usual season wrap up reflections and stats, and share o...
September 04, 2024
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Season 6
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Episode 10
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38:41
Haystack Enthusiast: A Conversation with Addie Liechty Kogan
This week, Abby and Erin chat with Addie Liechty Kogan (they/them), a therapist, writer, and musician, about activism, social justice, burn out and much more. Content warning: Nothing is discussed graphically or in detail, but we ...
August 21, 2024
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Season 6
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Episode 9
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54:04
More food talk: A conversation with Marlene Epp, author of Eating Like a Mennonite
This week, Erin and Abby chat with Marlene Epp, about her new book, Eating Like A Mennonite: Food and Community across Borders. Epp's book dives into how Mennonites cook and eat around the world, gendered expectations (and opportunities) ...
August 07, 2024
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Season 6
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Episode 8
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1:05:15
The Power of the Come-Apart: A Conversation with the hosts of the Uncovered: Life Beyond Podcast, Naomi Clark and Rebecca Coblentz
This week we chat with the Naomi Clark and Rebecca Coblentz, co-hosts of the podcast Uncovered: Life Beyond. The goal of the Uncovered podcast is to provide a roadmap for people leaving high-demand religion, particularly focused on applying for...
July 24, 2024
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Season 6
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Episode 7
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1:22:48
Garden or Freezer Fresh: A Conversation with Marshall King
This week, Abby and Erin chat with Marshall King, food writer and author of the book, Disarmed. We chat food memories and what it's like to write about food in a local context. We also chat about Marshall's writing of Disarmed: The Radical Life...
July 10, 2024
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Season 6
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Episode 6
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1:08:54
Just Use the Canned Soup: A Conversation with Elizabeth Miller
This week, Abby and Erin chat with Elizabeth Miller, director of the Mennonite Historical Library and the Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism, about both her current work, and her years spent with Mennonite Central Committee in Bogota,...
June 26, 2024
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Season 6
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Episode 5
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1:08:17
Christmas in July (or June): A Conversation with Kaleb Wyse from The Wyse Guide
This week, Abby and Erin are joined by Kaleb Wyse from the Wyse Guide. Kaleb creates content focused on life in rural Iowa - canning, gardening, recipes, home decor, etc. We chat about his experience creating and running a successful internet b...
June 12, 2024
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Season 6
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Episode 4
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52:51
BB-8 Zweiback: Chatting about the Enneagram with Marathana Prothro
This week, we veer a bit away from our typical subject matter to chat about a topic that Erin and Abby find interesting: the Enneagram. We are joined by guest, Marathana Prothro, an Assistant Professor of Communication at Bluffton U...
May 29, 2024
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Season 6
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Episode 3
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1:02:56
Deceptive Haystacks: A Conversation with Historian Steve Nolt
This week, Abby and Erin meet with historian Steve Nolt, author of many books and articles about the Amish and director of the Elizabethtown College Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist s...
May 15, 2024
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Season 6
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Episode 2
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57:03
Another Season Intro That is Really a Book Talk: Introducing Season 6!
This week, two of the three MennoBrarians are back to introduce season 6! We chat recent moves and house projects, provide an overview of what we will be covering this season, and chat at length about several of our favorite recent reads. ...
April 30, 2024
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Season 6
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Episode 1
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43:11
A Journey Through Time: Wrapping up Season 5
This week we wrap up season 5! As a reminder, season 5 was shorter to accommodate Tillie's opportunity to lead a study abroad semester in Ecuador. We chat about season 5, issue a few corrections, play a few bloopers, and provide updated s...
February 07, 2024
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Season 5
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Episode 10
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31:55
I am weird and so are you: Discussing the book White Mosque with author Sofia Samatar
This week, the MennoBrarians discuss the book White Mosque with author Sofia Samatar. The White Mosque weaves together personal reflections on Samatar's experiences as a Mennonite, with the story of Samatar's trip to Uzbekistan to learn more ab...
January 24, 2024
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Season 5
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Episode 9
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56:55
Fall Out Boy Rumspringa Concerts: A Discussion on the movie Sex Drive
We are re-posting this episode because we recently discovered we posted the wrong file! Apologies, and thank you to those who alerted us to the issue. We are actually a little shocked this is the first time this has happened, but we apologize f...
January 18, 2024
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Season 5
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Episode 8
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42:53
Another Former Boss: A Conversation with John D. Roth on his book A Mennonite College for Everyone(?): Goshen College and the Quest for Identity and inclusion, 1960-2020
This week, the Mennobrarians chat with historian John D. Roth, Project Director for MennoMedia’s project “Anabaptism at 500” and former Professor of History at Goshen College, about his most recent boo...
December 27, 2023
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Season 5
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Episode 7
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1:09:18
Restorative Justice & Order (& Aliens): Discussing Amish episodes of Law & Order SVU and X-Files
In this episode, the MennoBrairians chat about the "Amish episodes" of two tv shows, Law & Order SVU and X-Files. Law & Order SVU season 10, ep 19, "Selfish," aired in 2009, and features approximately 5 minutes of Amish con...
December 13, 2023
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Season 5
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Episode 6
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48:07
Because of the Familye: Discussing An Amish Thanksgiving Blessing
This week, the Mennobrarians discuss the book An Amish Thanksgiving Blessing by Naomi Troyer. This short story tells the story of two rival Amish pumpki...
November 29, 2023
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Season 5
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Episode 5
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47:12
Felix Manz, the Hot One: A Discussion on By Water (Heroes of the Radical Reformation Book 1)
This week the MennoBrarians discuss the graphic novel, By Water: The Felix Manz Story, the first in the Heroes of the Radical Reformation series. We chat martyrs, historical interpretations, message carrying sparrows, literal sausage parties, a...
November 15, 2023
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Season 5
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Episode 4
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52:44
Sultry Gazes: Discussing Plus One At An Amish Wedding
This week, the MennoBrarians discuss the latest movie from the "Hallmarky" Cinematic Universe, Plus One At An Amish Wedding. We chat favorite wedding moments, Amish bad girls, recycled actors, and attempt to answer the question: When is the app...
November 01, 2023
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Season 5
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Episode 3
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54:23
Face Before Armpits: Discussing the Mennonite Episodes of Grantchester and Murdoch Mysteries
In this week's episode, we chat about the "Mennonite episodes" of two period dramas, Murdoch Mysteries (CBC) and Grantchester (BBC). We chat about our favorite dramas, Mennonites in England, rocks as weapons, gendered redemption arcs, and more....
October 18, 2023
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Season 5
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Episode 2
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54:50
Breaks and Books: Discussing Recent Reads, Plans for Season 5, and more!
We're back! In our season 5 opener, we chat about what we did during the pause between seasons, break down the exciting things coming in season 5, and share our favorite non-Amish themed books we've read recently. One announcement:...
October 04, 2023
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Season 5
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Episode 1
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39:11
The Puny Amish Tillerator: Wrapping up Season 4 of Just Plain Wrong
This week we celebrate the completion of another season of Just Plain Wrong! In our Season 4 wrap up, we provide updated listener stats, discuss common tropes, chat about our favorite and most surprising moments from the season, share bloopers,...
May 24, 2023
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Season 4
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Episode 20
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35:56
An Amish Romance Trope We Support: Discussing Amish Forever Home
This week, the MennoBrarians discuss Amish Forever Home, an Amish Romance set on Prince Edward Island. We chat Anne of Green Gables, auctions, romance tropes and more. A special shoutout to our Discernment Committee level Patreon members ...
May 17, 2023
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Season 4
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Episode 19
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54:49
Research Rabbit Holes: Amish Romance Self-Publishing
This week, the MennoBrarians take a deep dive into Amish Romance self-publishing. Inspired by the conversation on Amish Country Treasure in season 2, in which Tillie speculated the book was written by a bot, Erin went on a research journey to s...
May 10, 2023
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Season 4
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Episode 18
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53:03
Get Your Pies Right: Discussing Peter Santenello's YouTube Series on the Amish
This week, the MennoBrarians discuss YouTuber Peter Santenello's multi-part series on the Amish. We chat Pinecraft, interview techniques, and our favorite moments from the videos. We also maintain that Lemon Meringue and Key Lime pie are very d...
May 03, 2023
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Season 4
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Episode 17
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1:03:23
Bodies in the Crystal Cave: Discussing Nancy Drew #33, the Witch Tree Symbol
This week, the MennoBrarians discuss Nancy Drew book #33: The Witch Tree Symbol. During this episode of the Nancy Drew book series, Nancy helps recover stolen furniture in Pennsylvania Dutch Country. She and her friends stay with Amish families...
April 18, 2023
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Season 4
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Episode 16
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52:31