I'm Natalie Moore. I fell in love with soap operas when I was just five years old, and I still

watch them. Their television's longest scripted series and have zero reruns. Now let me tell you,

soap operas aren't just some silly art form. They are significant. In this season of making,

Stories Without End from WBEZ Chicago. Join me as I share how the genre

began, their social impact, and why these stories endure. Listen, wherever you get your podcast.

From WBEZ Chicago, this is Nerdette. I'm Tricia Bobita. And I'm Greta Johnson. This week on the show,

we are talking with

Grace Bonnie. You may know her as the creator of Design Spunge. She has also made a beautiful new book.

It is called In the Company of Women. This book has inspiration and advice from over 100 makers,

artists, and entrepreneurs. Really awesome ladies. Yes, it's all about ladies who are bosses.

And speaking of ladies who are bosses, WBEZ has a new podcast out.

It's a documentary about the making of the Oprah show.

And we'll hear about that later on in the show as well.

But first, let's talk a little bit more about in the company of women.

This is not only a beautiful book, but also a very insightful one.

It's a big, heavy, almost coffee table-sized book. And it's full of portraits and conversations

that Grace Bonnie had with women who inspire her. So these range from people who are in the

entertainment industry to doing creative work of almost any kind. There's folks like Roxanne Gay and

Lizzo. Issa Ray, our friend Issa Ray from

insecure and awkward black girl is in this book. Nico Case, who is a good nerd, is in this book.

Abby Jacobson from Broad City. So there's so many women at very different points in their careers and in

very different fields, but all of them have had some sort of creative success that Grace Bonnie is trying

...