Diane Winston
Los Angeles
Knight Chair in Media and Religion, University of Southern California
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Articles by Diane Winston
Jerry Falwell News | RNS
Skip to content Mastodon James Robison speaks at the 2014 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland. (Photo by Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia/Creative Commons) Opinion Opinion Most Popular Stories 1
From Bodice Rippers to Romantasy, Romance Novels are Dominating the Book Market – and Rewriting Women’s Sexual Power
The compulsion started soon after my marriage. Long before e-books and audiobooks, I furtively read paperbacks whose covers of bosomy maidens and bare-chested men would have outed my obsession. Then, on a family car trip, my husband told my young stepdaughters why I liked sitting alone in the back seat. “Diane is reading bodice rippers,” he said, citing the old-fashioned name for sexually explicit romance novels. Back then, they were my guilty pleasure.
From bodice rippers to romantasy, romance novels are dominating the book market – and rewriting women’s sexual power
(LOS ANGELES) The compulsion started soon after my marriage. Long before e-books and audiobooks, I furtively read paperbacks whose covers of bosomy maidens and bare-chested men would have outed my obsession. Then, on a family car trip, my husband told my young stepdaughters why I liked sitting alone in the back seat. kAm“s:2?6 :D C625:?8 3@5:46 C:AA6CD[” 96 D2:5[ 4:E:?8 E96 @=5\72D9:@?65 ?2>6 7@C D6IF2==J 6IA=:4:E C@>2?46 ?@G6=D] q24< E96?[ E96J H6C6 >J 8F:=EJ A=62DFC6]k^Am kAm|@C6 E92?
From bodice rippers to romantasy, romance novels are dominating the book market
By Diane Winston, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism (LOS ANGELES) The compulsion started soon after my marriage. Long before e-books and audiobooks, I furtively read paperbacks whose covers of bosomy maidens and bare-chested men would have outed my obsession. Then, on a family car trip, my husband told my young stepdaughters why I liked sitting alone in the back seat.
From bodice rippers to romantasy, romance novels are dominating the book market – and rewriting women’s sexual power Original
The compulsion started soon after my marriage. Long before e-books and audiobooks, I furtively read paperbacks whose covers of bosomy maidens and bare-chested men would have outed my obsession. Then, on a family car trip, my husband told my young stepdaughters why I liked sitting alone in the back seat. “Diane is reading bodice rippers,” he said, citing the old-fashioned name for sexually explicit romance novels. Back then, they were my guilty pleasure.
From bodice rippers to romantasy, romance novels are dominating the book market – and rewriting women’s sexual power
(LOS ANGELES) The compulsion started soon after my marriage. Long before e-books and audiobooks, I furtively read paperbacks whose covers of bosomy maidens and bare-chested men would have outed my obsession. Then, on a family car trip, my husband told my young stepdaughters why I liked sitting alone in the back seat. kAm“s:2?6 :D C625:?8 3@5:46 C:AA6CD[” 96 D2:5[ 4:E:?8 E96 @=5\72D9:@?65 ?2>6 7@C D6IF2==J 6IA=:4:E C@>2?46 ?@G6=D] q24< E96?[ E96J H6C6 >J 8F:=EJ A=62DFC6]k^Am kAm|@C6 E92?
From bodice rippers to romantasy, romance novels are dominating the book market – and rewriting women’s sexual power
(LOS ANGELES) The compulsion started soon after my marriage. Long before e-books and audiobooks, I furtively read paperbacks whose covers of bosomy maidens and bare-chested men would have outed my obsession. Then, on a family car trip, my husband told my young stepdaughters why I liked sitting alone in the back seat. kAm“s:2?6 :D C625:?8 3@5:46 C:AA6CD[” 96 D2:5[ 4:E:?8 E96 @=5\72D9:@?65 ?2>6 7@C D6IF2==J 6IA=:4:E C@>2?46 ?@G6=D] q24< E96?[ E96J H6C6 >J 8F:=EJ A=62DFC6]k^Am kAm|@C6 E92?
From bodice rippers to romantasy, romance novels are dominating the book market – and rewriting women’s sexual power
(LOS ANGELES) The compulsion started soon after my marriage. Long before e-books and audiobooks, I furtively read paperbacks whose covers of bosomy maidens and bare-chested men would have outed my obsession. Then, on a family car trip, my husband told my young stepdaughters why I liked sitting alone in the back seat. kAm“s:2?6 :D C625:?8 3@5:46 C:AA6CD[” 96 D2:5[ 4:E:?8 E96 @=5\72D9:@?65 ?2>6 7@C D6IF2==J 6IA=:4:E C@>2?46 ?@G6=D] q24< E96?[ E96J H6C6 >J 8F:=EJ A=62DFC6]k^Am kAm|@C6 E92?
From bodice rippers to romantasy, romance novels are dominating the book market – and rewriting women’s sexual power
The compulsion started soon after my marriage. kAm{@?8 367@C6 6\3@@<D 2?5 2F5:@3@@<D[ x 7FCE:G6=J C625 A2A6C324<D H9@D6 4@G6CD @7 3@D@>J >2:56?D 2?5 32C6\496DE65 >6? H@F=5 92G6 @FE65 >J @3D6DD:@?] %96?[ @? 2 72>:=J 42C EC:A[ >J 9FD32?5 E@=5 >J J@F?8 DE6A52F89E6CD H9J x =:<65 D:EE:?8 2=@?6 :? E96 324< D62E]k^Am kAm“s:2?6 :D C625:?8 3@5:46 C:AA6CD[” 96 D2:5[ 4:E:?8 E96 @=5\72D9:@?65 ?2>6 7@C D6IF2==J 6IA=:4:E C@>2?46 ?@G6=D] q24< E96?[ E96J H6C6 >J 8F:=EJ A=62DFC6]k^Am kAm|@C6 E92?
From bodice rippers to romantasy, romance novels are dominating the book market – and rewriting women’s sexual power
(LOS ANGELES) The compulsion started soon after my marriage. Long before e-books and audiobooks, I furtively read paperbacks whose covers of bosomy maidens and bare-chested men would have outed my obsession. Then, on a family car trip, my husband told my young stepdaughters why I liked sitting alone in the back seat. kAm“s:2?6 :D C625:?8 3@5:46 C:AA6CD[” 96 D2:5[ 4:E:?8 E96 @=5\72D9:@?65 ?2>6 7@C D6IF2==J 6IA=:4:E C@>2?46 ?@G6=D] q24< E96?[ E96J H6C6 >J 8F:=EJ A=62DFC6]k^Am kAm|@C6 E92?
Pat Robertson News | RNS
Skip to content Mastodon Poster for “The Revival Generation: Gen Z Turning to Jesus.” (Image courtesy CBN) Opinion Opinion Most Popular Stories 1
Contributor: Why Christians rush to label Charlie Kirk a martyr
Opinion Diane Winston Fri, September 12, 2025 at 10:00 PM UTC 5 min read Following yet another shooting at a U.S. college campus, Thursday morning’s class on American religious history at USC called for a different focus. Rather than lecture my students on Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism who was killed by an angry mob, I asked students their thoughts on a newly emerging martyr filling online newsfeeds.
Jimmy Swaggart’s rise and fall shaped the landscape of American televangelism
(THE CONVERSATION) Jimmy Swaggart, one of the most popular and enduring of the 1980s televangelists, died on July 1, 2025, but his legacy lives. Along with Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, he drew an audience in the millions, amassed a personal fortune and introduced a new generation of Americans to a potent mix of religion and politics.
In pardoning reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, Trump taps into a sense of persecution felt by his conservative Christian base
President Donald Trump has never met Todd Chrisley, the reality TV star that he pardoned on May 27, 2025, along with Chrisley’s wife, Julie. But the pair have much in common. Both are admired by their fans for their brash personas and salty ripostes. Both enjoy lavish lifestyles: Trump is known for his real estate deals and , and Chrisley for his entrepreneurial skill and acquisitions of sprawling properties.
Jimmy Swaggart’s rise and fall shaped the landscape of American televangelism
(The Conversation) — Jimmy Swaggart, one of the most popular and enduring of the 1980s televangelists, died on July 1, 2025, but his legacy lives. Along with Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, he drew an audience in the millions, amassed a personal fortune and introduced a new generation of Americans to a potent mix of religion and politics.
Jimmy Swaggart’s rise and fall shaped the landscape of American televangelism
Jimmy Swaggart, one of the most popular and enduring of the 1980s televangelists, died on July 1, but his legacy lives. Along with Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, he drew an audience in the millions, amassed a personal fortune and introduced a new generation of Americans to a potent mix of religion and politics. kAm$H2882CE H2D 2? @=5\E:>6 6G2?86=:DE H9@D6 7@4FD H2D “D2G:?8 D@F=D]” qFE 96 2=D@ AC624965 @?
Jimmy Swaggart’s rise and fall shaped the landscape of American televangelism
As a reporter, I covered Swaggart in the 1980s. Now, as a scholar of American religion, I argue that while Swaggart did not build institutions like Falwell’s Moral Majority or Robertson’s 700 Club, he helped to spread right-wing positions on social issues, such as sexual orientation and abortion, and to shape the image of televangelists in popular culture.. Pentecostals were nicknamed Holy Rollers because of their tendency to shake, quake and roll on the floor when feeling the Holy Spirit.
Jimmy Swaggart’s rise and fall shaped the landscape of American televangelism
Eds: This story was supplied by The Conversation for AP customers. The Associated Press does not guarantee the content. kAmW%wt r~}'t#$p%x~}X y:>>J $H2882CE[ @?6 @7 E96 >@DE A@AF=2C 2?5 6?5FC:?8 @7 E96 `hg_D E6=6G2?86=:DED[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?34=@D2?86=6D]4@>^?6HD^?2E:@?2=\:?E6C?2E:@?2=^E6=6G2?86=:DE\;:>>J\DH2882CE\5:6D\2E\h_^bfbdhh`^Qm5:65 @?
Jimmy Swaggart’s rise and fall shaped the landscape of American televangelism Original
Jimmy Swaggart, one of the most popular and enduring of the 1980s televangelists, died on July 1, 2025, but his legacy lives. Along with Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, he drew an audience in the millions, amassed a personal fortune and introduced a new generation of Americans to a potent mix of religion and politics.
Jimmy Swaggart’s rise and fall shaped the landscape of American televangelism
Jimmy Swaggart, one of the most popular and enduring of the 1980s televangelists, died on July 1, 2025, but his legacy lives. Along with Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, he drew an audience in the millions, amassed a personal fortune and introduced a new generation of Americans to a potent mix of religion and politics.
Jimmy Swaggart’s rise and fall shaped the landscape of American televangelism
Eds: This story was supplied by The Conversation for AP customers. The Associated Press does not guarantee the content. kAmW%wt r~}'t#$p%x~}X y:>>J $H2882CE[ @?6 @7 E96 >@DE A@AF=2C 2?5 6?5FC:?8 @7 E96 `hg_D E6=6G2?86=:DED[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?34=@D2?86=6D]4@>^?6HD^?2E:@?2=\:?E6C?2E:@?2=^E6=6G2?86=:DE\;:>>J\DH2882CE\5:6D\2E\h_^bfbdhh`^Qm5:65 @?
Jimmy Swaggart’s rise and fall shaped the landscape of American televangelism
Jimmy Swaggart, one of the most popular and enduring of the 1980s televangelists, died on July 1, 2025, but his legacy lives. kAmp=@?8 H:E9 y6CCJ u2=H6== 2?5 !2E #@36CED@?[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]2C<2?D2D@?=:?6]4@>^?6HD^a_ad^;F=^_c^8@DA6=\8:2?E\;:>>J\DH2882CED\8:7E\>FD:4\>:?:DECJ^Qm96 5C6H 2? 2F5:6?46 :? E96 >:==:@?Dk^2m[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=2E:>6D]4@>^2C49:G6D^=2\IA>\`hgg\_b\`c\>?\f`d\DE@CJ]9E>=Qm2>2DD65 2 A6CD@?2= 7@CEF?6k^2m 2?5 :?EC@5F465 2 ?6H 86?6C2E:@?
In pardoning reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, Trump taps into a sense of persecution felt by his conservative Christian base
“Chrisley Knows Best” aired on USA Network from 2014 to 2023. I’m familiar with the Chrisleys because I wrote about Todd in a 2018 book I co-edited on religion and reality television. The show was particularly popular among viewers in their 30s, who were fascinated by the Chrisleys’ extravagant lifestyle and Todd’s over-the-top personality. The self-proclaimed “patriarch of perfection,” Todd flew twice a month to Los Angeles from Atlanta, and later Nashville, to have his hair cut and highlighted.
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