Summer Book Club: All Fours - Miranda July

Nov 29, 2025

Dive into a chaotic yet relatable story as three hosts explore the wild ride of self-reinvention in Miranda July's All Fours. They wrestle with the complexities of likable yet flawed female characters and the provocative themes of desire and midlife crises. Conversations flourish around the allure and manipulation in relationships, alongside a candid look at body image and reclaiming oneself. Expect shocking intimacy, the challenges of modern marriage, and reflections on aging—all wrapped in a humorous and thought-provoking discourse.

41:23

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INSIGHT

A Polarising Perimenopause Novel

Miranda July's All Fours is polarising: critics praise it while many readers abandon it.
The book explores an underexamined life stage: female midlife and perimenopause with raw honesty.

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ANECDOTE

The Botched Cross-Country Escape

The unnamed 45-year-old narrator is a semi-famous artist who plans a cross-country trip but stalls in a motel.
She spends the motel money redecorating and begins an obsessive affair with a younger married man, Davy.

insights

INSIGHT

Parker Vs Driver Framing

Harris's parker vs driver analogy frames the protagonist's crisis: parkers crave discrete, dramatic tasks.
The protagonist is a parker who mistakes a motel stunt for a life-changing driver moment.

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Initial reactions and book divisiveness

00:20 • 5min

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Plot summary and Miranda July overview

05:08 • 3min

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Parker vs Driver analogy and character type

07:55 • 3min

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Unlikable protagonist and fiction's permission

10:30 • 4min

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The motel stay and meeting Davy

14:21 • 2min

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Davy's manipulative allure

16:40 • 2min

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Perimenopause as second adolescence

18:30 • 4min

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Body, exercise and reclaiming desire

22:55 • 58sec

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Social media, jealousy and marriage fallout

23:53 • 45sec

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Reimagined monogamy and open arrangements

24:38 • 27sec

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Shocking scenes: Tampon and bathroom intimacy

25:05 • 4min

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Audra, older sexuality and unexpected encounters

28:50 • 3min

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Older women, community and hopeful perspectives

32:08 • 59sec

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Privilege critique and narrative intent

33:07 • 2min

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Midlife questioning and cultural resonance

• Mentioned in 3 episodes

Margo's Got Money Troubles

Rufi Thorpe

The novel follows Margo Millet, a young woman who becomes pregnant after a brief affair with her English professor. Despite the challenges, Margo decides to keep the baby and faces numerous financial and personal struggles. She turns to a controversial but lucrative career on OnlyFans to support her family, which further complicates her relationships and societal perceptions. The book explores themes of motherhood, financial independence, and the societal expectations placed on single mothers, all while maintaining a humorous and heartwarming tone.

#36422

Great Big Beautiful Life

Emily Henry

No description available.

#5747

• Mentioned in 7 episodes

Call Me By Your Name

André Aciman

Set in the 1980s, 'Call Me By Your Name' is a poignant and intimate story of first love. The novel follows Elio Perlman, a precocious and educated 17-year-old, as he develops a powerful and complex relationship with Oliver, his father's visiting student. The story explores themes of love, loss, and the enduring impact of first love, even as the characters move on with their lives. The novel is known for its vivid descriptions, profound quotes, and the realistic portrayal of youthful emotions and philosophical introspections.

#1429

• Mentioned in 23 episodes

All Fours

Miranda July

Miranda July's "All Fours" is a poignant and unconventional novel that explores themes of aging, mortality, and the complexities of human connection. The narrative unfolds through the experiences of an unnamed narrator grappling with her changing body and relationships. July's writing style is characterized by its intimate and often humorous approach to profound subjects. The book delves into the challenges of intergenerational friendships and the societal obsession with youth. Ultimately, "All Fours" offers a reflective and empathetic portrayal of the human experience.

#1206

• Mentioned in 26 episodes

Demon Copperhead

Barbara Kingsolver

Demon Copperhead is a powerful and emotionally engaging novel that tells the story of Damon Fields, a boy born to a teenage single mother in a trailer home in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia. The novel, inspired by Charles Dickens' 'David Copperfield', follows Demon's journey through the challenges of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, and disastrous loves. Kingsolver vividly portrays the opioid epidemic's impact on rural communities and explores themes of love, survival, and the transformative power of storytelling. The narrative is delivered through Demon's unsparing and authentic voice, which brings to life the harsh realities and the resilience of the people in Appalachia.

It’s hot and everyone’s slightly unhinged, so what better time to kick off the Mamamia Out Loud Summer Book Club than with the only novel bold enough to ask: What if you left your family for a road trip and reinvented yourself... in a motel off the freeway?

In the first of our Summer Book Club episodes, Em, Jessie and Holly dive into Miranda July’s All Fours, a book that is part midlife crisis, part erotic fever dream and part existential stand-up comedy routine.

Em, Jessie and Holly discuss female desire, boredom, creativity and how it’s somehow both deeply relatable and utterly chaotic to want to start afresh on a whim.

If you’ve ever:

Sat in your car for an five extra minutes just to avoid your family
Fantasised about a new life in a different country
Or simply wondered, 'What if?'

Then yes, this episode of Summer Book Club is for you.

Summer Book Club Episode 2 drops December 28 when we'll be discussing the Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry.

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