The Class of ’74

Laura Van Wormer appears on Conversations with Rich Bennett to talk about her serialized audio drama, The Class of ’74 — a nostalgic, character‑driven podcast story that opens on September 8, 1971. The bestselling novelist describes how a drunk driver wrecked her life in a head-on collision, her despair over the physical and cognitive damage she sustained, and how, 8 years later, multiple miracles...

Cynthia rides home with Senora Córdova-Smith and her bold pink outfit, confronts a picture of a bully, and recounts how Mimi slapped him in behaving well. At home, family tensions rise over freedom, babysitting, and a  trip to Boston. The episode follows preparations for the first football game, friendships and fashion-club chatter, and ends with a shocker concerning Clay.     Written and Narrated...

Friday night before the big game, Cynthia and her friends are swept into a chaotic driveway scene when a borrowed Saab is found hotwired and a set of metric tools is missing. The Senora Córdova-Smith brings charm, surprising backstory and a mysterious photograph, while parents, teachers, and students trade gossip, jokes, and hints of deeper tensions. Between car trouble, club plans, and a tender c...

Laura shares an emotional "Bad Kid Edition" episode reflecting on Mother's Day and recent memorials, then reads an excerpt from her booklet "How to Listen to a Podcast." She recounts the 2015 accident that halted her novel writing, how discovering podcasts helped her recovery, and how that led to creating the Class of '74 podcast. Laura explains her wish to help older readers discover podcasts, no...

After the pep rally chaos, Cynthia confronts the fallout from Evan's brutal attack when Victor Wronski unexpectedly apologizes  — while questions about Evan’s mysterious brain injury and his refusal of testing deepen the tension. Meanwhile, Clarke’s secret mission to move a new IBM printer introduces the school’s computer room, and unexpected visitors and a mysterious car in Cynthia’s driveway hin...

2.11 Cynthia navigates a dramatic school pep rally where Betsy debuts a stunning new look, the cheerleader squads dazzle, football players impress and a fire alarm sends students streaming outside. Amid the noise, personal tensions surface—Mimi’s family plans, Katey and Evan’s relationship, and Cynthia’s sprained ankle—while the mystery around Clay’s absence lingers and Andover looms on the horizo...

Cynthia digests her visit to the Reliance hotline in downtown Brighton; reviews the infinite good qualities of girls named Cindy (as opposed to Cynthia); learns Brighton High's first football game is moving to Saturday afternoon to accommodate a scout from University of Michigan; is elated to hear from Clay but is fearful when she realizes Clay doesn't know what is about to happen; Mimi's going to...

Cynthia attends a volunteer meeting at the Reliance hotline in downtown Brighton, where she feels out of place, out of step and humiliated in a role-playing exercise. This is not her scene, and these are not her people, and yet, when she honestly answers the question, why does she want to volunteer at Reliance, it becomes evident her reasons are the right ones. Written & Narrated by Laura Van...

Cynthia and her friends return from Forest Hills after meeting tennis stars, but the night turns complicated when Mrs. Valladares confronts them about their behavior in the Schuylers' absence. Cynthia also must contend with her scraped knee and being forced to wear her mother's "Audrey Hepburn shoes" because of a sprained ankle. At school Cynthia learns how the Fitzgeralds reacted to Greg and Anna...

After a roadside emergency on the Whitestone Bridge, Cynthia rushes into danger to help a lost child, injures her ankle, and prays for friends and families as police and strangers race to help. The group barely recovers from the chaos before heading to the West Side Tennis Club, where class and glamour collide at the finals of the U.S. Open. At Forest Hills they rub shoulders with tennis legends,...

Cynthia leads the delicate attempt to escape the mess she and Annabel, Mimi and Greg find themselves in across the state line in Port Chester, New York involving fake IDs, hiding evidence, a heroin drug bust, a smashed up car and coordinating lies to the police. (Oh, is that all?)  Will they ever reach the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills to watch the U.S. Open final between Billie Jean King...

A group of Brighton High friends set out for Forest Hills with stolen cigarettes, a plan to buy beer, and dreams of cruising Long Island Sound in a 22-foot Chris-Craft, but an unexpected event turns their trip into a tense cliffhanger. Meanwhile, secrets about relationships, family histories, and sexual fantasies surface, and Cynthia and her friends have a lot to think about.  Join THE CLASS OF '7...

After seeing Evan kissing someone else, Cynthia struggles with jealousy, humiliation, and embarrassment. Looking for a place to cry, she walks in on a group of illicit pot smokers, then on a pair of grappling lovers, and then becomes a witness to forgery!  Cynthia’s "Introduction to Guitar" class unexpectedly bucks up her spirits and after the ever-glamorous Senora Cordova encourages Cynthia to pu...

Season 2 Episode 2: Cynthia faces a whirlwind day — her father’s chest pain turns out to be costochondritis, Mimi undergoes yet another surprising makeover, and Cynthia and friends get VIP tickets to the women's final at Forest Hills. Evan returns to school, new student Lincoln neatly silences a bully about Frank Robinson's 500th home run, and more surprises are in store before homeroom is even ov...

Season 2, Episode 1: On the Valentine's Day premiere, Cynthia faces a day of crises — her father rushed to the hospital with a suspected heart attack while Clay lies injured and restrained after a violent incident. Between frantic phone calls, a mysterious tip about a mistaken abduction, and the arrival of a devoted housekeeper, Cynthia struggles to keep calm amid fear and uncertainty. Detective F...

A concise refresher of Season One before Two begins tomorrow. Newcomers to the story are welcome to listen to this for a little but then Laura will send you away before the plot spoilers of Season One begin. The Class of '74 opens in 1971, following 15-year-old Cynthia Schuyler as she navigates high school, shifting relationships, and a changing America. Recaps key Season-One events: Cynthia's com...

The story of the early 1970's continues!  Season Two of The CLASS OF '74 premiers on Saturday, February 14. Cynthia and the Brighton High gang return to raise more hell — so get ready for more rock-and-roll teenage fun, chaos and complicated relationships!

After learning that Victor Wronski  — the steroid-fueled attacker — has left the hospital, Cynthia worries about Evan's safety while trying to follow the detective's plea to keep quiet. Meanwhile Mimi embraces a bold new persona with dramatic flair, winning attention at school, and Cynthia navigates friendships, family moments, and the tension between grown-up investigations and teenage life. The...

In this special 1-hour season finale, Cynthia navigates rumors, tensions, and uneasy alliances after a chaotic weekend—Teddy begs her to intervene in the prosecution of Victor Wronski, Betsy’s behavior sparks gossip, while Didi and others tease out uncomfortable details. A mysterious new student, Lincoln, causes a stir at school, while a late, shaky call from Clay leaves Cynthia reeling. There are...

Cynthia sees Mimi off on her first day of school, learns Not-Fred's real name, hears rumors about a drug dealer, juggles questions about her fractured friendship with Betsey Satterfield, tries not to reveal anything about Clay's situation, learns about the gold standard in such a way as to put her asleep, and is celebrated in Spanish for her ham radio adventure reporting on Attica. Going into the...

Cynthia panics after learning Clay was rushed to Mass General in an effort to save his hand. As she searches for answers and updates on his condition, the episode shifts between tense phone calls, town gossip, grim national news about Attica Prison, and the latest on the local front - that a psycho may be on the loose in Brighton. Visit The Class of '74 at Patreon.com to meet the nicest people in...

In this episode Cynthia struggles with worry and exhaustion as she searches for  books and answers. Cynthia confides in a guidance counselor about Betsey Satterfield’s weight loss, drinking, and risky behavior; the counselor promises confidentiality and to handle the situation. While the police launch an investigation into the kidnapping of Clay Seton, Cynthia waits at home with her mother and Mim...

Clay is discovered bound and gagged in the school stadium snack bar; police, medics, and students rush to free him while Cynthia watches in fear and relief. Despite severe bruising and numbness, Clay walks out and is taken to the hospital, leaving questions about his attackers unanswered. The episode follows the tense rescue, the emotional fallout among classmates and teachers, and the lingering m...

When sophomore football player Clay Seton doesn’t return home after a Sunday practice, rumors spread, police coordinate a campus-wide search, and classmates recount where they last saw him. The episode follows the tense search—from whispers in the library and cafeteria to a rescue—ending on a shocking discovery that leaves more questions than answers. Visit The Class of '74 at Patreon.com to meet...

Against a background of science, Cynthia navigates the fallout from a shocking Saturday night as friendships fracture and secrets surface  Cynthia meets Señora Cardova's husband when a reporter radios for help to file a story, and the school erupts when the Brighton Police launch a search. Visit The Class of '74 at Patreon.com to meet the nicest people in America in The Detention Club.   Written a...