Caro Claire Burke at the UNITED in partnership with Bank Square Books

The UNITED and Bank Square Books host #1 New York Times bestselling author Caro Claire Burke for a talk about her electrifying debut novel Yesteryear.

ABOUT YESTERYEAR

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A GMA BOOK CLUB PICK • A NEW YORK TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR (SO FAR) • A traditional American woman, a “tradwife” influencer, suddenly awakens in the brutal reality of 1855—where she must unravel whether this living nightmare is an elaborate hoax, a twisted reality show, or something far more sinister in this sensational debut novel.

“A bold and biting satire, Yesteryear…will have you cackling and gasping right to the final page.”

—Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid series

Natalie lives a traditional lifestyle. Her charming farmhouse is rustic, her husband a handsome cowboy, her six children each more delightful than the last. So what if there are nannies and producers behind the scenes, her kitchen hiding industrial-grade fridges and ovens, her husband the heir to a political dynasty? What Natalie’s followers—all 8 million of them—don’t know won’t hurt them. And The Angry Women? The privileged, Ivy League, coastal elite haters who call her an antifeminist iconoclast? They’re sick with jealousy. Because Natalie isn’t simply living the good life, she’s living the ideal—and just so happens to be building an empire from it.

Until one morning she wakes up in a life that isn’t hers. Her home, her husband, her children—they’re all familiar, but something’s off. Her kitchen is warmed by a sputtering fire rather than electricity, her children are dirty and strange, and her soft-handed husband is suddenly a competent farmer. Just yesterday Natalie was curating photos of homemade jam for her Instagram, and now she’s expected to haul firewood and handwash clothes until her fingers bleed. Has she become the unwitting star of a ruthless reality show? Could it really be time travel? Is she being tested by God? By Satan? When Natalie suffers a brutal injury in the woods, she realizes two things: This is not her beautiful life, and she must escape by any means possible.

A gripping, electrifying novel that is as darkly funny as it is frightening, Yesteryear is a gimlet-eyed look at tradition, fame, faith, and the grand performance of womanhood.

ABOUT CARO CLAIRE BURKE

Caro Claire Burke is a novelist and cultural critic whose work interrogates the influence of media and the evolving narratives of modern womanhood. Her debut novel, Yesteryear, a #1 New York Times bestseller, is a singular reading experience that blends satire, psychological suspense, and social commentary. In the novel, a seemingly perfect “tradwife” influencer awakens in a nightmarish version of 1855, forcing her to confront the realities behind the idyllic life she has carefully curated for millions of followers. Praised as “a bold and biting satire” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Nita Prose, Yesteryear offers a gripping and darkly funny exploration of fame, faith, and the myths surrounding traditional femininity. Amazon MGM Studios has won the film rights to the book, with Anne Hathaway attached to star and produce.

Burke’s work is deeply informed by her presence within the very cultural conversations she critiques. With a rapidly growing social media platform and millions of views on her commentary about “tradwife” culture, she has become a compelling voice in ongoing debates about feminism, media literacy, and online identity. She is also the co-host of Diabolical Lies, a politics and culture podcast that explores the narratives shaping contemporary life, further cementing her role as a sharp and engaging cultural observer.

In dynamic and thought-provoking talks, Burke explores themes at the heart of her work: the tension between authenticity and performance, the construction of identity in digital spaces, and the enduring influence of patriarchal systems on modern life. She invites audiences to question what is real, what is curated, and how the stories we consume—and create—shape our understanding of ourselves and the world.

Burke received her MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars and has been writing fiction for over a decade. She lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.