Love in the Afternoon, and Evening: Essays and Conversations on Soap Operas

by Charlotte Druckman, Mayukh Sen

A celebration of the quirks, intricacies, and hallmarks of a beloved but culturally undervalued art the American soap opera.


Adored by battalions of devotees and maligned by others for melodramatic twists and turns, soap operas have had an outsized impact on American culture, prefiguring the rise of today’s reality television and character-driven prestige dramas. In Love in the Afternoon . . . and Evening, cultural critics Charlotte Druckman and Mayukh Sen salute the stories and talent that have sustained the industry since its radio days. Featured are smart yet dishy interviews with soap icons like Susan Lucci (All My Children’s Erica Kane) and Erika Slezak (One Life to Live’s Victoria Lord); deep dives into the genre’s infamous tropes and archetypes (long-lost daughters and evil twins); and considered takes on the industry’s treatment of race, reproductive rights, and queerness. Part cultural analysis, part backstage tour, and all love letter to an oft-misunderstood art form, Love in the Afternoon . . . and Evening will make you want to bust out your shoulder pads and binge your favorite show all over again.

Genres: Nonfiction, Essays

272 pages, Paperback

Published May 12, 2026

Reviews

[Kelly Hager · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely fun but as someone who grew up with the CBS soaps, I wish they’d been represented better. (This is addressed in the book but only towards the end.)

Still, this is definitely worth reading for fans of the genre and to prove it? I tore through this book even though, as someone who grew up with Guiding Light and, to a lesser extent, As the World Turns, I either had no idea or a very, very limited discussion of the people discussed.

I may be about to do some Youtube deep dives. (Recs welcomed)

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a soap obsessed teen this book was a good walk down memory lane while also providing more background to the birth and development of soaps.

[Carly Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short collection of essays on soap operas from their start on radio to today's streaming/tv formats. This is not a comprehensive look but the authors write about various themes and shows that meant the most to them. The focus is primarily on ABC and NBC shows, and 1980s prime time soaps. It was fun remembering some of the shows that I used to watch.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this. We were an ABC family. My grandmother was a devout AMC fan. My mom was OLTL and GH. I was born at 3:36 pm and GH was 30 minutes then, so we joked that I gave her just enough time to finish General Hospital. This was an interesting look and had a lot of nostalgia for me. I was so glad the Robin and Stone storyline was covered because that one still sticks out for me.

[Kate K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 out of 5 ⭐️

I really enjoyed the history, deep dives, rabbit holes, back stories, and format of this nonfiction about soap operas. What qualifies as a soap opera? There is no official definition but the history surrounding how soap operas came to be is really interesting. Definitely recommend if you enjoy soap operas or know facts about media history and pop culture.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

So fun! (Marlena was possessed again during Covid?!)