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In Memoriam: Petra Mayer

By | December 31st, 2021
Posted in Columns | % Comments

Sudden and unexpected deaths hit hard in a certain way, even when you don’t know the person directly. NPR’s books editor and enthusiastic nerd, Petra Mayer died suddenly in November. She was a book critic and guest host on the popular NPR podcast Pop Culture Happy Hour. She was an ardent fan of many things and both her writing voice and radio pieces reflected her sheer joy at being able to share her love of books and culture with the world. Ms. Mayer sent audio reports from Comic-Con, reporting on the cosplay and culture of the conventions like a correspondent who was embedded in extremely friendly territory.

I first became aware of Petra Mayer through her appearances on Pop Culture Happy Hour. It stood out in the early days of podcasts and became one of my favorite shows that still listen to, literally ten years later. All the guests and hosts of the show sound friendly and enthusiastic, but Petra Mayer had a sort of gleeful joy that really came through. Even though listeners didn’t know her personally, they felt like they knew a part of her because of the way she so passionately told us about the things she loved. She could gush with enthusiasm about Doctor Who and Star Trek, while also providing insightful criticism about commentary.

Petra Mayer was a nerd, through and through. Her official NPR bio even called her the “Resident Nerd.” She was never ashamed about gushing over genre fiction or a particularly good comic. For the public radio nerds and the regular nerds out there, she was an ambassador and will be greatly missed.

Photo by Allison Shelley

Petra Mayer, 1974-2021


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