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For years, author Jedidiah Jenkins and his mother, Barbara, have flirted with the idea of a cross-country road trip together. The goal: to 

 which she walked with her husband, travel writer Peter Jenkins, in the 1970s. 

But there is one problem: they have wildly disparate world views. Barbara is a baby boomer who lives in rural Tennessee. She supports Trump, listens to conservative media and is a deeply passionate evangelical Christian. 

Jedidiah is almost the opposite. He’s a gay man, who lives on the West Coast and is politically progressive. 

But they love each other. And Jedidiah is keenly aware of his mother’s age and the passing of time. So they set off on their joint adventure, hoping for fresh insight into the complex questions many are asking today: How do we stay in relationship when it hurts? When are boundaries needed? Is it possible to love someone who disagrees with you on almost everything? 

This week on Big Books and Bold Ideas, Jedidiah Jenkins joined host Kerri Miller for a thoughtful, funny and reflective conversation about mothers, nuance and the key ingredient needed to stay in painful relationships. 

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Jedidiah Jenkins and his mom diverge wildly on their ideological views. She is a Trump-supporting conservative evangelical from Tennessee. He is a gay, progressive man who lives in California. But they love each other. Can they find common ground on a cross-country road trip? That’s the story of his new memoir, “Mother, Nature.” 

Can a 5,000-mile journey help a mother and son survive their differences?

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