I taught April Morning for a number of years in junior English which focused on American lit.

That’s so cool.

Huh. I didn't know he was your grandfather. Respect.

Read that book as a kid in the target age group

I didn't know that was your grandfather. We read that in 8th grade English and I loved it.

Very coooolllllllllllll

That's pretty cool Molly. ✌🏻

It is very cool! I've always wanted to be a crossword clue (but I have yet to do anything that will put me there)

Very cool

👏👏👏👏

You should embrace that feeling and never question it again.❤️

That’s so cool, girl!

Very, very cool!

As you should! So cool

That’s awesome!

Oh wow — very cool

So cool!!!

Cool 😎

It should NEVER get old! Congratulations!🎉

As you should, Molly. God, did I love this book as a kid. 🙌

Cool 😎

I loved his WWII-generation novel when I read it in the 80s.

Omg!! I didn’t know he was your granddad! I loved that book!!🥰Soooo cool!😎

Well that’s really cool!

It is cool.

I read “The Hessian” in junior high!

I went to college with your cousin Melissa (we went to the USSR in 1972-3), and I think it’s cool 👍

It is very cool!!

VERY COOL INDEED ~ as are you as was your Mom. Love ya!!

That is cool.

So cool 😎

It is SO cool!!!

Who else hiding in that fabulous family tree? Proust, Dickinson? I also find it extremely cool.

It’s super cool!!

I actually taught his book, April Morning, in American Literature. Love it!

i knew the answer!

That is so cool, Molly. History made personal by Grandpa but made mainstream cool by prime time game show Jeopardy. I'm grinning from ear to ear for you.

It IS cool!!

Very cool!

Nice. I loved that book when I was a kid.

It is SO cool!

The answer is in the clue.

What is a really cool family moment?

Nice

Way cool! I read _April_Morning_ when I was in the 8th grade. It's stayed with me all these decades.

What a cool moment

So cool!!

Hehehe

Tommy Lee was great in the TV movie!

That Howard Fast. Holy moly..

oh cool!

I have read most of your grandpa's books and enjoyed every one of them.

And the contestant knew the answer. Cool

Wow, your grandfather was Howard Fast? I love Howard Fast. Cool!

I taught that book for years...loved it 👏👏👏

I have signed copies of some of his others. My mom was his attorney's paralegal. Your dad was in my mom's house.

💃✌️❤️

Uhh because it IS cool!! Holy shit!

Very cool!!!

I taught that book in my 8th grade interdisciplinary Language Arts/American History class. We graphed out the battles of the civil war throughout. It was very historically accurate. Reading this novel also provided a personal perspective to history and made it feel more “real” to students.

I read that as a boy.

That's amazing!

😍

Totally agree, it’s cool!

It is cool!

That is amazing. 🙌🏻

Because it is.

It’s very cool.

Whaaaaat?! My mom used to show that movie to her 8th grade US history class every year. I’ve seen it dozens of times.

I had no idea you are the granddaughter of Howard Fast. Wow.

Don't feel bad for a few YEARS I thought about her mom every single time I saw her name on a post without ever once thinking they may be related 🤣 No idea how that's possible but I was shocked when I realized 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

She comes from literary royalty. I Maria, I now wouldn't be surprised if her great-great grandfather was Mark Twain.😂 I hope you are doing well my friend.❤️

😂🤣

OMG awesome!

It’s really cool.

One of my favorite authors

I was a young teen when I read your mother’s (forbidden) book Fear of Flying under my covers with a flashlight. You look so like her. She was kind of a hero to me

My mom didn’t mind if I read her books and I didn’t mind when my kid read mine. Like you I was YOUNG 😂

Me as well. I didn’t know your grandpa was also a writer!

OMGosh!! That was one of the best books I read when I was in my teens. I love that book! I'm 67 now. He also wrote Freedom Road which is another great book.

I will be reading it soon, thank you.

That’s very cool 😎

My dad, loved Jeopardy, but he never spoked a word to me in English😆

@von67trumpet.bsky.social I believe its why I got a brain, and thinking😆

Well that’s cool!!

Yes very cool!!

Very cool!

It is cool!

Watching this man in awe of the broad range of his knowledge.

That is so cool! We were watching that--had no idea it was your grandfather!

Way cool!

We watch “Jeopardy!” all the time. When we guess the correct answer faster than the contestants, we holler “ding ding ding 🛎️!” 🤣 👵🏼👩🏼‍🦰

💙🦋

Very cool! And during Monday night's show, did you scream "STRAP-HANGERS!!" at the TV when no one knew that answer, or even ventured a guess??? 😂

So cool!!!!

Loved his books!

That is so cool. These are some of my ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary War.

Pocahontas is one of my Great Aunts.

Her father is one of my great granddaughters.

Wait—WHAT?

This is one of my great granddaughters. I have other native American great grandparents too. I have so much wild ancestry that it is almost mind-blowing to tell you the truth. What really blew my mind is I am related to Jesus. He is a distant cousin of mine.

I have also traced my ancestry back to Seth, which was Cain and Able's brother, which makes their parents Adam and Eve. Wild huh. I have proof for everything. I can bring receipts for everything. I don't lie about my genealogy because I don't need to because I know I am telling the truth.

Oops, my great grandfathers ☝️

I mean great grandfathers. ☝️Not granddaughters. I am so sorry for my fat finger typos. 🫢

Cleopatra, which was Pocahontas' sister, is one of my great grandmothers.

I am also related to the Tudors.

Actually I am related to pharos too. One of my great granddaughters built a pyramid, not the famous ones, but another one and it has a lot of my ancestors buried next to it.

I meant great grandfathers. ☝️ Sorry for the fat finger typo. 🫢

I also found out I am related to these people from the Bible. They are my great grandmothers. They are also the great grandparents of Joseph, which is Jesus' earthly father.

Damn I did it again. I meant great grandfathers. ☝️ Again I apologize for the fat finger typo. 🫢

I know this is probably hard to believe but I can bring receipts to prove this. I am related to a lot of royalty from England and Europe. Some of my grandfathers are Kings too. It's pretty crazy.

These are some of my ancestors who came over on the mayflower.

And this would make Jesus literally a distant cousin of mine.

Very cool indeed!

It is cool. 😎 Btw, I love your commentary on the shows. Always a highlight. Your grandpa would be proud.

❤️📚

Loved his writing and his courage

Cool

It is really cool, Molly!

as you should!

Wow, I watched the movie April Morning as a kid. It really sparked an interest in the Revolutionary War for me. Great story.

April Morning! One of the best books in 7th Grade AP English!

Agreed! Read it multiple times!

Even though Jeopardy is not the same without Alex Trebek, that is still very cool!

One of my favorite books I read growing up!

I loved Freedom Road.

My grandmother read every one of his books. Thanks for sharing.

How totally cool!! That's the Calif.Bishop Alemany HS coming out. Lol

I’ll take *yes, it is* for $300!

I did a report on Haym Solomon in elementary school. I told the teacher I couldn't find enough information. She pointed me to your grandpa's book, which I had read. I said that it included things like what he thought after having breakfast and was clearly too fictionalized to use for research.

Yeah, I was not well liked in school.

I loved his books!

Cool

Cool, but I still got the answer wrong!

Cool

Oh hell yeah

I am Spartacus, says the senator.

did not realize until now the connection! Had to read that in school.

Cool runs in your blood 😎

I thought the fact that my daughter was on Jeopardy! was cool. This is way cooler! Neat!

Yes, but did you know the answer? 🤔

“What is: the Answer?”

Idk. Ask Molly, that's her grandfather.

Oh I was making a Jeopardy format joke. You answer with “What is…”

Ah, sorry.😅🤷

No worries! Jokes in print are often poorly conveyed

😅👍

Very cool.

You're related to him?! Wow I loved his books. I still have a pile of them including his autobiography. I learned a lot about America & our history through him

that’s rad 👏🏻

Loved that book

April Morning. I loved that book.

Very cool!!! I had a great grandpa Fast (RIP) of the Nebraska Fasts (Mennonites). Henry K. Fast 💕

Too cool!!

I saw that!

It's totally cool.

That's awesome

Jeopardy is cool. Fear not.

I read your Grandpas book back when I was a teenager. So, about 55 years ago now (wow, I’m old!). I loved it and I’ve always remembered it. I just recommended it to my partner who has never read it!

That’s gotta feel good ❤️

Caught that! Nice 😊

That's just to cool.

I thought of you when I saw the clue.

Very, very heartwarming and cool.

never knew you were a nepo-baby.... or nepo-grandbaby, as the case may be...

a man who's never heard of Erica Jong. Why does this not surprise me?

nor has he heard of Howard Fast.

oh. So everyone with the last name of "Fast" is related to the author Howard Fast? Is that how this works?

of course I've heard of Erica Jong. What I don't do is follow her closely enough to know the names and occupations of her children.

She’s both

I read his " Immigrants" series starting when I was 11. ( I read everything in the children's section so this is what I got from the adults section) To this day, I remember those novels.

That is really cool, be proud

Prolific. I remember his name in books growing up in the atmosphere of the 60, 70s, and 80s. I dunno if the young kids today will ever experience the magic that we did unless libraries and bookstores become hot again. Could happen! 📚 Afterall, vinyl record shops were revived! 🎧 🤷🏼‍♀️

Love that book.

Yeah Grandpa

So very cool

Your family is practically the Van Dorens!

It’s way cool and you’re rightfully proud of your grandpa.

Well yeah, he was famous.

Very cool!

That IS pretty darned wonderful!!

I didn’t know your grandfather wrote that book!! I loved that book!

How cool!

It's totally cool

How cool is that!

‪ I was unaware of your ties to Howard Fast! I remember reading his books when I was younger!!! April Morning, for sure!

This post needs to be deemed epically successful. It both educates and encourages reading new books by people one doesn't know. Putting Gramps and Mom's books on the wish list now.

Way cool! Years back, my husband's cousin was one of the question askers. It really leaves you with a warm, fuzzy feeling. 🥰

Of course that's cool! Plus it's nice to think that someone who meant so much to you had such an impact on the world.

Very.

Very cool, Molly.

Family legacy.

OMG didn’t know that was your grandpa. Read “April Morning” in HS & it was one of the first books I remember actually enjoying. Have loved historical fiction ever since. And jumped all over that Jeopardy question.🙋‍♀️

Because that IS cool! 😎

Because it IS cool!

It is very cool!

I saw that about 25 minutes ago...PDT. I also didn't know the answer, so at home, I guessed MJ-F!!!

I still have my mom's copy of "Fear of Flying."

Daily Double, May 2, 2002, for $1200: A. She could have called her 1973 bestseller “Aviophobia.” Q. Who is Erica Jong? www.reddit.com/r/Jeopardy/c...

Everyone just wants to sit with you guys at the cool table…

Where was this question when I needed it? 😂

Nice 😊

Fear of Flying? I snuck a look when I was 13...

I tried so hard to dislike you George (2018 and later), but it’s a bit impossible. You’re a decent human being who happens to be witty, smart and hilarious. Thank you for fighting the good fight.

So @mollyjongfast.bsky.social is literally Double Jeopardy

I love reading comments from smart people! Thanks for the chuckles

Sounds dangerous, which is extra cool!

!

lol hahahah

I think Claudia might follow in her esteemed footsteps.

Bc it is very cool. I’m happy I knew the answer.

It *is* cool

What an honor 💙

Totally cool. I found a passage in a book about ital immigrants in ct and my g father was mentioned as playing an important part in keeping the Italian Fraternal Anti Mussolini. His mother was killed by a bomb during the war .

I read that book years & years ago and loved it!

Molly, I saw the clue and thought of you! And thank you For all you do! 😊

You have such an impressive genealogy!

So cool!

Of COURSE it’s cool! Wow!

That's VERY cool Molly🙌

Way cool

Oh, that's very cool!

Tres cool! I was watching that tonight.