RAR #17: On Living a Storyformed Life
If you only listen to one episode of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast, let this one be it. This episode is the humdinger of them all, if I do say so myself. ;)
I have been dying to talk to Sarah Clarkson since the Read-Aloud Revival was born! She’s a busy student at Oxford, though, and it took a bit of finagling to get our schedules to play nicely together. Over the Christmas break we made it happen, and now I’m ready to share it with you!
This episode is guaranteed to make your heart rate speed up and energize every single aspect of your read-aloud culture in your home.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- why the Read-Aloud Revival exists
- why it’s so important to build your family culture around books
- and what’s really at stake
Even as a young child, you begin to understand that your life is a narrative in which you have the power to live as a hero or a heroine, and that is formed through exposure to literature….”
Click the play button below:
Books from this episode:
(All links are affiliate links.)
Links from this episode:
- Storyformed.com, Sarah’s website.
- The Rabbit Room, one of Sarah’s favorite places to get book recommendations and inspiration (one of mine too!)
- Intrigued by how Sarah was homeschooled, after hearing her talk about it? Check out any of her parents’ resources at Whole Hearted Ministries, and their book on how they homeschooled their kids (Sarah, included!), Educating the Whole-Hearted Child.
- CiRCE Institute (I mentioned my affection for the beautiful work they are doing to rebuild the culture during this show).
- Books and Culture Magazine
- Thoroughly Alive, Sarah’s personal blog
Hi there! I’m enjoying listening to various podcasts from your site! I’m in love with everything you are posting! (First found you at the IEW Winter Retreat.) I tried to find Sarah’s website, but the link no longer seems to work. I did find a new blog https://sarahclarkson.com/ and I’m wondering if this is the right place or if you have another link I can look up (specifically for her booklist). Thank you and God bless you!
Angela–you can find the booklists at https://www.storyformed.com/welcome and in Sarah Clarkson’s book Read for the Heart. She has a new book coming out that’s book lists for women! Can’t wait!
Hey, Sarah! Fantastic episode as usual, though this one may have taken it to the next level. It was SO encouraging! Thank you for such an inspiring show. Also, Sarah Clarkson mentioned a book called “Beautiful Girlhood” during the show. It isn’t listed in the show notes. I found it on Amazon but it’s not by Karen Andreola. Just wondering if this is the right one? http://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Girlhood-Mabel-Hale-ebook/dp/B0021L9XQS/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1456112899&sr=1-1&keywords=beautiful+girlhood
Thanks again. I really love the podcast and look forward to it!
Thank you for interviewing Sarah Clarkson so that she could share her story with us all!
So thankful to hear an interview with Sarah clarkson! I run a summer reading program and am continually trying to collect research…is there a link somewhere to the talk she heard in Oxford about the decline of reading in America?
I don’t have one anywhere, but you could try reaching out to Sarah directly to see if she can send you a link? Her contact info is at her blog: storyformed.com :)
LOVE this thank you so much! I can not wait to go through all the podcast!!! :)
This was my favorite podcast so far! My Amazon cart has grown after listening. I have a problem in reverse. My 9 year old is a voracious reader and is so engrossed in his “story formed” life that it is hard to get him out of his deep imagination (and out of his books) just to pay attention to basic requests. We don’t want to take books away as a punishment, but we aren’t sure how to get him to listen to us while maintaining that amazing imagination. Thoughts?
We need to do a podcast episode on this, because I have the same problem with my 11 yo and it’s about to drive me batty…
Sarah, this was really another excellent podcast. I want to thank you so much for your hard work at creating such a professionally done, engaging podcast. It helps me to actually enjoy cleaning the kitchen in the evening! You have a really great audio personality, which makes your interviews really shine. Thank you.
I agree. I enjoy so much more doing the kitchen when listening to podcasts!
Love your podcasts: I always look forward to them. But one question- are you going to keep making the cheat sheets and guides to the episodes? I know you make one for the first episode but I haven’t seen any others…I really would love to have something to print out and put in my notebook that I keep for podcasts I have listened to(most of them are yours at this point!!!) Keep up the great work, it has been a blessing in my life!
The cheat sheet was wonderful! You are wonderful! It seems like you are preparing those for the membership page you have been working on. Nervous it is going to be a paid membership, which you totally deserve to get paid for all you do! I know hubby has already said no if its a paid membership!! :-(
But, I totally would pay for something like that if I was able!
Crystal,
What other podcasts do you listen to?
I’m a podcast junkie.
One Im listening to a lot lately is inspiredtoaction.com.
It is great encouragement for moms!!
My favorites are collected here:
https://readaloudrevival.com/2013/10/listen-up-collection-of-my-favorite/
I like Inspired to Action, too! :)
Crystal,
Do you have a notebook that you organize your thoughts on when you listen to podcasts? I am finding I need something like this.
I have a commonplace book that I use (just a blank journal with lines) for jotting down quotes from books, thoughts from anything I’m reading or listening to. It’s basically the contents of my brain at any given time.
It’s a giant mess of disorganization, though, so I think I need to implement something of a bullet journal system to it:
http://bulletjournal.com
:)
What a thought-provoking podcast! Thank you for sharing your hearts and encouraging me to help my kids live a storyformed life. I have much to contemplate and change.
Blessings!
I love the idea of a book basket for each child! As well as reading aloud one on one with a parent! Thanks Sarah and Sarah!
Sarah – you made my RAR dream come true with this episode! Sarah Clarkson is someone I look up to and admire in the world of books and literature. I have fond memories of tucking myself away into a corner on Thanksgiving 2013 at my in-law’s house and dog-earing Read from the Heart. My husband finally asked what the point was – after all, I was dog-earing nearly every page! (And I am really against dog-earing in general, but I knew this was a book I was going to have forever – why not move into it for good.)
Thank you thank you – I am on my way to listen to this again!
Kelly
Thank you for “introducing” Sarah Clarkson to me! What a great listen! I love the idea of learning to be a hero/heroine in our own life. This is how I spent most of my childhood – transplanting myself into every literary adventure I read – and I do feel it has shaped me and my world view profoundly.
I cannot wait to explore Sarah’s website!
This was fantastic! Thank you!
Do you have any science read aloud suggestions? We have done our regular text, but would like ideas for more “reader friendly” science books, so to speak, for upper elementary or middle school.
God bless,
Jennifer
Jennifer – Glenn Blough’s science books are wonderful. They may be at the lower end of your requested age level, but if you can peruse them at your library, you can see for yourself. I am well beyond grade school but I like them a lot. :)
Best,
Kelly
Can you encourage a mom of a young one…14 month old. Kind of feeling overwhelmed with the wealth of good information you share. I want to read the right books to my daughter. Finding myself with wanting to read books that might be too old. Okay to read aloud the books I am reading? I want to listen to Little House on the Prairie with her even if she might not understand it.
I currently have a calendar on fridge and mark off each day when I have read a minimum of 5 minutes.
I just finished listening and had to come comment right away because when Sarah spoke of reading Goudge as devotional I shouted “Yes!” aloud. I first read The Scent of Water a few years ago. I need to read it again, but I loved it right away. I more recently read Pilgrim Inn, and I was amazed at how often I could set the book down with much to ponder and prayers on my heart from Goudge’s work. The whole podcast was fabulous as always!!!! Thank you!!!!
Just as you thanked us…no thank YOU!
What a fun listen! Interesting to hear how she and her siblings communicate with each other in book talk and through books.
I am a veteran homeschool mom and have been following Sarah in her book adventures.
It is so encouraging to once again hear how reading is a life investment and a life changer. Thank you for carrying on the story.
Sarah M., I downloaded your book on Kindle and so enjoying it as well!
Hey, Diane!!!
Good to see our paths crossing here too.
Excellent episode…extremely inspiring.
Just read this in Corrie Ten Boom’s THE HIDING PLACE, “Here Mama read aloud from Dickenson on winter evenings while the coal whistled in the brick hearth and cast a red glow over the tile proclaiming, “Jesus is Victor.”
Can’t help but wonder if those times of reading build the courage and character Corrie needed to be the hero of her story.
I enjoyed listening to this during my run tonight! I felt the same way you did when I discovered The Rabbit Room last year – “these are my people!” I can’t wait to dig into the books Sarah mentioned.
Thank you Sara! I have loved every single one of your podcasts. I try to get all of my homeschooling mom friends to listen to them. I think they don’s spend as much time as I do listening to podcasts though. There has been so much wisdom in every one of them, that as soon as one comes out, I try to make time to listen to it. I haven’t actually finished listening to this one, I have to finish it a little bit later, but from what I’ve heard so far, I’m sure it is just as good as all the others have been.
This one was a great surprise. Our church homeschool support group is reading through “Educating the wholehearted Child”. This will give me an excuse to forward this podcast, by the author’s very own daughter. Hopefully if will inspire them to listen to your podcast and get them hooked.