Best Sarah Wendell Podcasts (2025)

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663. RT Rewind: July 2000 Ads & Features 52:50

2d ago52:50

52:50

The ads and features from the July 2000 issue of Romantic Times are a treasure trove of wtfery! It’s PEAK stepback era. Readers have been introduced to Half.com for selling their old books, and they are very excited about it – to say nothing of People.com and EW.com. We get a peek into the Romantic Times and Lady Barrow BookLover Tours – the prices…

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662. What’s Deeanne Gist Been Up To? With Dakota Lacoy 50:26

9d ago50:26

50:26

What happens when a bestselling and award winning author of historical inspirational romances decides, after a break of a few years, to write spicy contemporary? If you’re Deeanne Gist, you start over from scratch as Dakota Lacoy. Amanda and I were just asking recently what had happened to Deeanne Gist, who wrote some SBTB favorites like Tiffany Gi…

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Episode 27: Teaching from Rest, Wonder and Wisdom with Christopher Perrin and Carrie Eben 1:01:45

8d ago1:01:45

1:01:45

In this ClassicalU podcast episode, Jesse Hake speaks with Dr. Christopher Perrin and Carrie Eben about their new book The Good Teacher, which expands into ten principles from ClassicalU’s original course titled “Eight Essential Principles of Classical Pedagogy.” The conversation traces the book's origins, how Carrie and Christopher collaborated, a…

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661. RT Rewind: July 2000 Reviews 49:41

16d ago49:41

49:41

We’re heading back in time to July 2000 to check out new releases in Romantic Times Magazine! Highlights include: Amanda’s memories of reading Daughter of the Forest, one of her all-time favorite books A surprising number of 2- and 1-star reviews A heroine obsessed with pirates! Question: Did you read ebooks before the Kindle was released? What dev…

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660. Murder By Memory with Olivia Waite 42:49

23d ago42:49

42:49

Olivia Waite is my guest this week to talk about Murder by Memory, her new cozy space mystery. We talk about characters, inspiration, tactile memories, and what sport is not on the ship. Then: cozy sci fi mystery recs, especially queer ones. Music: purple-planet.com Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See a…

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659. RT Rewind: May 2015 Ads & Features 50:17

1M ago50:17

50:17

Remember digital first novellas? Websites for an entire fictional town? When Indie publishing was talked about with the same language as MLMs? We’re going back to peruse at the May 2015 Romantic Times Magazine Ads and Features. It was a time! We also mentioned: Susanna Kearsley’s book page with all the covers The muscular dudes fabric The Cover Mod…

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658. Romance and Penetrative Sex: A Conversation With Jane Buehler 1:09:02

1M ago1:09:02

1:09:02

Today brings a vulnerable and honest conversation about the prevalence of penetrative sex in romance, and what happens if a writer decides to create a character with pelvic floor pain, for whom that kind of sex isn’t possible? Let’s find out! Jane Buehler’s new book, The Fire Apprentice, is out this week, and we’re going to talk about the book, and…

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Episode 26: Teaching the Epic in Ordinary Life: Marilynne Robinson, Virtue, and Classical Education with Christine Perrin 1:03:46

1M ago1:03:46

1:03:46

In this episode of the ClassicalU Podcast, we welcome back Christine Perrin to talk about the deeply Christian engagement with the epic tradition found in Marilynne Robinson’s novels. Christine has taught these novels over several years with profound blessings in the lives of students. The conversation explores the themes of homecoming (nostos) and…

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657. RT Rewind: May 2015 Reviews! 1:11:16

1M ago1:11:16

1:11:16

Amanda and I have loaded the time travel machine with snacks and bubbly beverages. We’re headed back to May 2015. Some major books were released this month along with some we’re very happy to revisit. We’ve got answers to the following questions: Are there Amish Inspirational romances that have too much sex in them? How many garage freezers would a…

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656. Every Girl Deserves a Happily Ever After: with Rep. Stacey Abrams and Princess Mabel van Oranje 48:26

2M ago48:26

48:26

Once Upon a Time, Princess Mabel van Oranje, founder Vow for Girls, an organization dedicated to ending child marriage, met Stacey Abrams, author and the former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives. They hatched a plan to unite the romance community with Vow for Girls, which led to Every Girl Deserves Happily Ever After. Today, P…

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655. RT Rewind: October 2000 Ads & Features 56:13

2M ago56:13

56:13

It’s time for the ads and features of the October 2000 Romantic Times magazine, where they’re both talking about new releases AND celebrating their 200th issue. What did we learn? We learned about waxing, magazines, and galleys, but not about skin care, gun parts, or boats. We’ve got Extreme Troy, everyone. Grab a drink and come hang out with us. A…

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654. Dialogue and Shenanigans with Kimberly Lemming 45:12

2M ago45:12

45:12

Kimberly Lemming’s new book, I Got Abducted By Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in A Rom-Com is out this week. What’s inside? A fantasy world with underfunded researchers and mishandled animal restoration caused by fiscal irresponsibility, academic malfeasance and nepotism. And talking lions and fire breathing aliens powered by garlic bread. Music: purpl…

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Episode 25: Ties that Bind, Scholé, and Classical Education with Dr. Joylynn Blake 57:43

2M ago57:43

57:43

The respective directors of Scholé Academy and ClassicalU, Joylynn Blake and Jesse Hake, mix work and pleasure in this unscripted conversation about the essence and inspiration of classical education. Jesse inquires about the personal history and stories that lie behind Joylynn's love for educational opportunity. Along the way, they chat about thei…

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653. RT Rewind: February 2000 Reviews! 1:12:14

2M ago1:12:14

1:12:14

RT is celebrating their 200th issue, and we’re celebrating, too! We’ve got the OG Monster Schtupping book, a guy whose arm appears to end in a ham, and some incredible covers. You know I’m going to tell you not to miss the visual aids, but I mean it. There’s a series where the focus of every cover illustration is someone's backside? It's wild. You …

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Supporting Families and Engaging Fathers featuring Dr. Jared Williams and Stephen Fowler 29:18

3M ago29:18

29:18

In this episode, we're thrilled to be in conversation with Dr. Jared Williams and Stephen Fowler from Family Service Center, an organization that provides counseling, parenting education, and prevention services to families in Southeast Texas communities. Our discussion dives into some of the biggest challenges facing families and explores insights…

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652. Smart Bitches Turns 20 with Candy Tan 1:04:36

3M ago1:04:36

1:04:36

My guest today is Candy Tan, who 20 years ago co-founded Smart Bitches Trashy Books with me. Yay!! We’re looking back at the founding of SBTB, about her reactions to Bridgerton, and her perennial favorite romances. We talk about different ways that romance has changed since 2005. Then I show Candy the casting photos for the Black Dagger Brotherhood…

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651. Little Free Libraries and Sports with Savannah Carlisle and Kristi Dosh 50:38

3M ago50:38

50:38

Savannah Carlisle is the author of The Library of Second Chances and is a sports business reporter and nonfiction author under the name Kristi Dosh. Her romance centers on a Little Free Library, so of course we are talking about that. We also discuss the difficult economies of small coastal towns, and the ways that memories can be attached to a pla…

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650. “I’m Going to Keep Daring” - Romance and History with Joanna Shupe 57:37

3M ago57:37

57:37

Joanna Shupe posted a TikTok on November 11, 2024, in response to angry readers chastising her for writing in her newsletter about her disappointment with the election results. I have included the audio with her permission.She says in her comments that she could teach a whole class about the parallels between the Gilded Age and the current politica…

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649. Kindness Everywhere: New Year’s Recs & Wishes from Claudia, Carisa, Verity, Colleen, and Elyse 1:03:21

3M ago1:03:21

1:03:21

One! More! Time! We’ve got one last set of interviews with all of you, and we’re going out with a banger of a book list. We’re talking about Y’all Fest, koalas, how terrifying David Tennant is, bonkbusters, Taylor Swift lyrics as book titles, and pop culture portal fantasies in romance. TW/CW: As part of my conversation with Carisa, who teaches his…

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Episode 24: Chatting About Reading, Raising Children, and More with New Team Member Rebecca Richard 51:29

3M ago51:29

51:29

Get to know ClassicalU's new full time team member Rebecca Richard as she and director Jesse Hake talk about the love of learning, late blooming, Charlotte Mason, scholé, and life at sea. You will also hear about Rebecca's personal top picks among our courses: Common Arts Education by Chris Hall, Charlotte Mason: A Liberal Education for All by Jaso…

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648. Welcome and Comfort : New Year’s Wishes from Sarah Jane, Lilisonna, Martin 44:30

4M ago44:30

44:30

We’re traveling around the world again, with Sarah Jane, Lilisonna, and Martin to gather recs, and wishes, and terrible jokes. We’ve got more joyful recommendations for AJ Sherwood’s books, more cozy games, more pop culture documentaries, and more cats visiting the show. We’ve got one more episode featuring listeners in various parts of the world. …

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647. Finding Home: Recs and Wishes from Megan, Alanna, Sue and Rhonda 51:20

4M ago51:20

51:20

We’re traveling all over the world again, from the west coast of the US to Germany to discuss the price of PopTarts, book recommendations, and wishes for 2025 with Megan, Alanna, Sue, and Rhonda. Thank you for being part of these episodes! You can find all the books at SBTB! We also mentioned: Lost in Austen (tv show) Jae’s Sapphic Book Bingo I Hea…

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Episode 23: Considering Mary in Conversation with Professor Matthew Milliner (a Nativity Bonus Episode) 53:25

4M ago53:25

53:25

In this bonus Nativity episode, Jesse Hake chats with Wheaton College Professor of Art History, Matthew Milliner about Mary and his book Mother of the Lamb: The Story of a Global Icon. Among several connections made to the classical liberal arts, this conversation overlaps with much in Jesse's "Lecture 12: Mythic Cosmos" in ClassicalU's course on W…

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646. Swashbuckling and Historical Romance Classics with Elizabeth Hoyt 1:03:49

4M ago1:03:49

1:03:49

My guest this week is Elizabeth Hoyt!! This episode was SO MUCH FUN to record and produce and I am so excited to share it with you.We talk about her latest book, No Ordinary Duchess, writer’s block, emotionally constipated heroes, and the special place for sunshiny heroines. Plus we talk about how genres have changed in popularity over the course o…

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645. Support and Comfort: Holiday Wishes from Carrie, Jenna, Melissa, Lisa, Josephine, and Cara 46:42

4M ago46:42

46:42

We’re taking a tour around the US with stops in California, Ohio, Maryland, Texas, and Georgia with Carrie, Jenna, Melissa, Lisa, Josephine, and Cara! We’ve got holiday wishes and a bunch of recommendations. Thank you to everyone who signed up in record numbers to do a holiday recording with me. These are very fun! We also mentioned: Paint Love- At…

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Leveraging Systems-Level Advocacy featuring Sarah Crocket and Stephanie Battaglia 42:20

4M ago42:20

42:20

In this episode, we sit down with two incredible advocates, Sarah Crocket and Stephanie Battaglia, to dive into Texas CASA's legislative priorities for the 89th legislative session kicking off on January 14th, 2025. Sarah and Stephanie walk us through the process of identifying key priorities, share what’s on the docket for the upcoming session, an…

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Episode 22: Fr. Wesley Walker of "The Classical Mind" on Hugh of Saint Victor 54:27

4M ago54:27

54:27

Jesse Hake interviews Fr. Wesley Walker on a wide range of topics related to classical Christian education, including the work and influence of Hugh of St. Victor, the importance of incorporating American literature and history into the classical curriculum, the connections between teaching and priestly vocations, and contemporary resources relevan…

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644. Fanfic, Generosity, and Really Long Books: Holiday Wishes from Anne, Sandra, Miriam, Carrie A, and Lisa 50:50

5M ago50:50

50:50

My guests this week are, in the words of my home vernacular, yinz n’at. We’re traveling all over the country this week and we’re talking about fanfic, finding an unending treasure trove of books to read from a new favorite author, and taking time for restorative actions. There is still time to sign up if you’re a member of the Patreon community! He…

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643. Safety, D&D, and Smut Logic: Holiday Wishes from Dani, Katie, Sneezy and Lisa 39:47

5M ago39:47

39:47

It’s the first of our holiday episodes, and my guests are…all of you! Members of the podcast Patreon have signed up in record numbers to do interviews, so in the coming weeks, we’ll have recommendations, wishes, and bad jokes galore from folks all over the world. There is still time to sign up – head over to Patreon and you’ll find the link. This w…

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642. Books Journalism and Social Media with Sophie Vershbow 1:03:45

5M ago1:03:45

1:03:45

Sophie Vershbow is a freelance journalist who writes a lot about books, reading, and the publishing industry. You might have seen her article about celebrity book ghost writers and about DNFing without guilt. We talk about her experience with social media strategy for authors and publishers, and with writing about publishing. We also discuss how mu…

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641. RT Rewind: November 2015 Ads & Features 41:02

5M ago41:02

41:02

It’s time for the Ads & Features from the November 2015 issue of Romantic Times magazine! Our cover story is…the 10th anniversary of Samhain publishing. We’ve got articles on series bibles and rugby romance – and a lot of ads when YA covers were all White Girls in Giant Dresses. Come back in time with us – we had a lot of fun chatting about this is…

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Episode 21: Sarah Flynn on Classical Education in Australia and Indigenous Approaches to Knowledge 41:55

5M ago41:55

41:55

Jesse Hake chats with Sarah Flynn, a classical Christian education pioneer in Australia and founder of Logos Australis. Sarah is an educator with a background in ecology, environmental studies, and Aboriginal studies in addition to being instrumental in promoting classical education in Australia. Among other topics, Sarah and Jesse consider relatio…

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640. Cozy Witchcraft with Lucy Jane Wood 49:11

5M ago49:11

49:11

Lucy Jane Wood’s debut book, Rewitched, is out, and we connected to talk all things cozy, witchcraft, all the different 90s witches in pop culture, and the big feelings around turning an age with a zero on the end. Ultimately, this is a book about a person who wants to keep her own power – a theme I could certainly celebrate! Lucy Jane is also a Ti…

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639. RT Rewind: November 2015 Reviews 1:05:08

6M ago1:05:08

1:05:08

It’s time to take a look at the new books in November 2015 inside Romantic Times! We’ve got spanking and small towns, and a magazine that seems more targeted toward aspiring writers than readers. That yielded a mixed bag! But we have some books to talk about so let’s get to it! So many small town contemporaries, so many historicals, so many Four St…

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Empowering Families Through Collaboration with Heather Cantamessa 41:21

6M ago41:21

41:21

In this episode, we're thrilled to welcome the wonderful Heather Cantamessa, Director of Family Impact at Akin. Heather draws on her work with the transformative Parents for Parents program, a model of peer support that empowers families involved with Child Protective Services, and discusses the vital role CASA advocates can play in facilitating co…

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638. Smart Bitches After Dark - Tara interviews Sarah & Amanda 56:58

6M ago56:58

56:58

Tara Scott, staff writer at SBTB and co-host of the Queerly Recommended podcast, is in the interviewer’s chair, asking Amanda and me questions about Smart Bitches After Dark, our new community support wing. We talk about what After Dark is, and also about the larger enshittification of different parts of the internet, and how we navigate that as a …

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637. RT Rewind October 1988 Ads & Features 1:05:43

6M ago1:05:43

1:05:43

It’s time for the Ads & Features of the October 1988 (!!) issue of Romantic Times Magazine. Y’all. We’ve got: Vintage gossip! Blind items that are very easy to guess! Danielle Steel’s two blue Mercedes! Fuchsia covers with giant flowers and startled animals! Riverboat gambler romance heroes! And a truly paltry obituary for an extraordinary author. …

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636. Swordcrossed Cozy Romantasy with Freya Marske 45:53

6M ago45:53

45:53

Freya Marske’s new book Swordcrossed is out this week, and she’s joining us from the other side of the planet to talk about what she calls, “Fantasy of manners, mercantile edition.” We also talk about writing fanfic and her new favorite show, Interview with the Vampire. Yes, I did mis-number last week’s episode – sorry about that. Music: purple-pla…

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Episode 20: Liturgical Learning: A Conversation between Christine Perrin, Junius Johnson, and Chris Perrin 1:13:33

6M ago1:13:33

1:13:33

In this episode, Christopher Perrin engages with both Junius Johnson and Christine Perrin on the topics of contemplative, embodied, sacramental, and liturgical learning. Together they consider how these truths should inform our classroom practices in light of a sacramental sense of time, the church calendar, and the fact that humans are embodied cr…

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635. RT Rewind: October 1988 Reviews 48:21

7M ago48:21

48:21

It’s time to journey back to the October 1988 issue of Romantic Times! That’s right, we’re going all the way back to 1988, a time when one of us on the show wasn’t born yet. We’ve got absolutely appalling plots, some extremely luscious covers, and more – like Amanda’s engagement! Congrats Amanda and Brian! TW/CW: crappy family tales in the first 4 …

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634. Climbing Mt. Fuji with Courtney Milan 56:43

7M ago56:43

56:43

Courtney Milan is here to talk about her newest book, The Earl Who Isn’t, and about climbing Mt. Fuji! Along the way we talk about training, the shifting style of historical romances, and audiobooks.And we have questions from you! A few moments to be aware of before you listen: we talk a little about her dog Pele, who passed away earlier this year.…

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633. RT Rewind: September 2015 Ads & Features 58:48

7M ago58:48

58:48

The ads and features of the September 2015 issue of Romantic Times are a nine-layer cake of wonderment and weird. Don't miss the visual aids! WE GOT FONTS. And dogs! Side trips include: Janet Dailey and who is writing her books (we don’t know) lawyer romances changes in cover design a twist cliffhanger in a quiz with no answer key! Plus, this issue…

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632. Being Fine with Friends, with Jolenta Greenberg and Kristen Meinzer 54:31

7M ago54:31

54:31

Jolenta Greenberg and Kristen Meinzer are podcasting powerhouses with shows like By the Book and How to be Fine With Friends. This season they’re looking at friendship, the research behind sustaining friendships, ending relationships, and creating new connections with people – and they joined me to talk all about it. You can find their show, How to…

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Episode 19: Interview with Jeffrey Bilbro about Wendell Berry's Virtues of Renewal within the Classroom 37:42

7M ago37:42

37:42

Jesse Hake talks with author and Grove City College professor Jeffrey Bilbro about his forthcoming course on ClassicalU about how teachers can cultivate Wendell Berry's virtues of renewal within their classrooms. Bilbro's course is based on his book Virtues of Renewal: Wendell Berry’s Sustainable Forms and relates to material in existing ClassicalU…

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631. RT Rewind: September 2015 Reviews 1:16:27

8M ago1:16:27

1:16:27

We’re going back to September 2015, and I want to ease you into this knowledge, so take a breath, center yourself: that was nine years ago. I don’t get it either but apparently it’s true? JR Ward is on the cover, and there’s all kinds of good stuff inside! Come with us to visit some reviews that are word salad, and some that made me say, a few time…

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630. Behind the Scenes of Real Housewives with Chris DeRosa 55:36

8M ago55:36

55:36

Chris DeRosa is co-host of the podcast Fixing Famous People, and has been a reality tv producer for 11 years. We talk about his career starting with Food Network then moving into unscripted reality tv like the Real Housewives, how reality tv has changed, and how much of the narrative producers have influence over – and what parts they don’t. We’re …

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629. RT Rewind: October 1999 Ads & Features 1:06:40

8M ago1:06:40

1:06:40

Alison aka Fashionably Evil is back with us recapping the ads and features from Romantic Times’ October 1999 issue! There were leers, horny men, and nipples with personalities, and we explore effective friction and learn about The Douche Chills. The visual aids are amazing this week – don’t miss the horny covers! We also mentioned: Daniel Craig’s c…

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628. Real Housewives and Romance Readers with Shana 53:50

8M ago53:50

53:50

Continuing my exploration of reality franchises that are favorites of romance readers, Shana joins me to talk about the Real Housewives franchise: her favorite Real Housewives locations and seasons, and what aspects of this reality franchise appeal to romance readers. We cover relationships, conflict, and the blend of fiction and “reality,” and som…

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627. RT Rewind: October 1999 Reviews! 1:18:49

8M ago1:18:49

1:18:49

We have a special guest! Alison, aka Fashionably Evil, won our Romancing the Vote auction to co-host this round of RT Rewind with us! Congratulations!! Alison picked our issue, October 1999, and wow, it’s just as weird as we’d hoped. And, as part of the auction, we offered a midroll ad, which we typically don’t run. Alison chose to use her midroll …

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Episode 18: Talking to Dr. Kelisha B. Graves about Nannie Helen Burroughs and the Broken "Factory Model" of Education 1:08:38

9M ago1:08:38

1:08:38

In this episode, Jesse Hake talks with author, professor, and executive leader Dr. Kelisha B. Graves about her book on educator and civil rights activist Nannie Helen Burroughs (1879 to 1961) as well as about what is broken and how we should respond to today's predominant "factory model" of education. Our conversation also considered the educationa…

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