Rebecca's Reading Room

Rebecca Budd

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Books

Welcome to my Reading Room where stories dwell and words ignite our imagination. Rebecca’s Reading room is a virtual space that has been set aside for reading and reflection. It is a place where stories and poetry are given voice. I am your host, Rebecca Budd. I look forward to sharing these moments with you

1d ago

When History Disagrees With the Experts

S6 E30: When History Disagrees With the Experts Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room. I’m Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. There are books that are celebrated the moment they appear. And then there are books that quietly wait for history to speak. When J.R.R. Tolkien published The Lord of the Rings, many critics admired his imagination, while others dismissed the work as little more than escapist fantasy. Yet decades later, millions of readers around the world continue to discover Middle-earth, finding courage, hope, friendship, and wonder within its pages. This reflection began when I came across an article in Open Culture discussing Tolkien’s rejection by the Nobel Prize Committee. The article sparked a larger question for me. Not about awards, but about the life of books themselves. And that may be why this story matters so much today. Not because the Nobel Committee was wrong. Not because Tolkien was right. But because it reminds us that literature is not a race and greatness is not determined in a single moment. Books live beyond reviews. Beyond prizes. Beyond bestseller lists. Today, I’d like to explore a fascinating question: What happens when history disagrees with the experts? Together we’ll look at Tolkien’s remarkable journey from mixed critical reviews to becoming one of the most beloved authors of the twentieth century. Along the way, we’ll discover that history has a way of revealing something that immediate opinion sometimes cannot. Rebecca 🎙️Rebecca’s Reading Room Podcast Music by Epidemic Sound “For All We Know” by More than Family https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/8082dacc-d3a1-3470-977b-970879a925bc/
Oct 31

Celebrating Halloween with Carl Sandburg

S6 E29: Celebrating Halloween with Carl Sandburg Welcome to Rebecca's Reading Room. I'm Rebecca Budd, and I'm so glad you've joined me. As October draws to a close and Halloween arrives, I always find myself reaching for a favourite poem that captures the colour, warmth, and delight of the season. Today I'd like to share Carl Sandburg's “Theme in Yellow.” Rather than focusing on the spooky side of Halloween, Sandburg celebrates the simple joy of children gathering together, pumpkins glowing in the twilight, and the laughter and imagination that make this time of year so memorable. It's a gentle reminder that Halloween can be a celebration of wonder as much as mystery. Theme in Yellow by Carl Sandberg I spot the hills With yellow balls in autumn. I light the prairie cornfields Orange and tawny gold clusters And I am called pumpkins. On the last of October When dusk is fallen Children join hands And circle round me Singing ghost songs And love to the harvest moon; I am a jack-o'-lantern With terrible teeth And the children know I am fooling. So, pour yourself a cup of tea, settle into a comfortable chair, and enjoy Carl Sandburg's delightful poem, “Theme in Yellow.”Happy Halloween. Rebecca 🎙️Rebecca’s Reading Room Podcast Music by Epidemic Sound “Creepy Crawly” by Arthur Benson https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/81f8aba2-6d5f-4742-a2c0-b9c355bbcdb9/
Oct 26

The Full Gamut

S6 E28: The Full Gamut Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room. I’m Rebecca Budd and i look forward to sharing this moment with you. Today I’d like to share a story that begins with a single word—gamut. We use it to describe the full range of something, but I discovered that this little word carried me back to my own family and to the music that shaped my childhood. As I explored its history, I found myself remembering my mother, my sister Sarah, and the three of us singing together. Three voices, each different, yet creating something far richer than any one voice alone. Sometimes a dictionary definition opens a door to memory. This is one of those times. Thank you for joining me today, Rebecca 🎙️Rebecca’s Reading Room Podcast Music by Epidemic Sound “For All We Know” by More than Family https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/8082dacc-d3a1-3470-977b-970879a925bc/
Oct 19

More Than an Apron

S6 E27: More Than an Apron Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room. I’m Rebecca Budd, and I’m so glad you’ve joined me. Sometimes the most treasured possessions are not found in museums or antique shops. They are tucked away in our own cupboards and drawers, quietly carrying the memories of those who came before us. Today, I’d like to share the story of two handmade aprons that belonged to my grandmother and my mother. Worn while baking Christmas cookies, preserving the harvest, preparing family meals, and serving those working in the fields, these simple garments became companions to lives lived in love and generosity. As I wear them today, I find myself wondering how ordinary objects can become extraordinary keepers of memory. So, wherever you may be, make yourself comfortable. Perhaps this story will bring to mind someone whose quiet acts of care helped shape your own life. Rebecca 🎙️Rebecca’s Reading Room Podcast Music by Epidemic Sound “For All We Know” by More than Family https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/8082dacc-d3a1-3470-977b-970879a925bc/
Oct 12

Dictionary of a Life: Agora

S6 E26: Dictionary of a Life: Agora Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room. I’m Rebecca Budd and i look forward to sharing this moment with you. The word agora has stayed with me for many years. Most people think of an ancient marketplace in Greece, and they would be right. But for me, the word has come to mean something much more than a place. It has become a way of thinking about community, conversation, and the exchange of ideas. That is the gift of words. We begin by learning their definitions, but over time they gather meaning through the places we visit, the books we read, and the people we meet. Eventually, a word becomes part of our own story. This is where my story of agora begins. Music by Epidemic Sound “For All We Know” by More than Family https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/8082dacc-d3a1-3470-977b-970879a925bc/
Oct 5

Autumn by Emily Dickinson

S6 E25: Autumn by Emily Dickinson Autumn from Emily Dickinson | A Seasonal Reflection in Nature There are some poems that do not simply describe a season—they become it. Emily Dickinson’s “Autumn” is one of those rare offerings: brief, playful, observant, and filled with the quiet delight of change. The morns are meeker than they were,The nuts are getting brown;The berry's cheek is plumper,The rose is out of town. The maple wears a gayer scarf,The field a scarlet gown.Lest I should be old-fashioned,I'll put a trinket on. I recently recorded this beloved poem outdoors, surrounded by the living signs Dickinson herself noticed so keenly: gentler mornings, ripening nuts, brightening leaves, and that subtle turning in the air that tells us summer has slipped away. What I love most about this poem is Dickinson’s closing touch of humour and grace. As the world dresses itself in scarlet gowns and gayer scarves, she decides not to be left behind: “Lest I should be old-fashioned,I’ll put a trinket on.” How like Emily to notice nature’s pageantry and join it with a wink. This recording is offered as a small autumn pause: a moment to listen, to notice, and to welcome the beauty of seasons that do not ask permission before they arrive. Thank you for visiting Rebecca’s Reading Room, where poetry still walks beside us. Rebecca 📚Rebecca’s Reading Room Music by Epidemic Sound “Smell of Morning Coffee” by Franz Gordon https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/c56a59ac-d55b-44c2-b40e-083f23daae8a/
Sep 28

Beyond Analytics

S6 E24: Beyond Analytics Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room. I’m Rebecca Budd, and I’m so glad you’ve joined me. In a world that celebrates numbers—views, clicks, followers, and subscribers—we can easily begin to believe that they tell the whole story. But do they? Today, I’d like to explore a different question. What if the true measure of our creative work isn’t found in analytics at all? What if its value is discovered years later, when someone stumbles across an old blog post and finds exactly the words they needed? I’ve found myself returning to the writings of bloggers who haven’t published anything new in more than a decade. Their voices still speak. Their stories still encourage. Their words continue to live quietly, long after the analytics have faded. So, pour yourself a cup of tea, settle into a comfortable chair, and join me as we look beyond analytics to discover what really counts. Rebecca 🎙️Rebecca’s Reading Room Podcast Music by Epidemic Sound “For All We Know” by More than Family https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/8082dacc-d3a1-3470-977b-970879a925bc/
Sep 21

Nike at Vigil

S6 E23: Nike at Vigil Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room. I’m Rebecca Budd, and I’m so glad you’ve joined me. Sometimes the most meaningful stories are not found only in books. They are waiting quietly in the world around us—in a painting, an old photograph, a weathered building, or even a statue standing watch over a busy city street. Today I’d like to invite you to pause with me beneath the wings of Nike, the ancient Greek goddess of victory. At first glance she seems to commemorate an Olympic celebration, but her story reaches back more than two thousand years to the sanctuary of Olympia, where athletes sought not wealth or fame, but honour earned through discipline, courage, and perseverance. As we explore her story together, we may discover that victory is not always found on a podium. More often, it is found in the quiet determination to begin again, to persevere through difficulty, and to continue becoming the people we are meant to be. So, wherever you may be, pour yourself a cup of tea, settle into a comfortable chair, and join me as we reflect on an ancient story that still has something to teach us today. Rebecca 🎙️Rebecca’s Reading Room Podcast Music by Epidemic Sound “For All We Know” by More than Family https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/8082dacc-d3a1-3470-977b-970879a925bc/

Trailer

Introduction to Rebecca’s Reading Room

Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room.

Welcome to my Reading Room where stories dwell and words ignite our imagination. Rebecca’s Reading room is a virtual space that has been set aside for reading and reflection. It is a place where stories and poetry are given voice. I am your host, Rebecca Budd. I look forward to sharing these moments with you

Creator

Rebecca Budd
Years Active

2021 - 2026
Episodes

101
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Rebecca Budd
Show Website

Rebecca's Reading Room