Tuesday is the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth. This hour, we celebrate the beloved author's work, and look at why her six novels have endured for centuries. Plus, we hear from a horticulturalist about her love of gardens, and talk with a local historical clothing expert about fashion in Austen's time.

GUESTS:
Barbara Benedict: Charles A. Dana Professor of English at Trinity College
Tara Key: Manager of Reference and Instruction at the New Canaan Library
Jana Milbocker: Garden designer, lecturer, and writer
Kandie Carle: Known as “The Victorian Lady,” is an actress and historian

Tuesday is the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth. This hour, we celebrate the beloved author's work, and look at why her six novels have endured for centuries. Plus, we hear from a horticulturalist about her love of gardens, and talk with a local historical clothing expert about fashion in Austen's time.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>Barbara Benedict:&nbsp;Charles A. Dana Professor of English at Trinity College</li>
<li>Tara Key:&nbsp;Manager of Reference and Instruction at the New Canaan Library</li>
<li>Jana Milbocker:&nbsp;Garden designer, lecturer, and writer</li>
<li>Kandie Carle:&nbsp;Known as &ldquo;The Victorian Lady,&rdquo; is an actress and historian</li>
</ul>

Produced by Connecticut Public, 'Where We Live' puts Connecticut in context. Host Catherine Shen brings us fascinating, informed, in-depth conversations and stories beyond news headlines.  We start local, but we take time to explore domestic and international issues and consider how they impact us personally and here at home.

Produced by Connecticut Public, '<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/where-we-live/about">Where We Live'</a> puts Connecticut in context. Host Catherine Shen brings us fascinating, informed, in-depth conversations and stories beyond news headlines.  We start local, but we take time to explore domestic and international issues and consider how they impact us personally and here at home.

Where We Live is a call-in talk show about who we are in Connecticut and our place in the world.

Where We Live

Produced by Connecticut Public, '<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/where-we-live/about">Where We Live'</a> puts Connecticut in context. Host Catherine Shen brings us fascinating, informed, in-depth conversations and stories beyond news headlines.  We start local, but we take time to explore domestic and international issues and consider how they impact us personally and here at home.

A celebration of Jane Austen, on her 250th birthday

Why does Christmas bring out the ghosts?

This hour, we dig into the world of Charles Dickens and Mark Twain, and the Victorian obsession with spiritualism that shaped so many holiday tales.

We also explore two Connecticut productions of A Christmas Carol to see how performers keep this annual tradition fresh.

GUESTS:
Wesley Broulik: producing artistic director, Times Fool Company
Cynthia Rider: managing director, Hartford Stage 
Emma Gerstein: assistant manager of interpretation & living history coordinator, The Mark Twain House & Museum

Why does Christmas bring out the ghosts?
This hour, we dig into the world of Charles Dickens and Mark Twain, and the Victorian obsession with spiritualism that shaped so many holiday tales.
We also explore two Connecticut productions of&nbsp;A Christmas Carol&nbsp;to see how performers keep this annual tradition fresh.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://wesleybroulik.net/">Wesley Broulik</a>:&nbsp;producing artistic director,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.timesfool.org/">Times Fool Company</a></li>
<li>Cynthia Rider:&nbsp;managing director,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hartfordstage.org/">Hartford Stage</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li>Emma Gerstein:&nbsp;assistant manager of interpretation &amp; living history coordinator,&nbsp;<a href="https://marktwainhouse.org/">The Mark Twain House &amp; Museum</a></li>
</ul>

The ghostly side of Christmas

Millions of people in our country live with a chronic condition.

From syndromes affecting our hearts and brains, to pain and inflammation, chronic illnesses can be hidden to the world, but are all too real for patients.

Today, we dive deep into how culture and politics affect our bodies. We explore perceptions of what illness looks like (or doesn’t look like). And we'll ask what it takes for a patient to become an advocate, both for themself and for others.

Are you or someone you love living with a chronic condition? We want to hear from you.

Guests

Eshani Surya: Author of Ravishing, a novel that explores the intersection of the beauty industry and chronic illness

Jennifer Lunden: Author of American Breakdown: Our Ailing Nation, My Body’s Revolt, and the Nineteenth-Century Woman Who Brought Me Back to Life – An Illuminating Investigation into Chronic Illness and Environmental Ecosystems

Lauren Stiles: Founder, Dysautonomia International

Millions of people in our country live with a chronic condition.
From syndromes affecting our hearts and brains, to pain and inflammation, chronic illnesses can be hidden to the world, but are all too real for patients.
Today, we dive deep into how culture and politics affect our bodies. We explore perceptions of what illness looks like (or doesn&rsquo;t look like). And we'll ask what it takes for a patient to become an advocate, both for themself and for others.
Are you or someone you love living with a chronic condition? We want to hear from you.
Guests
<a href="https://www.eshani-surya.com/">Eshani Surya</a>: Author of&nbsp;<a href="https://groveatlantic.com/book/ravishing/">Ravishing</a>, a novel that explores the intersection of the beauty industry and chronic illness
<a href="https://jenniferlunden.substack.com/p/now-i-live-in-france">Jennifer Lunden</a>: Author of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/american-breakdown-jennifer-lunden?variant=43710085070882">American Breakdown: Our Ailing Nation, My Body&rsquo;s Revolt, and the Nineteenth-Century Woman Who Brought Me Back to Life &ndash; An Illuminating Investigation into Chronic Illness and Environmental Ecosystems</a>
<a href="https://www.dysautonomiainternational.org/page.php?ID=18">Lauren Stiles</a>: Founder,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dysautonomiainternational.org/index.php">Dysautonomia International</a>

What's it like to live with a chronic illness?

Changing federal guidance on vaccines has Connecticut health officials in an uproar.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vaccine committee recently altered long-standing guidance on how newborns are vaccinated.

Meanwhile, doctors say more patients fear vaccine side effects, which doctors are addressing on a case-by-case basis during consultations. Public health experts are concerned that fear and confusion could bring back diseases that the U.S. had forgotten.

We’ll dig into the history of vaccines in America, check in with Connecticut doctors and ask the state's top public health official what's next.

Guests:
Jason L Schwartz: associate professor at the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Yale School of Public Health; associate Professor in the History of Medicine, Yale University.
Dr. Manisha Juthani: commissioner, Connecticut Department of Public Health
Dr. David Banach: head of infection prevention at UConn Health

Changing federal guidance on vaccines has Connecticut health officials in an uproar.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/news/2025-12-05/outlandish-and-disturbing-ct-doctors-condemn-federal-hepatitis-b-vaccine-guidance-for-babies">vaccine committee recently altered long-standing guidance on how newborns are vaccinated</a>.
Meanwhile, doctors say more patients fear vaccine side effects, which doctors are addressing on a case-by-case basis during consultations. Public health experts are concerned that fear and confusion could bring back diseases that the U.S. had forgotten.
We&rsquo;ll dig into the history of vaccines in America, check in with Connecticut doctors and ask the state's top public health official what's next.
Guests:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://medicine.yale.edu/lab/jschwartz/">Jason L Schwartz</a>: associate professor at the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Yale School of Public Health; associate Professor in the History of Medicine, Yale University.</li>
<li><a href="https://portal.ct.gov/dph/about-the-commissioner?language=en_US">Dr. Manisha Juthani</a>: commissioner, Connecticut Department of Public Health</li>
<li><a href="https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=banach-david">Dr. David Banach</a>: head of infection prevention at UConn Health</li>
</ul>

A celebration of Jane Austen, on her 250th birthday

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