Every year, we produce a summer reading hour to talk about some of our favorite books of this year, and give you recommendations of the best beach reads.

And this year, we’re diving into the illustrious, the notorious, the infamous paperback: the romance novel.

There’s a lot of stigma attached to romance reading, especially within the reading community. But this top grossing genre is actually one of the most popular book genres in the world.

Today, we go beyond harlequin bodice rippers and Fabio and dive into the world of romance with our panel.

Got a favorite romance novel or love story? We want to hear from you.

GUESTS:

• AK Nevermore: president of the Connecticut Romance Writers of America and author living in Connecticut

• Michelle Smith: President/Owner The BookSmiths Shoppe, LLC. in Danbury

• Lauren Anderson: Founder of Possible Futures Bookspace in New Haven.

Authors featured in this broadcast:

• AK Nevermore

• Kristan Higgins

• Amy Neff

• JJ Graham

• Krystal Marquis

• Chloe Liese

Book recommendations from the staff at Connecticut Public

• Normal People, by Sally Rooney

• A Court of Thorns and Roses (series), by Sarah J Mass

• Fourth Wing (Empyrean series), - Rebecca Yarros

• Author Emily Henry

• Author Casey McQuiston

• The Selection, series by Kiera Cass

• Bridgeton, series by Julia Quinn

• The Princess Diaries, series by Meg Cabot

• Conversations with Friends, by Sally Rooney

• Persuasion by Jane Austin

Dylan Reyes contributed to this episode which originally aired May 24, 2024.

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This hour, we’re celebrating some of the most memorable moments with Katie Pellico as she begins another chapter of her career. She'll soon start a new position managing development and communication at Common Ground High School, Urban Farm and Environmental Education Center in New Haven, but we won't soon forget coverage she helped to lead on...

Connecticut's slate of new social studies initiatives and standards:

• 'Think like a historian': State approves new social studies standards November 13, 2023

• 'Teaching with truth and complexity': Checking in on the state's Black and Latino Studies elective August 17, 2023

• Meet the teaching cohort modeling culturally-responsive AAPI education in Connecticut May 19, 2023

• Connecticut tribes co-create state social studies curriculum, centering 'our culture and our ways' January 26, 2023

How scholars are rethinking how history is taught:

• Rewriting the Thanksgiving story, while centering Indigenous voices November 30, 2023

• Examining the history and legacy of 'sundown towns' in Connecticut November 27, 2023

• Uncovering the history of eugenics at Yale University, and its 'afterlives' October 2, 2023

How museums in the state are doing the same:

• Taking a tour of the Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut May 6, 2024

• Artist Pablo Delano's 'Museum of the Old Colony' lands at Venice Biennale April 29, 2024

• Exploring the 'new' Yale Peabody Museum April 1, 2024

• Mohamad Hafez installs 'Eternal Cities' at the new Yale Peabody Museum December 4, 2023

• Healing and humanizing through artifact: Visiting the Museum of Jewish Civilization November 16, 2023

• Healing and humanizing through art: Visiting Palestine Museum US in Woodbridge November 9, 2023

Grassroots legislative efforts, including those led by disability groups:

• A look at efforts to improve accessible parking regulation in Connecticut May 9, 2024

• Connecticut disability advocates push for legislation to improve medical access February 15, 2024

• Wheelchair repairs can take months: What local advocates are doing to change that July 17, 2023

• Amazon responds to proposed bill aimed at warehouse 'quotas' May 15, 2023

• Connecticut may continue 'incremental' expansion of HUSKY Health coverage May 4, 2023

• Lawmakers call for nurse protections amid 'patient care crisis' January 24, 2023

Environmental coverage:

• How new federal limits on 'forever chemicals' will affect Connecticut April 22, 2024

• An update on efforts to address flooding in Hartford's North End, plus a look at how farms are faring January 22, 2024

• Connecticut coral could play a key role in climate resilience July 31, 2023

• Seeding the next generation of farmers in Connecticut July 13, 2023

• A look at environmental justice efforts in Connecticut: 'It's everybody's problem' February 28, 2023

And...

• Efforts to clean litter are lifesaving for wildlife July 8, 2024

• 'We need a moonshot for long COVID': What we know (and don't know) about the illness April 18, 2024

• There's no singularity when it comes to honoring Lunar New Year, including in Connecticut April 11, 2024

• Bigfoot gets all the glory, but Connecticut has its own cast of cryptids March 29, 2024

• Author Rebecca F. Kuang on 'Babel,' revolution and students as visionaries March 26, 2024

• 'Kinks in the movement': Staging a curly hair revolution in New Haven March 25, 2024

• Book ban requests still 'soaring' in Connecticut. Plus, vigil held at Capitol for Nex Benedict March 4, 2024

• The 'wild rumpus' continues: Maurice Sendak's legacy lives on at Ridgefield Foundation February 12, 2024

• Connecticut is the land of steady habits, but no steady identity January 25, 2024

• 'Before there was Salem, there was Connecticut': State formally pardons accused witches October 19, 2023

• Cups, discs, wands and swords: Tarot and 'divination' in Connecticut August 11, 2023

• Efforts to protect transgender care in Connecticut June 29, 2023

• The delicate art of obituary-writing May 22, 2023

• Students lead push to observe Muslim holidays in school calendars April 20, 2023

• 'A Scientist's Warning': Dr. Peter Hotez on the dangers of 'anti-science' April 10, 2023

• In 'Reciprocity Project,' Indigenous voices reframe our relationship to the Earth February 10, 2023

• 'RuPaul’s Drag Race' spotlights Connecticut’s 'thriving' drag scene January 27, 2023

• A parent and child's perspectives on the need for trans and nonbinary allyship December 29, 2022

• Honoring Native American veterans November 10, 2022

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It’s hard getting your book published. It’s even harder when you’re an author of color. Between 1950 and 2018, 96% of American fiction books published were written by white authors.

Today, hear from two Latina authors in Connecticut about their debut books. They’ll talk about navigating the publishing industry and the importance of centering marginalized voices.

In her novel, The Girls in Queens, Christine Kandic Torres tells the story of two Latinx women coming of age in Queens, New York. In her memoir, A Body Across Two Hemispheres, Victoria Buitron shares how she came of age between Ecuador and the United States.

We'll also hear about their work as editors of the 2024 Connecticut Literary Anthology.

GUESTS:

• Christine Kandic Torres: author of The Girls in Queens and fiction editor of the 2024 Connecticut Literary Anthology

• Victoria Buitron: author of A Body Across Two Hemispheres and nonfiction editor of the 2024 Connecticut Literary Anthology

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When you think of Hartford, Connecticut, what comes to mind? Maybe Elizabeth Park, good eats, and our state capitol? Odds are, you’re probably not thinking of Hartford as a destination for making movies! But some creatives are trying to change that.

After graduating from the Yale, Connecticut native TJ Noel-Sullivan lived in Los Angeles for a short while, but he found himself drawn back to Hartford. His first feature film is called Midas, it follows three best friends as they attempt to pull off a giant insurance fraud scheme and the entire film was set and shot in Hartford.

He joins us today to talk about the film, and his work to educate the next generation of filmmakers.

GUEST:

• TJ Noel-Sullivan: writer and director of Midas

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Stamford-based nonprofit Keep America Beautiful found almost 50 billion pieces of litter along U.S. road- and waterways in 2020.

This hour, we’re spotlighting some of the small-but-mighty efforts to clean litter and protect wildlife in Connecticut. New Haven river keeper Peter Davis and his assistant David Burgess have been clearing parks and rivers in the Elm City for decades, one trash bag at a time. He joins us.

Local osprey nest monitor Nancy Ellen Harrigan James will also join, along with ecologist and Homegrown National Park co-founder Dr. Douglas Tallamy.

GUESTS:

• Peter Davis: New Haven River Keeper

• Nancy Ellen Harrigan James: Osprey Nest Monitor

• Aaron Goode: Environmental Advocate; Secretary, New Haven Bioregional Group

• Dr. Douglas Tallamy: Entomologist and Ecologist; Author; Co-Founder, Homegrown National Park

 

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Dating in 2024 can be tough. There are no shortage of stories about dating in the age of Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, and more!

But today, we're going to talk about dating, and falling in love, when you're an older adult. Last fall, the spinoff show “The Golden Bachelor” started a national conversation about falling in love in midlife and beyond.

Today we hear from experts about dating in this age range, and we’ll even get to hear some love stories that will put "The Notebook" to shame.

And if you are dating or have fallen in love, at any age, we want to hear from you!

GUESTS:

• Dr. Kristina Zdanys: Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Division Chief for Geriatric Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at UConn Health

• Chip Conley: Founder & CEO of the Modern Elder Academy

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Cat Pastor contributed to this show which originally aired February 16, 2024.

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Finding long-term resources and programs for young people with autism can be challenging, and in some cases, incredibly disheartening.

The needs of autistic youth can vary. As a spectrum disorder, some diagnosed with high functioning autism can live relatively normal lives pursuing college, careers and relationships.

But others require more support. Those with intellectual disabilities and communication challenges often require lifelong support to assist with tasks of daily living.

One school that claimed to fulfill that need was Shrub Oak International School in New York. This school takes students from across the country, including Connecticut. But a recent investigation by ProPublica showed that this institution that costs nearly $600,000 a year is failing its students. This investigation uncovered several accusations of neglect and abuse.

Today, we hear about the investigation by ProPublica. The Office of the Child Advocate weighs in and hear about a recent complaint against High Road Schools in Connecticut.

GUESTS:

• Sarah Eagan: Connecticut Child Advocate

• Jennifer Smith Richards: reporter for ProPublica

• Jodi Cohen: Reporter for ProPublica

• Dr. Mary Doherty: founder of Autistic Doctors International and anesthesiologist

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Historian and scholar Deb Harkness was studying the intersection of science and magic in history and the humanities, when she was struck by the trend of "vampire boyfriend" stories in books and popular culture. She asked herself, "What if there really are these creatures living around us? What do they do for a living? Why have I never met any of them? And would it really be a great thing to have a supernatural significant other? I don't think so... I thought, right now people can't handle the idea of two women or two men getting married, and yet we think we want a vampire boyfriend. What is going on?"

These questions yielded the acclaimed historical fantasy series, "All Souls." The latest installment, titled "The Black Bird Oracle," is due out July 16. With ancestral ties to accused witches in New England, Harkness says she considers the book a "love letter to my Connecticut and New England ancestors."

This hour, Harkness joins us to discuss.

GUESTS:

• Dr. Deborah Harkness: Historian; Author, "All Souls" series and "The Black Bird Oracle"; Professor, University of Southern California

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Even before the pandemic, half of all adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness. In 2023, a report from Surgeon General Vivek Murthy showed that loneliness and isolation has physical consequences like increased risk of heart disease, stroke and dementia.

Murthy stressed how social connection is the key to individual and community health and well being. This idea of social connection is something that today’s guest has spent a lot of time focused on.

Deb Bibbins is the Founder and CEO of For All Ages, an organization uniting older adults and younger generations, and its statewide initiative; the Connecticut Collaborative to End Loneliness.

We spoke to her at the International Festival of Arts and Ideas in New Haven. She talks about how social connection is the foundation of our health.

GUESTS:

• Deb Bibbins: Founder and CEO of For All Ages and the Connecticut Collaborative to End Loneliness

Listen back to our additional coverage on loneliness:

• What’s going on with loneliness?

• 'What's eating at America': Addressing the loneliness and isolation epidemic

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Education budget cuts from this legislative session are slamming schools at all levels, from early education to higher education.

This hour, we hear from Connecticut Mirror budget reporter Keith Phaneuf, and education reporter Jessika Harkay.

Plus, we check in with the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents, and Chancellor of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system Terrence Cheng.

GUESTS:

• Keith Phaneuf: Budget Reporter, Connecticut Mirror
• Jessika Harkay: Education Reporter, Connecticut Mirror
• Fran Rabinowitz: Executive Director, Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents
• Terrence Cheng: Chancellor, Connecticut State Colleges and Universities

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