Current Episode
Episode 46: Author Laurie Gwen Shapiro
What really happened inside the marriage that helped turn Amelia Earhart into a legend? That’s the question author Laurie Gwen Shapiro sought to answer in her new book: The Aviator and the Showman. Through newly uncovered letters and archival material, she reexamines the partnership between Amelia Earhart and George Putnam, revealing a marriage far more complex, modern, and strategic than the myths suggest.
Join host Roberta as she sits down with Laurie to discuss this riveting book, Amelia’s life, and the ambition, gender, power, and fame of early 20th-century America.
Episode 46: Author Laurie Gwen Shapiro
What really happened inside the marriage that helped turn Amelia Earhart into a legend? That’s the question author Laurie Gwen Shapiro sought to answer in her new book: The Aviator and the Showman. Through newly uncovered letters and archival material, she reexamines the partnership between Amelia Earhart and George Putnam, revealing a marriage far more complex, modern, and strategic than the myths suggest.
Join host Roberta as she sits down with Laurie to discuss this riveting book, Amelia’s life, and the ambition, gender, power, and fame of early 20th-century America.
Past Episodes
Episode 45: Author Gretchen Rubin: Get Happy (Rebroadcast)
Yale graduate Gretchen Rubin had quite the pivot when she went from clerking for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor to founding the Happiness Project. How that came to be and what her surprising path to a life of more energy, creativity, luck, and love entails (hint: tune in to the five senses) is the focus of this month’s episode. An acclaimed communicator, known for her ability to distill and convey complex ideas with humor and clarity, Gretchen’s books have sold millions of copies and been translated into over thirty languages, she has an award-winning podcast, and she also has an app. Join Roberta as she sits down with Gretchen to discuss this lifelong exploration into happiness, how we respond to expectations and her daily trips to the Met Museum.
Episode 44: Writer John Seabrook: From Fields of Ambition to a Fallen Empire
This month, Roberta sits down with The New Yorker writer John Seabrook to talk about his new book The Spinach King, a chronicle of the rise and fall of his family’s empire: Seabrook Farms. Recently selected as one of the 100 Most Notable Books of 2025 by the New York Times, it tells a story of ambition, innovation, and betrayal that built, and ultimately destroyed, one of America’s largest agricultural empires.
Episode 43: Dispatch & Duty: The Human Side of the Call with Lt. Mark Panjwani & 911 Dispatcher Ricardo Martinez
First responders are there for the community, continually caring and respond to the needs of others, but rarely do they take care of their own. This month, Roberta talks with Lt. Mark Panjwani and 9-1-1 Dispatcher Ricardo Martinez about the mental health issues and stigmas they face as well as the initiatives they are creating to support the heroes who keep us safe every day. A vital conversation about those who serve and protect us, often in silence.
Episode 42: Author Susan Shapiro Barash
Can even our closest friendships fall apart? This month Roberta Panjwani talks with Susan Shapiro Barash about her new book Estranged: How Toxic Female Friendships can be Mended or Ended which explores the hidden reality of female friendship—when bonds break, and what comes next.
Episode 41: Author and Austen Expert Brenda Cox
We continue our celebration of Jane Austen’s 250th anniversary with Brenda S. Cox: Austen expert, scientist, and author of the new book Fashionable Goodness, which explores how Austen wove deep moral truths into her characters’ lives, shedding light on the faith and values that shaped her work. Join us for an insightful discussion on Austen’s enduring moral lessons, her faith, and the timeless wisdom embedded in her novels plus a special introduction from Breckyn Wood, host of the official JASNA podcast: Austen Chat!
Episode 40: Author and Rare Book Dealer Rebecca Romney: Jane Austen’s Bookshelf … and Beyond
Jane Austen inspired millions… but who inspired her? That is the question rare books dealer and author Rebecca Romney set out to explore in her new book Jane Austen’s Bookshelf. Join Roberta Panjwani as she sits down to talk with Rebecca about the lives and works of the women writers Austen admired, the fascinating world of rare books, and the stories they still have to tell.
Past Episodes
Episode 45: Author Gretchen Rubin: Get Happy (Rebroadcast)
Yale graduate Gretchen Rubin had quite the pivot when she went from clerking for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor to founding the Happiness Project. How that came to be and what her surprising path to a life of more energy, creativity, luck, and love entails (hint: tune in to the five
Episode 44: Writer John Seabrook: From Fields of Ambition to a Fallen Empire
This month, Roberta sits down with The New Yorker writer John Seabrook to talk about his new book The Spinach King, a chronicle of the rise and fall of his family’s empire: Seabrook Farms. Recently selected as one of the 100 Most Notable Books of 2025 by the New York
Episode 43: Dispatch & Duty: The Human Side of the Call with Lt. Mark Panjwani & 911 Dispatcher Ricardo Martinez
First responders are there for the community, continually caring and respond to the needs of others, but rarely do they take care of their own. This month, Roberta talks with Lt. Mark Panjwani and 9-1-1 Dispatcher Ricardo Martinez about the mental health issues and stigmas they face as well as
Episode 42: Author Susan Shapiro Barash
Can even our closest friendships fall apart? This month Roberta Panjwani talks with Susan Shapiro Barash about her new book Estranged: How Toxic Female Friendships can be Mended or Ended which explores the hidden reality of female friendship—when bonds break, and what comes next.
Episode 41: Author and Austen Expert Brenda Cox
We continue our celebration of Jane Austen’s 250th anniversary with Brenda S. Cox: Austen expert, scientist, and author of the new book Fashionable Goodness, which explores how Austen wove deep moral truths into her characters’ lives, shedding light on the faith and values that shaped her work. Join us for
Episode 40: Author and Rare Book Dealer Rebecca Romney: Jane Austen’s Bookshelf … and Beyond
Jane Austen inspired millions… but who inspired her? That is the question rare books dealer and author Rebecca Romney set out to explore in her new book Jane Austen’s Bookshelf. Join Roberta Panjwani as she sits down to talk with Rebecca about the lives and works of the women writers
Episode 39: Jeannette Cooperman and Lorri Steinbacher: “What’s in a Name?”
Roberta sits down with RPL director Lorri Steinbacher and “What’s in a Name?” journalist and essayist Jeannette Cooperman for a lively and thought-provoking conversation about the power of names. From given names and nicknames to hyphenation and reinvention, the trio explores how names shape identity, carry meaning, and spark emotion.
Episode 38: Musician Gary Solomon: Dylan, The Band & Me
Singer/songwriter Gary Solomon was just 19 when he found himself in the crowd at The Last Waltz—The Band’s iconic 1976 farewell concert. Filmed by Martin Scorsese and widely considered the best concert film of all time, it was stacked with legends like Robbie Roberston, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell,
Episode 37: Sue Rodin: The Great Connector
1993, when Sue Rodin saw gender inequality in her workplace, she didn’t just get frustrated—she took action. Tapping into her network, she founded Women in Sports and Events (WISE), an organization built to support and elevate professional women in the sports industry. More than 30 years later, WISE is still
Episodes 36a & 36b: Pádraig Ó Tuama: In the Shelter of Each Other & Saying Hello to the Questions
This is a rebroadcast of episodes 6 & 7 from October 19, 2022. What power does poetry have to help us navigate the challenges of life? How do we approach art and how does it approach us? Join our guest host Diane Sims for a journey through these questions, and
