As a high school history teacher, Tyler Alexander is always trying to figure out how to make events like the Civil War feel relevant to young Vermonters. Well, what’s more relevant to teenagers than the frustrations of love?

Alexander is the author of a new nonfiction book about the Civil War called "If I Can Get Home This Fall: A Story of Love, Loss, and a Cause in the Civil War." It tells the story of Dan Mason, a Union soldier from Glover who wrote over 100 love letters to his lover from the front lines of the war. The book highlights his views on slavery, the violence of war and his long-distance love.

Then; Robin Crofut-Brittingham of Montreal loves birds, and it shows in her new book. She crafted detailed watercolor illustrations of hundreds of different bird species, all with names and descriptions that will inspire you to bust out the binoculars and get birding. Her new book of illustrations is called The Illuminated Book of Birds. She joins us to talk about the process of creating these illustrations, the joy of painting birds, and some of her favorite species.

Broadcast live on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Civil War love letters shed light on Vermont's place in history