Difficult Histories: Everyday Life in the Land of Rip Van Winkle is a monthly radio program that records and preserves the voices of ordinary people in Columbia and Greene counties. By inviting local residents to record their stories, Difficult Histories contributes to a broader record of our community’s history and makes possible a wider participation in the process of its representation. Difficult Histories derives from that approach to history rooted in the investigation of everyday life.

The owner of a pet crematorium, an SPCA enforcement officer, a vegan, and local pet owners discuss how animals are perceived across cultures.

"Difficult Histories" is supported, in part, by the New York Council for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.