This collection encompasses 50-plus years of interviews, readings, speeches, and reports on the vibrant literary scene in Minnesota. Not only home to giants F. Scott Fitzgerald and Sinclair Lewis, our state has an array of incredible contemporary poets, novelists, and playwrights. Their words make up majority of this collection.
Repeatedly being named the “Most Literate City in the United States,” the Twin Cities has played host to numerous visiting national writers via book tours, festivals, and lectures. Many recordings of these are also included.
This project was funded by the National Historical Publications & Records Commission.
July 17, 1998 - MPR’s Leif Enger takes a look at the BWCA twenty years after legislation to protect it, and the divide in viewpoints on the land that have existed throughout the 20th century. Segment includes various interviews and commentary.
July 17, 1998 - A reading of an excerpt from Sigurd Olson’s “Wilderness Days.”
July 21, 1998 - The "Montreal Just for Laughs Festival" which begins today, is called the "Cannes of Comedy" by some. So it's no wonder up-and-coming comedians would do just about anything to get some stage time, especially since talent scouts will be on the prowl. Minneapolis comic Colleen Kruse is one of the lucky few who scored an invite. She'll perform in the "spoken word" category. Kruse, who is also a storyteller, says her on-stage style is very laid back.
July 23, 1998 - Dinesh D'Souza, research scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and author, speaking at the Center of the American Experiment. D'Souza talked about Ronald Reagan and his legacy. D'Souza's new book is titled “Ronald Reagan: How an Ordinary Man Became an Extraordinary Leader.”
July 24, 1998 - One of the leading figures in the life of the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis has died. Former Artistic Director Garland Wright died of cancer Wednesday night in New York City. He was 52. Wright is being remembered as an artistic visionary who also contributed significantly to the Theater's financial stability.
July 27, 1998 - Eugene McCarthy, former US Senator and 1968 Presidential candidate talks with MPR’s Gary Eichten about his new book, “No-Fault Politics: Modern Presidents, The Press and Reformers.”
August 7, 1998 - MPR’s Euan Kerr talks with Minneapolis playwright and columnist Syl Jones about his social satire Black No More. Jones says the work is a social satire about race, gender, religion, and science.
August 11, 1998 - John talked with the Jungle Theatre's managing director, Julie Sands and Kevin Kling about whether the Jungle theatre is folding for good now that it's losing it's lease to an adult fantasy gift shop.
August 11, 1998 - The gubanatorial candidates' last books that they read.
August 17, 1998 -