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.
October 28, 1994 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer talks with Duluth author Beatrice Ojakangas about her book "Beatrice Ojakangas' Great Holiday Baking Book." Ojakangas describes how her Finnish background plays into her baking and provides numerous recipe tips.
October 31, 1994 - Linda Chavez, a former director of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and a former White House aide during the Reagan administration, speaking at Faith, Reason and World Affairs Symposium at Concordia College in Moorhead. The topic of symposium was on multiculturalism, and titled, “With Respect to Difference: Voices of a Multicultural Society.” Chavez’s address was Chavez shared her serious misgivings about the emphasis on multiculturalism. Chavez writes a syndicated column that appears in newspapers across the country and has done broadcast commentaries for several radio and TV outlets, including National Public Radio.
November 1, 1994 -
November 4, 1994 -
November 4, 1994 - Leslie Brody came to Minneapolis for a fellowship at The Playwrights Center and spent eight years at The Hungry Mind Review as a columnist and contributing editor.
November 8, 1994 -
November 14, 1994 -
November 16, 1994 -
November 18, 1994 -
November 22, 1994 - MPR's Stephen Smith prepared this documentary, "Song Catcher, Frances Densmore of Red Wing" about Frances Densmore, a Minnesota music teacher who set out to capture disappearing Indian songs. She is said to be a pioneering anthropologist in preserving American Indian music.