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.
June 22, 1979 - Minnesota poet Joe Paddock shows his perceptions of the migration of wild geese across the Minnesota prairie in poem The Geese. Segment includes musical elements.
August 8, 1979 - Michael Fedo, author, talks with Claudia Hampsten, talks with author Michael Fedo about his book They Was Just Niggers about the the Duluth lynching of three Black men in 1920. Fedo describes how it affected the community and attitudes long after the murders of the young men. [Content Warning: some content, language, and statements used in this story may be triggering to listeners]
August 31, 1979 - Author Carol Bly of Madison, Minnesota reads from her poem The Gift of Splendid Sound. Segment features the voices of Carol Bly, Joe Paddock, and Bill Holm, who also provide the musical interludes.
September 6, 1979 - Retired librarian Donald Singerman gives MPR’s Nancy Fushan a tour of the St. Paul Library's Rare Books Collection at Highland Park Library. Collection includes a coloring book from 1579.
October 9, 1979 - MPR’s Mary Stucky reports on amateur historian John J. Koblas’ study of local places connected to F. Scott Fitzgerald. Report includes excerpt of Koblas speaking about various locations and their historical tie to the famous author.
October 16, 1979 - MPR’s Claudia Hampston profiles Minnesota author Sigurd Olson as he receives honorary degree Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Minnesota. Olson was honored for his environmental writing and efforts in protecting the wilderness of Minnesota.
October 20, 1979 - Patricia Kane, professor of English at Macalester College, discusses the life and works of St. Paul author F. Scott Fitzgerald.
November 1, 1979 - MPR’s Nancy Fushan interviews director Scott Rubsam, playwright Lance Belleville, and actor Jim Lawless about the COMPAS-St. Paul History Theater production "James J. Hill: The Man Who Bought Minneapolis" performed at the Landmark Center.
December 1, 1979 - On this Weekend program, Joe and Nancy Paddock speak on farm life and read poetry at the Farmers Union Convention.
December 12, 1979 - Terry Lappin, a local playwright who recently appealed a Minnesota State Arts Board denial of a grant to him; and Jim Olsen, member of the Minnesota State Arts Board, talk with MPR’s Mary Stucky. They discuss Lappin's case and the procedure of granting funding to artists and writers.