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 20, 1986 - An MPR broadcast of Loft event celebrating the writing accomplishments of A Prairie Home Companion’s Garrison Keillor. During event, Keillor reads from his work and performs music with accompaniment from Bill Hinkley and Judy Larson.
June 27, 1986 - MPR’s Beth Friend profiles Ann Miller, a local romance writer. Miller details the varying types of the genre, from category romance writing to mainstream fiction. Miller’s novel, Notorious, is highlighted in Good Housekeeping magazine.
July 21, 1986 - On this Christine Sweet Reads episode, Patricia Hampl’s book A Romantic Education is highlighted.
July 30, 1986 - MPR’s Beth Friend reports on staging of John Olive's Short Stories and Tall Tales. The performers, Kevin Kling and James Lawless discuss the work.
August 2, 1986 - Joseph Nicollet biographer Martha Bray details the life of explorer and his important impact in Minnesota history and mapping. In developing her book, Bray utilized Nicollet's journals, survey documents, correspondence, and published writings.
August 16, 1986 - MPR’s Euan Kerr reports on Will Weaver’s book Red Earth, White Earth. The novel is set along the White Earth Reservation in northern Minnesota and highlights the conflicts between white farmers and native Ojibwe in northern Minnesota. Kerr interviews the author and a literary agent about the book.
September 8, 1986 - MPR’s Euan Kerr profiles Minnesota mystery author Robert Dingwall (R.D.) Zimmerman and his book, The Red Encounter, a spy novel set in the Twin Cities. The plot revolves around a Russian agent sent to Minnesota to steal information about a super computer that is a vital link to ‘Star Wars’ defense system.
September 9, 1986 - MPR’s Euan Kerr reports on local science fiction and fantasy comic Entropy Tales. Segment highlights characters from the Entropy Enterprises publication, including Goista The Philosopha, Nightwolf, and Star Fox.
September 27, 1986 - Local writer and historian Chuck Chalberg provides historical background and a portrayal of Ignatius Donnelly, who was an American congressman, populist writer, and pseudoscientist. Donnelly is tied to the first third party movement in Minnesota.
October 15, 1986 - MPR’s Mark Heistad presents "The Land Between: An Aural Portrait of the BWCA," a documentary about the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and the people who live there.