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.
November 26, 2009 - Giving Thanks: A Celebration of Fall, Food and Gratitude. MPR's John Birge presents Thanksgiving music, stories and poems from writers John Updike and Kevin Kling. 12:00 p.m. Giving Thanks comes in two versions: The original two-hour program maintains the high proportion of music compatible with a classical format. The one-hour version is geared towards news/talk formats, with less music but all the special readings. This version keeps the spirit of the original program, while offering greater scheduling flexibility. For 2009, Giving Thanks remembers the great John Updike, who passed away this year. Updike shares November reflections, including a Thanksgiving verse he wrote for his children. From his book Americana, he'll read a poem of gratitude to a skylark. Also, writer and All Things Considered commentator Kevin Kling reads a Thanksgiving story from his new book "Holiday Inn."
November 26, 2009 - With music and stories for Thanksgiving, it's Giving Thanks: a Celebration of Fall, Food, and Gratitude. This year, we remember the great American writer John Updike. From his 2002 Giving Thanks visit, Updike shares November reflections and holiday memories, including a Thanksgiving verse he wrote for his children. From his book Americana, he'll read a soaring poem of gratitude, "To a Skylark."
November 27, 2009 - Playwright and humorist Kevin Kling talks about his new book, "Holiday Inn," which he calls "a romp through a year of holidays." Kling spoke at the Minneapolis Central Library as part of the library's Talk of the Stacks program. Kevin Kling is a Minnesota playwright, humorist and occasional public radio commentator. His new book is called "Holiday Inn."
December 3, 2009 - NPR film critic Kenneth Turan fills us in on the offerings of this holiday movie season, from adaptations of classic children's books to vampire fiction, apocalyptic sci-fi, and a George Clooney box office triple threat. New Moon", which is based on the second book of the vampire fiction series "Twilight". Kenneth Turan is a film critic for the LA Times. His latest book is called "Free for All: Joe Papp, The Public, and the Greatest Theater Story Ever Told." As more and more books are published every year, Harvard University's head librarian says the future for books and the publishing industry will be a digital one. The transition from print to computer will provide a test of how well we preserve our great works of literature. Devices such as Amazon's Kindle have accelerated publishers' new emphasis on digital books. Guest: Robert Darnton: Librarian at Harvard University and author of "The Case for Books."
December 4, 2009 - Director Jason Reitman seems to have a thing about writers with Minnesota connections. He had a huge hit with "Juno" written by Diablo Cody. Now he's getting a lot of buzz for "Up in the Air," which is based on Minnesota native Walter Kirn novel. The movie opens this weekend. Reitman came into the Minnesota Public Radio studios recently to talk with Euan Kerr about his career, and how he decided against being a director.
December 8, 2009 - With a major blizzard bearing down on us, it's time for motorists across the state to pause and review their cold weather driving techniques. Essayist Peter Smith designed this refresher course.
December 9, 2009 - Garrison Keillor speaks at the Virginia Street Swedenborgian Church in St. Paul about life, literature, and his new book, "A Christmas Blizzard." Keillor is the host of the public radio program "A Prairie Home Companion" and the author of more than a dozen books.
December 14, 2009 - Minnesotans know it's not nice to call someone "Minnesota nice..." It's a synonym for phoniness and passive aggression. And Minnesota playwright Syl Jones says he's uncovered the roots of Minnesota nice. He traces it all back to the Scandinavian immigrants who settled here more than a century ago. Jones argues his discovery goes a long way toward explaining all kinds of strange Minnesota phenomena.
December 15, 2009 - Santa Claus is making his list and checking it twice. But essayist Peter Smith says when he was growing up, it didn't matter if he was naughty or nice. Smith came from a huge family, and even Santa had to be practical.
December 16, 2009 -