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.
August 20, 2007 - A new children's book by two northern Minnesota writers combines vibrant watercolors with a gentle message of positive self-esteem. It's about a moose called "Agate," and its authors both live on the North Shore of Lake Superior.
August 23, 2007 - Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer interviews local authors Kathryn Strand Koutsky and Linda Koutsky about their book “Minnesota State Fair: An Illustrated History.” The mother and daughter team take a look back at the fair's traditions, with pictures from all eras of The Great Minnesota Get-Together. Many things have changed; others have not.
August 27, 2007 - Now, another scene in poetry from the Minnesota State Fair... The butter-head sculptures remain one of the Fair's most visited features, attracting new-comers and old-timers alike. Minneapolis writer Leslie Ball made it there today and was moved to write us this poem.
August 29, 2007 - What was Minnesota like 150 years ago? What were the events and trends that changed Minnesota since then? Annette Atkins, professor of History at St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota;" and Brian Horrigan, historian, author, and exhibit developer at Minnesota Historical Society.
August 29, 2007 - One sight you'll find EVERY day of the fair is the State Fair parade. Minneapolis writer Leslie Ball watched the parade today and found her fellow parade watchers just as interesting.
August 31, 2007 - On this special Midday program, MPR’s Gary Eichten talks with Garrison Keillor on the Carousel Park stage at the Minnesota State Fair.
August 31, 2007 - The Fair generates a lot of garbage -- cups and plates -- of course many many sticks. But writer Leslie Ball found that garbage is brought in as its own special display.
September 3, 2007 - This week, many Minnesota students will head back to school. Peter Smith and his wife will see their kids off to college. Their son will be a freshman at Hamline University this fall, and their daughter will be a junior at the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities. Peter expects big changes when the kids leave.
September 7, 2007 - Kevin Kling
September 11, 2007 - While books about the African American experience are a mainstay of modern literature, book ART by African American artists is rare. In what's believed to be the first ever show of its kind, "We too are book artists" brings together the work of black book artists across the nation at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts.