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.
February 3, 2009 - abin fever season is upon us - the time of year when Minnesotans will do almost anything to kill the monotony. We'll join gyms. We'll take classes. But if someone invites you to join their book club, commentator Peter Smith says don't do it. No matter how tedious late winter gets.
February 3, 2009 - A nearly century-old oral history of a band of Lakota Indians in South Dakota has been found in the Twin Cities. It's one of the oldest examples of a tradition known as the winter count.
February 4, 2009 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer talks with St. Paul Pioneer Press theater critic and self-described poetry rube Dominic Papatola about the state of poetry in Minnesota. They also discuss Graywolf Press book of poetry by Elizabeth Alexander, who recited one of her works at the inauguration of President Barack Obama.
February 17, 2009 -
February 26, 2009 - MPR’s Marianne Combs presents a profile of acclaimed Minnesota poet and essayist Bill Holm, who passed away at the age of 65. Segment includes excerpts of Bill Holm speaking, and remembrances from those who knew him.
February 26, 2009 - Minnesota Author Bill Holm has died.
February 27, 2009 - Essayist and poet Bill Holm, who was nationally known for his distinctly Minnesotan writing, died at age 65. On this program, Midday features some highlights from Holm's many public appearances and rememberences from those who knew him.
March 1, 2009 - Funeral arrangements are in the works for Minnesota author Bill Holm. Holm died last week at age 65. He was born on a farm in Northern Minnesota and taught English at Southwest Minnesota State University for 27 years before retiring in 2007. Longtime friend and pastor Stephen Rasmusson says they expect overflow crowds. Organizers are working on a way to broadcast the ceremony remotely for those who cannot fit into the small church.
March 3, 2009 - How's your morning going? Are you feeling the rush to get out the door? With the pace of life these days, sometimes a Minnesotan needs to start the day with a quiet little moment. That's how commentator Peter Smith feels and it's why he composed this still-life essay for an early March morning in Minnesota.
March 5, 2009 - Barbara Brown Taylor is an Episcopal priest, teacher, and author. She is widely recognized as one of America's most eloquent preachers. Ordained an Episcopal priest in 1984, she holds the Harry R. Butman Chair in Religion and Philosophy at Piedmont College in Georgia and is adjunct professor of Christian spirituality at Columbia Theological Seminary. She is the author of twelve books on faith and spirituality, including "Leaving Church" and "An Altar in the World." She lectures on preaching at Yale, Princeton, and Duke Universities and is a regular columnist for The Christian Century. She spoke before an audience at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Her speech was titled, "Downtime: The Sacred Art of Stopping".