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.
September 24, 2010 - As part of celebration of F. Scott Fitzgerald's birthday, Midday airs "The Big Time: F. Scott Fitzgerald." With the theater that bears his namesake turning 100 years old, author Patricia Hampl marks the occasion by presenting this original production. It's a staged storytelling of F. Scott Fitzgerald's vision of making it big.
October 1, 2010 - MPR’s Tom Crann talks with NPR journalist Michele Norris, who speaks about her memoir “The Grace of Silence.” Norris describes finding out about her maternal grandmother’s Minneapolis job as an itinerant Aunt Jemima.
October 5, 2010 - Essayist Peter Smith reflects on a BWCA memory along the shore of Lake Agnes, and of an old robin he wish he had saved.
October 13, 2010 - Staff at Minneapolis-based Coffee House Press are celebrating today after one of its titles "I Hotel" was nominated for a National Book Award for Fiction. The book by Karen Tei Yamashita tells the story of the Asian-American community in northern California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Coffee House founder and publisher Allan Kornblum, who signed the author about 20 years ago, says the nomination is a huge honor. This is really a thrill to have this form of recognition for a writer who we've stuck with and who has stuck with us, to watch her talent to continue to grow and see this form of recognition for really her magnum opus.
October 14, 2010 - American RadioWorks' Stephen Smith and Kate Ellis join Midday’s Gary Eichten to talk about their new book, Say it Loud!: Great Speeches on Civil Rights and African American Identity.
October 15, 2010 - As part of a rebroadcast, Midday continues with a broadcast of playwright and humorist Kevin Kling, one of Minnesota's best-known storytellers, speaking at the Maplewood Library as part of the Club Book program. Along with several plays, Kling is the author of two collections of stories, The Dog Says How and Holiday Inn.
October 15, 2010 - Midday rebroadcasts playwright and humorist Kevin Kling, one of Minnesota's best-known storytellers, speaking at the Maplewood Library as part of the Club Book program. Along with several plays, Kling is the author of two collections of stories, The Dog Says How and Holiday Inn.
October 18, 2010 - Writer and columnist Jim Klobuchar talks about the return of Brett Favre as quarterback and the Vikings chances for a Super Bowl victory.
October 21, 2010 - At a special Fitzgerald theater event, best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith joins Garrison Keillor on stage to talk about literature and the life of a writer.
October 22, 2010 - On this Midday call-in program, former Vice President Walter Mondale joins MPR’s Gary Eichten to take questions about his new political memoir, The Good Fight: A life in Liberal Politics. The book traces Mondale's career from a young Minnesota attorney general to Vice President. While personal, it's also the story of half a century of progressive politics.