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.
April 23, 1991 - An interview with Jon Hassler on his excursion into playwrighting. Hassler has written a play based off his novel, Simon’s Night.
May 4, 1991 - Weekend’s Paula Schroeder talks with writer Louise Erdrich and Michael Dorris about their book, Crown of Columbus. The two detail developing the characters and story for novel.
May 9, 1991 - Minnesota-based author, educator, and outdoor enthusiast Bill Hansen reads his essay, Boo Boo the Bear.
May 16, 1991 - MPR’s Mark Heistad interviews Alan Ominsky, author of A Catalog of Minnesota-Made Cars and Trucks. Ominsky shares the history of success and failure of auto production in the state.
May 18, 1991 - A Voices from the Heartland essay by writer and poet Laurie Allmann on searching for morels.
May 24, 1991 - Guthrie Theater actress Sally Wingert reads the Meridel Le Sueur essay, I Was Marching.
May 24, 1991 - Minnesota-based author, educator, and outdoor enthusiast Bill Hansen reads his essay, Sawbill Trail. It tells of his concern of loss with the creation of a new trail into the northern Minnesota wilderness.
June 6, 1991 - Minnesota-based author, educator, and outdoor enthusiast Bill Hansen reads his essay Rain, A State Of Mind.
June 21, 1991 - MPR’s Mark Heistad looks at the 1991 Twin Cities based Hungry Mind Review publication, which is dedicated to reflections on the Persian Gulf War. Segment includes a reading by Paul Gruchow on his piece from book.
June 22, 1991 - MPR’s Chris Roberts interviews Phil Willkie, co-editor of The Gay Nineties: An Anthology of Contemporary Gay Fiction. Willkie comments on the themes of the writings collected in book.