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.
January 3, 1981 - The African-American novelist and short story writer reads the story "A Chance Meeting," from his award-winning short-fiction collection, THE BEACH UMBRELLA, in a live recording at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
January 10, 1981 -
January 17, 1981 - An edition of New Letters On The Air featuring James McConkey reading from his novel The Treehouse Confessions, published by Dutton in New York.
January 18, 1981 - An examination of the life of the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr, in commemoration of his birthday.
January 26, 1981 - Phil Anderson, film critic and writer, spoke with Frank Capra about his career, while he was in the Twin Cities to be honored with a retrospective at the Minneapolis Film Festival.
February 7, 1981 - This program features an American writer reading from original works.
February 12, 1981 - Stanley Kiesel, poet in residence for Minneapolis Schools, talks with Dan Olson about education, poetry, and his new book, "The War Between the Pitiful Teachers and the Splendid Kids."
February 18, 1981 - Author and illustrator Tomie dePaola talks about writing children's books and answers listener questions. He discusses the stage version of his children's book, "Clown of God," being produced by the Children's Theater Company of Minneapolis.
February 21, 1981 -
February 28, 1981 - Today's New Letters on the Air - a Literary Magazine of the air exploring the works of American writers - investigates the work of California writer Kenneth Rexroth.