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 23, 1973 - Local poets Thomas McGrath and Mark Vinz speaking at IMAGINATION 1973 in Fargo, North Dakota. McGrath and Vinz also read poems to the audience.
October 2, 1973 - MPR’s Paul Grochow report highlights an exhibit on early John Berryman manuscripts that are on display at the University of Minnesota. Report includes comments from Berryman’s publishing friend, Robert Giroux, who speaks about the fickle nature of publishing.
November 19, 1973 - MER Special presenting a tribute to poet Pablo Neruda. Program contains various readings and commentary of Neruda’s work performed by Robert Bly and others.
November 23, 1973 - MPR’s Paul Gruchow interviews Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn experts and translators Keith Armes, Arthur C. Hudgins, and one other guest on the first English translation of "Candle in the Wind," published by University of Minnesota Press.
December 16, 1973 - Eugene McCarthy speaks about political personalities and current issues before a campus audience at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.
December 16, 1973 - Ron Libertus speaks about American Indian art, Native American culture, and family et al.
January 1, 1974 - MPR’s Connie Goldman interviews writer and performer Garrison Keillor. Keillor discusses people watching, and the powdermilk biscuits, comedy, and music from Prairie Home Companion.
March 6, 1974 - A local writer reflects on the importance of mentorship and community, as well as approaching writing as a craft at the Twin Cities Writer's Workshop conference.
April 16, 1974 - MPR’s Connie Goldman has a conversation with author Robert Pirsig about his book “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.” Pirsig shares how he started the book while also writing computer manuals, and finished it while spending time in a camper on the North Shore.
April 19, 1974 - A speech given by Eugene McCarthy, who was a long-term DFL Congress Representative from Minnesota, as well as a poet and author. McCarthy is speaking here on the vice presidency, how to reform the Presidency, and the 25th Amendment of the Constitution.