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.
July 9, 1993 - MPR’s Mike Edgerly profiles the Fine Printers Finely Bound Too exhibit at Minnesota Center for Book Arts. the event highlights the art and work involved in creating a fine bound volume.
July 17, 1993 - MPR’s Chris Roberts reports on the poetry scene in the Twin Cities by visiting local performance venues. Roberts interviews organizers and poets and gets their take on Minnesota’s poetry revival.
July 21, 1993 - MPR’s Bob Potter interviews former St. Paul Pioneer Press journalist John Camp about his new work under the pseudonym John Sandford and his “Prey” mystery crime series.
July 30, 1993 - On this Voices from the Heartland segment, Minnesota author Barton Sutter reads as essay on his takeaways from traveling to Wyoming, Colorado, and Duluth.
August 6, 1993 - Minnesota nature photographer Craig Blacklock talks about his book, The Lake Superior Images. Blacklock describes what he sees of the lake through his camera eye. He also shares his concerns regarding over-development and on protecting the North Shore.
August 6, 1993 - On this Voices from the Heartland segment, Minnesota writer Laurie Allmann reads an illustrative essay about her travels to Mexico.
August 20, 1993 - All Things Considered’s Paula Schroeder interviews C. John Egan, author of Drop Him Till He Dies: The Twisted Tragedy of Immigrant Homesteader Thomas Egan. Thomas Egan was hanged in South Dakota for the murder of his wife. Over a hundred years later, his great-grandson wrote this book to make a record of Thomas Egan's innocence.
August 20, 1993 - On this Voices from the Heartland segment, Minnesota author Barton Sutter reads as essay that finds himself playing a role in family car camping.
August 26, 1993 - A Midmorning interview from the Minnesota State Fair with Peg Meir, local author and writer for the Star Tribune newspaper. Meier talks about and reads from her book, Too Hot, Went to Lake.
September 4, 1993 - J. H. reads Autumn, a poem by Minnesota writer Paul Gruchow.