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.
August 19, 1994 - On this installment of Voices from the Heartland, northern Minnesota writer Barton Sutter reads The Shrink-Wrapped Campfire, an essay on camping equipment.
August 20, 1994 - MPR’s Chris Roberts interviews author Neal Karlen about his book, Babes in Toyland: The Making and Selling of a Rock and Roll Band. Karlen discusses his experiences following the band during the creation and reaction of Babes in Toyland’s first album.
August 24, 1994 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Yee Chang, Pioneer Press library researcher and Hmong Youth Cultural Awareness Project coordinator; and Pang Xiong, a project contributor, about student written book, A Free People: Tracing Our Hmong Roots. Chang and Xiong describe the purpose of book is to better connect young Hmong students and their parents/grandparents through history of Hmong culture.
August 25, 1994 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer has a conversation with food author Lynne Rossetto Kasper at Minnesota Public Radio’s State Fair booth. The two talk about organic and local foods.
August 26, 1994 - On this installment of Voices from the Heartland, Minnesota author Peter Leschak reads from Hellroaring: The Life and Times of a Fire Bum, a book that tells of Leschak’s adventures as a DNR and US Forest Service wildland firefighter.
August 29, 1994 - Minnesota author Susan Carol Hauser reads essay on her childhood memories of her family visiting the Minnesota State Fair back in the 1950’s.
August 31, 1994 - On this installment of Voices from the Heartland, Twin Cities native and author Susan Carol Hauser reads an essay on returning to Minnesota and finding “home.”
September 1, 1994 - A Midmorning interview with local librarians Carol Johnson about book mobiles in the state and the changing avenues in the reader landscape.
September 3, 1994 - Local writer and cyclist Dan Buettner discusses his book, Sovietrek: A Journey by Bicycle Across Russia. Buettner details the bike journey in the former USSR.
September 8, 1994 - Midday presents a look back at Minnesota writer Fredrick Manfred and his work. Program includes a 1980 interview with the author, a reading, and commentary from the author.