April 12, 2002 - Tonight Minnesota's literary community will gather at the Fitzgerald Theater in St Paul to celebrate the years's top books. The 14th annual Minnesota Book Awards identifies the best in popular fiction, anthology, and children's literature among others. Minnesota book critic and independent book seller Brad Zellar says it says a lot about the state that so many small presses are competing.
April 16, 2002 - The central character of Australian novelist Richard Flanagan's book "Gould's Book of Fish" is a convict who paints fish. Or maybe he's not. Flanagan leaves the reader to wonder whether his story is a free-wheeling tale of life which set in a British penal colony in Tasmania, or perhaps a figment of the imagination of a modern lowlife faking antiques to sell to the tourist trade. The book has been described as a modern masterpiece in Australia, part "Papillion", part "Baron Munchausen".. It is already selling well in the US. Flanagan told Minesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr the novel grew from a single experience.
April 17, 2002 - Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer talks with Macalester College professor and former St. Paul mayor George Latimer, who shares what he likes about “Profiles in Courage.” In the book, John F. Kennedy describes the sacrifices that senators made when they supported unpopular policies.
April 17, 2002 - An audio clip of John F. Kennedy Jr. reading from his father’s book “Profile of Courage.”
April 19, 2002 - "Among the Oats" is a play of three people living in an oatmeal can. The fourth annual American Pottery Festival is happening in Minneapolis. "Klezmer Dances," a ballet, will be presented this weekend. "The Play about the Baby" is a play about traveling around with a baby.
April 19, 2002 - In this edition of Word of Mouth - A profile on Brave New Workshop’s comedy “Bushwacked 2”/ Minnesota Opera’s “Little Women” / Center for the Performing Arts comedy “Among the Oats” / Northern Clay Center’s St. Paul American Pottery Festival / Klezmer Dances / Albee’s “The Play about the Baby” / The Rose Ensemble is performing music that is based on Gregorian chant / Minneapolis poet and spoken word artist Desdamona reads “To Know my Mother” / Minnesota jazz singer Alicia Renée
April 19, 2002 - How the Brave New Workshop Comedy Theater is taking a look on how the world has changed since September 11th. The opera Little Women is examined. Alicia Renee, an 18 year old jazz singer, is a singing sensation.
April 23, 2002 - The fate of one Minneapolis restaurant is generating more attention than usual for an industry where openings and closings happen with regularity. Many patrons of The Loring Cafe and Bar call it a cultural icon. But the restaurant's landlord wants the business to move out, and recently refused to renew its lease. The Loring's owner is asking for - and getting - support from the community to help him stay. Minnesota Public Radio's Marisa Helms reports.
April 24, 2002 - The promise of weblogs. Emergence is when the whole of something is smarter than its parts. Blogs are headed to emergence.
April 24, 2002 - **NOTE--This is NOT converted--in an edit session** Edna O'Brien's latest novel, "In the Forest," is causing an uproar in her native Ireland. The book is based on a real life triple homicide that terrorized a O'Brien spoke with Minnesota Public Radio's Greta Cunningham about "In the Forest." O'Brien grew up in the same county where the murders took place and says a trip home prompted her to write this story.