October 2, 2006 - MPR’s Tom Crann talks with St. Paul poet Alex Lemon about his book collection of poems is called "Mosquito." Lemon reads from book.
October 4, 2006 - The Penumbra Theatre Company in St. Paul kicked off its 30th anniversary season by announcing a multi-year August Wilson project.
October 11, 2006 - MPR’s Tom Crann interviews poet Tess Gallagher and asks her to read selected poems.
October 12, 2006 - An obscure 1960s rock group, the Monks, is rehearsing in northern Minnesota this week. It's the latest chapter in one of the stranger tales in rock and roll history. MPR’s Tom Robertson profiles the band, and interviews Gary Burger, Monk’s lead singer; Eddie Shaw, Monk’s bassist; David Fricke, Rolling Stone music critic; Dietmar Post, German film documentarian; and musical artist Genesis P-Orridge.
October 12, 2006 - A new book by sportswriter John Egan tells the story of basketball Hall of Famer Vern Mikkelsen. Mikkelsen played alongside George Mikan and Jim Pollard on the Minneapolis Lakers when they won a series of NBA championships in the late '40s and early '50s. He was introduced to the game when his family moved to Askov, Minnesota where his father, a Danish immigrant, was hired as a Lutheran minister. Mikkelsen, who lives today in the Twin Cities, says the man who recruited him to play at Hamline University, ended up in Askov by accident. That is Vern Mikkelsen who sang with the Hamline A Cappella choir for three years before quitting to concentrate on basketball. To read about that and more you'll want to track down a copy of a brand new book, "The Vern Mikkelsen Story" by John Egan.
October 19, 2006 - Katherine Lanpher, former MPR "Midmorning" host, who left Minnesota for New York City, returns to the MPR airwaves to discuss book about her move to the big city. Lanpher also answers listener questions. This is part 1 of 2. Lanpher is also former co-host of "The Al Franken Show" on Air America Radio. Lanpher's book is titled "Leap Days: Chronicles of a Midlife Move." Program contains pledge-drive segments.
October 19, 2006 - Continued discussion with Katherine Lanpher, former MPR "Midmorning" host. Lanpher left Minnesota for New York City, and returns to the MPR airwaves to discuss book about her move to the big city. Lanpher also answers listener questions. This is part 2 of 2. Lanpher is also former co-host of "The Al Franken Show" on Air America Radio. Lanpher's book is titled "Leap Days: Chronicles of a Midlife Move." Program contains pledge-drive segments.
November 3, 2006 - MPR’s Chris Roberts reports on "Vestibular Sense," the Mixed Blood Theatre play that peaks into the life of a young man with autism in its latest production. The play raises questions about what autism is and whether it's a deficit or an attribute for someone who has it.
November 15, 2006 - Duluth has long been known as a union town. A new book tells the story of how and why. It's called "By the Ore Docks...A Working People's History of Duluth." Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports.
November 17, 2006 - It’s been thirty years since Hmong began arriving in Minnesota. MPR's Toni Randolph interviews Leng Wong, one of the first arrivals that came in the mid-70s. That small initial group now is a community of more than 50-thousand strong.