November 15, 2012 - Minnesota author Louise Erdrich won a big literary prize last night. She was given the National Book Award for fiction for her newest novel, "Roundhouse." In an interview excerpt, Erdrich talks about the need for solitude as she develops her characters. Segment also includes hosts discussing listener email and feedback about various news items.
November 21, 2012 - The National Book Awards were announced last week and today we'll hear Kerri Miller's conversations with two of the winners. Guests: Katherine Boo: Author and staff writer at The New Yorker and a former reporter and editor for The Washington Post. Louise Erdrich: Author of thirteen novels as well as volumes of poetry, short stories, children's books, and a memoir of early motherhood.
November 25, 2012 - Kevin Kling / Mason Jennings
November 28, 2012 - With the fiscal negotiations in Washington D.C. and other issues facing Congress in this lame duck term, MPR’s Tom Crann speaks with Congressman Tim Walz. The DFL-er represents Minnesota's 1st Congressional District, and was re-elected to his 4th term on November 6th, 2012.
November 30, 2012 - MPR’s David Cazares profiles all-Black jazz group Mother of Masks, a group that blends spoken word, poetry and improvised music in a blues-based fountain of black creative consciousness.
November 30, 2012 - This week on the Friday Roundtable, our panelists will look at the controversy over Susan Rice, the ethics of drones and other foreign policy challenges facing President Obama as he prepares for his second term. Today, a special Roundtable on foreign policy: Egypt, Russia, Iran, and Israel. We'll also talk about drones and human rights. And I want to ask the Roundtablers about the countries that aren't, but should be, higher on the American foreign policy agenda.
December 1, 2012 - MPR’s Rupa Shenoy looks at what’s next in efforts to bring about same-sex marriage legislation in Minnesota. Shenoy collects various commentary from numerous activists and politicians.
December 7, 2012 - This week on the Friday Roundtable, our panelists will discuss the changing demographics of the country and what it will mean when the U.S. becomes a "majority-minority" nation in the coming decades. Guests: Brother Ali: Hip-hop artist. His most recent album is "Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color". Pakou Hang: Executive director of the Hmong American Farmers Association and consultant with the New American Leaders Project.
December 10, 2012 - MPR’s Tom Scheck reports on healthcare controversy surrounding Steve Gottwalt, a Republican state representative; and David Hann, a Republican state senator. Gottwalt, who steered legislation through the House to drop people from the state-run MinnesotaCare program, is an independent contractor for an insurance brokerage firm that lobbied for the change.
December 12, 2012 - MPR’s Brandt Williams talks with U.S. Marshal Sharon Lubinski, the first openly gay Minneapolis police officer; and Lt. Rob Allen, the first openly gay male Minneapolis police officer, about the change in culture over gay and lesbians within the police department since they came out in the 1990s.