August 2, 1996 - Minnesota author Barton Sutter reads his essay on the BWCA, titled “The Backroad to Ely.” This is part two of two segments. Essay was later collected in "Cold Comfort: Life at the Top of the Map," published by University of Minnesota Press.
September 9, 1996 - MPR’s John Rabe interviews Irish poet Seamus Heaney, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. Heaney speaks about the importance of radio in his life. Heaney also reads numerous poems.
September 12, 1996 - Seamus Heaney, Irish poet and Nobel Prize winner, speaks at Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis for the annual Global Voices Lecture series. Heaney reads numerous poems during speech.
September 18, 1996 - MPR’s Chris Roberts presents a story about the birth of a poet. 10-year-old Josh Tane, of St. Paul, would probably be the last to tell you that he deserves the title of "poet." But last year, to the amazement of his teacher and parents, Josh discovered his muse and wrote some remarkable poems.
September 20, 1996 - Voices from the Heartland presents poet Diane Glancy reading "Voices in Wind," a work about the land.
September 23, 1996 - A Garrison Keillor documentary about F. Scott Fitzgerald entitled Fitzgerald in St. Paul, on the eve of his 100th birthday commemoration. Program includes interviews, music elements, and readings.
September 24, 1996 - A Garrison Keillor documentary about F. Scott Fitzgerald entitled Fitzgerald in St. Paul, on the eve of his 100th birthday commemoration. Program includes interviews, music elements, and readings.
October 14, 1996 - On this Odd Jobs segment, MPR’s Tim Kelly interviews Neal Henry Lawrence, an 88-year-old monk from Saint John's Abbey in Collegeville, who's lived in Tokyo for almost four decades, and is a pioneer in the writing of Tanka in English.
October 27, 1996 - Emilie Buchwald, publisher of Milkweed Editions, reads the winning essay from Boundary Waters writing contest. Essay is titled “Going Home” by Larry Risser.
November 15, 1996 - Voices from the Heartland presents poet Diane Glancy reading "Snow," which is a reflection on the Halloween blizzard of 1991.