October 22, 2003 - Author Jonathan Letham's newest novel takes its stories from his childhood. "The Fortress of Solitude," has been critically acclaimed. It follows the adventures of two boys, one black, one white as they grow up in a tough New York neighborhood. The story begins in the late sixties and follows the characters to the present day. As the boys become men, their neighborhood becomes gentrified. Along the way, the boys -- Mingus and Dylan -- learn harsh realities about life, love, popular music - even comic books. Letham told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr the Brooklyn street of his childhood demonstrated the best and the worst of 1960s idealism.
October 17, 2003 - Word of Mouth's Art's round-up.
October 10, 2003 - Chris Roberts talks on art and artists in this week's Word of Mouth Art's round-up
September 26, 2003 - Word of Mouth
September 26, 2003 - Word of Mouth Art's Round up.
September 26, 2003 - On this Word of Mouth program, MPR’s Marianne Combs presents a conversation with musician Tim Eriksen & vocalist Mirjana Lausevic; poetry reading by Minnesota poet Kate Green; a profile of St. Paul hip hop group Los Nativos; followed by a Word of Mouth segment on local arts and culture events.
September 23, 2003 - Arthur Nersesian's novel "Chinese Takeout" is not really about food. It's more of a wild tour of the New York art scene. The book's hero, Orloff Trenchant, supports his painting by selling second-hand books on the street. He lives in his van, and spends much of his time dodging parking enforcement. He owes thousands of dollars in unpaid tickets. He loses his girlfriend after accusing her of being unfaithful, then falls in love with a heroin addict called Rita. Trenchant swings from moments of wry humor to dark hopelessness, but all the while he is spurred to paint. Arthur Nersesian told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr many of the things in the story come from personal experience. He says he wanted to capture the highs and the lows of the New York artistic experience.
September 19, 2003 - Word of Mouth.
September 16, 2003 - In 1758 a Shawnee raiding party captured Mary Jemison, a 16 year old Irish immigrant living in Pennsylvania. The raiders killed her family and took her prisoner. Eventually her captors gave her to a Seneca family as compensation for a son lost in battle. She lived into her eighties, and despite several offers of freedom, she remained with her adopted people. Jemison's real life experience is the basis for St Paul native Deborah Larsen's novel "The White". She heard the story shortly after moving to Pennsylvania to teach at Gettysburg College. She told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr, she tracked down an oral history of Mary's story taken down by a local doctor, but she thought it was rather stilted.
September 12, 2003 - Word of Mouth