MPR News Editor-at-Large and Retired Host Gary Eichten has worn many hats during his 40-plus-year career at Minnesota Public Radio, including news director, special events producer and station manager. He has served as host for Minnesota Public Radio's live, special events news coverage, and has hosted all of the major news programs on Minnesota Public Radio, including Midday, which he hosted for more than 20 years.
A graduate of St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, Eichten began his career at Minnesota Public Radio as a student announcer at KSJR (Minnesota Public Radio's first station). Among the honors Eichten has received during his career is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting award for best local news program. He also assisted in the development of two Peabody award-winning documentaries. In 2007, he was inducted into the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting's Hall of Fame. Eichten has also been awarded the prestigious 2011 Graven Award by the Premack Public Affairs Journalism Awards Board for his contribution to excellence in the journalism profession.
December 23, 2011 - Stories of winter fairies and elves, from a performance at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul.
December 21, 2011 - Lisa See is the author of "Shanghai Girls" and "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan." Many of her books center on Chinese and Chinese American characters. She discusses her writing and the influence of her Chinese American heritage at the Hennepin Country Central Library in downtown Minneapolis.
November 11, 2011 - Remembering legendary radio dramatist Norman Corwin. Norman Corwin has been called the poet laureate of radio's golden age. He died last month at the age of 101. Midday remembers Corwin with a short documentary on his career, and excerpts from his masterpiece, "On a Note of Triumph", which remains the most listened to radio drama in U.S. history.Later in the hour, author Tim O'Brien discusses his critically acclaimed short story collection on the Vietnam War, "The Things They Carried."
September 2, 2011 - Garrison Keillor, the host of public radio's A Prairie Home Companion, joins MPR's Gary Eichten on the Carousel Park Stage at the Minnesota State Fair to share stories and answer questions from the audience about his long career as a broadcaster and author.
August 4, 2011 - Best-selling author Lisa See on her bicultural heritage. Lisa See's novels include "Dreams of Joy," "Shanghai Girls," and "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," which has been made into a Hollywood film. Her stories offer a fascinating glimpse into different periods of China's history. She spoke at the Hennepin County library in downtown Minneapolis on how her writing has been influenced by the Chinese side of her family.
May 11, 2011 - Author and "A Prairie Home Companion" host Garrison Keillor speaks at the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries Dinner about writing, performing, and how libraries are a refuge from the outside world.
April 21, 2011 - Internationally renowned scholar Marcus Borg speaks about reclaiming the language of Christianity at the Westminster Town Hall Forum. He has written a number of books that re-examine the life of Jesus and take a fresh look at the bible. Guest: Marcus Borg: Professor emeritus at Oregon State University. Best-selling author of a number of books including "The Heart of Christianity" and "Putting Away Childish Things: A Tale of Modern Faith."
April 15, 2011 - Midday presents a special program showcasing some of the most exciting literary work coming out of the state. "Writing Minnesota" weaves together poetry and author interviews, and includes an innovative adaptation of a short story set in a mysterious compound north of Duluth. What does it mean to be a Minnesota writer? It means obsessing over the sound of the Mississippi River. It means writing about small towns. It means you're a refugee who refused to speak as a child. It means writing about butter. It means New York might find you provincial. It means you're not as stressed out as New York writers about your status. It means you write about Chicago. It means you grew up on a farm and saw your dad kill a cow with a pitchfork. It means your characters have secrets. It means watching a girl flirt with your husband in a St. Paul wine bar ? and wishing she'd flirt yet more. These are some of the many ways writers define their relationship to Minnesota. Host Annie Baxter invites you to hear these writers' reflections and their creative works on "Writing Minnesota."
February 18, 2011 - A Prairie Home Companion" host and creator Garrison Keillor speaks to an audience at Concordia University in St. Paul about the challenges he's had to face as a writer and how his upbringing has helped him deal with them. Guest: Garrison Keillor, Host and creator of "A Prairie Home Companion." Newspaper columnist and author of a number of books including "Lake Wobegon Days" and "Life Among the Lutherans."
December 23, 2010 - Barack Obama signed a landmark healthcare overhaul into law back in March, but throughout the year the measure didn't appear to win the hearts and minds of Americans. Republicans seized on discomfort with the reforms to make significant gains in November's mid-term elections, and many of the Congressional winners have promised to push for repeal. A number of states are also fighting the law in courts. We discuss the reform, and the likelihood it will remain the law of the land. Guest: Dave Durenberger, former U.S. Senator.