November 2, 1997 - Minneapolis, Taos, and Europe and are among the locations captured in Natalie Goldberg's new book "Living Color: A Writer Paints Her World". The book contains more than 60 full color paintings and explores Goldberg's symbiotic relationship between painting and writing. Goldberg says she began painting at 26--when she used a cheap children's water-color set and crayons to make her art. But she credits bad teeth and frequent trips to the dentist office as the beginning of her artistic spark.
October 25, 1997 - The skies turn darker earlier this weekend as we return to standard time. That means bedtime is going to be darker. "Getting Used to the Dark" is a new book of poetry by St. Paul children's author Susan Marie Swanson. Her book is aimed at helping children brave the darkness and those bumps in the night.
October 18, 1997 - A young boy's fear and admiration for Wolves is the subject of Minnesota author Mary Casanova's new book "Wolf Shadows". Casanova's home is near the Minnesota/Canadian border. Her surroundings often provide the inspiration for her young adult books. Her intimate knowledge of the north woods and her frequent sightings of wolves helped to spark the idea for "Wolf Shadows". Mary Casanova is not afraid to take on controversial subjects in her writing. "Wolf Shadows" explores animal rights and man's complex relationship with wolves.
September 18, 1997 - MPR’s Greta Cunningham talks with poet Donald Hall about his wife and fellow poet Jane Kenyon, who passed away in 1995. Hall reads Kenyon’s poem “The Needle.”
September 7, 1997 - Today is your opportunity to peek inside the beautifully restored homes in the Ramsey Hill section of St. Paul... through The GABLES, GARDENS AND GHOSTS tour. The Ramsey Hill neighborhood is the second largest contiguous Victorian District in North America. I had the opportunity to preview two of the homes with the Ramsey Hill Association's--Maryanne O'Brien and Tom Zahn--the former preservation planner for the city of St. Paul. We began our tour near Summit and Arundel at the stately Victorian home of Sara Kinney...a long time Ramsey Hill Resident.
September 7, 1997 - Since the T-V networks are touting their new fall line-ups--we thought it would be a good time to talk about Fall Films. Weekend Edition Film Critic Rob Nelson says film fans will be pleased with this seasons crop of local screenings.
August 24, 1997 - Move over Shirley Temple, step aside Fred Astaire--several nationally acclaimed tap dancers are shuffeling into the Twin Cities this weekend for the Tappin' In the Twin Cities Festival. You're listenting to 18-year old St. Paul dance sensation Tyheesha Collins. She's a featured dancer in this weekend's festival. I met her between classes at the Hennepin Center for the Arts in Minneapolis . Tyheesha says she started tapping when she was two years old. Her six year old cousin was taking tap and little Tyheesha used to get in trouble for stealing her cousins tap shoes.
August 23, 1997 - There's something different in your St. Paul Pioneer Press. This week the paper began an 11-part newspaper novel called "Murder on a Stick." Each chapter of the novel is written by a different reporter--kind of like a long group chain letter. The project is the brainchild of Editor Walker Lundy--his inspiration came from the Miami Herald's "Naked Came the Manatee" and Newsday's "Naked Came the Stranger" series. The initial title for THIS project also included a "naked" reference. But the reporters thought "Naked Came the Corn Dog"--might overstep the boundaries of good taste. "Murder on a Stick" includes references to Corn Dogs, butter sculptures and other state fair traditions. Here now are reporters Larry Millett, Linda McDonald and Jim Ragsdale reading part of their contributions.
August 16, 1997 - A St. Paul author is vying to become the next Tom Clancy. Vince Flynn's new book "Term Limits" is an espionage thriller set in Washington, DC. This self-published book is receiving a lot of attention--not bad for a guy who tended bar at O'Gara's by night so he could write by day.
August 9, 1997 - Outside, inside or on a couch...wherever you find yourself--Weekend Edition film critic Rob Nelson says a movie should be showing nearby. First on Rob Nelson's list is The Uptown Rooftop Cinema--this event salutes Minnesota filmmakers The Coen Brothers.