January 4, 2013 - Journalist and humor writer Calvin Trillin speaks in Minneapolis at the Talk of the Stacks series about his new book "Dogfight: An Occasionally Interrupted Narrative Poem About the Presidential Campaign."
November 28, 2012 - Salman Rushdie delivers a Pen Pals Lecture in Hopkins about his memoir and his nine years living with death threats and a fatwa issued upon the publication of his novel, 'The Satanic Verses.' He lived under the pseudonym Joseph Anton.
November 22, 2012 - A traditional noon hour Thanksgiving special from MPR's John Birge, featuring music and stories for Thanksgiving.
October 25, 2012 - Minnesotans are involved in a passionate debate about marriage during 2012 election season. The two sides began squaring off more than 40 years ago. This project draws from MPR's extensive audio archive to explore the origins of this election day showdown over same-sex marriage.
October 10, 2012 - MPR presents a debate for Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District between DFL Congressman Tim Walz and his Republican challenger former State Representative Allen Quist. The debate was a "Debate Minnesota" event, held on October 9th, 2012, at Minnesota State University in Mankato. Topics include small business, economy, budget, and Medicare.
October 8, 2012 - Stephen Smith, host of Bright Ideas, talks with playwright Christopher Hampton. They discuss Hampton's long career and his new work, "Appomattox." Also a screenwriter, Hampton won the Oscar for "Dangerous Liaisons" and was nominated for "Atonement." Hampton visited Minnesota for a festival of his plays at the Guthrie Theater.
August 22, 2012 - Science fiction writer Ray Bradbury, who died in June 2012, giving a Pen Pals lecture in the Minnesota back in 2000 about the influences on his life and work. He was born Aug. 22, 1920.
August 6, 2012 - In this Pen Pals Lecture Series appearance, Brian Greene of Columbia University discusses his best-selling books, "The Elegant Universe" and "The Hidden Reality." He says science is about big ideas, not technical details. MPR's Stephen Smith interviews Brian Greene at the Hopkins, Minn., Center for the Arts.
June 26, 2012 - The author of award-winning architecture books and a series of mystery novels tells the audience about the craft of writing, and about the story-telling involved in both genres. The Club Book series is sponsored by Friends of the Hennepin County Library and the Metropolitan Library Service Agency.
June 7, 2012 - Legendary American author Ray Bradbury died June 5, 2012, at the age of 91. Back in 2000 he was the featured speaker in Minnetonka at the Pen Pals Lecture Series. He spoke about the greatest influences on his life and career of more than seven decades, and gave this insightful and entertaining speech apparently without notes.