MPR’s Katherine Lanpher talks with Minnesota writer Bill Holm and editor Michael Dregni of the book, "Minnesota Days: Our Heritage in Stories, Art and Photos." This Midmorning program includes call-in from listeners.

Minnesota Days is a collection of writing, photography and artwork focusing on Minnesota: its history, variety of people, and culture. Contributors represent the best of Minnesota writing: Garrison Keillor, Laura Ingalls Wilder, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Sinclair Lewis, Jim Klobuchar, Bill Holm, Sigurd Olson, Ole Rolvaag, Jim Northrup, Winona LaDuke, Gordon Parks, Evelyn Fairbanks, Meridel Le Sueur, Paul Gruchow, Jon Hassler and others. Photography and artwork is from such well-known artists as Jim Brandenburg, Craig Blacklock, Wanda Gag, Bob Artley, William Albert Allard, Gary Alan Nelson, Francis Lee Jaques, Carl Gawboy and others.

This file was digitized with the help of a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Transcript:

(00:00:00) Good morning. It's 1004 and with the latest from Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Mary Ann Sullivan. Governor. Ventura is on his way back from attend a trade mission in Japan. And he's already planning his
(00:00:10) next trade trip. Ventura says the Japan effort helped put Minnesota on the map for the Japanese.
(00:00:15) He says his office is now trying to plan a similar trip to
(00:00:18) Mexico Ventura dismissed critics of the Japan trip as having no credibility. The
(00:00:22) taxpayers league of Minnesota has called for the governor to
(00:00:25) reimburse the state for the cost of the trip. Ventura is scheduled to be back in the state later today.
(00:00:30) Minnesota American Legion today will Mark the 80th anniversary of its first national Convention the group met in 1919 at the
(00:00:37) Minneapolis Auditorium where Orchestra Hall now stands Legion spokesman. Al zidane says the Minneapolis Convention was the springboard for the organization which now has nearly 3 million members. The American Legion was formed by World War One Veteran's when they returned from France
(00:00:52) the warm weather has set records the past couple of days, but today snow plows had to be
(00:00:56) called out to clear one Twin Cities Road. Mike. Morin is with the Department of transportation's traffic Management Center. Well commuters ran into a bit of a problem out on the Southwest end of the Metro this morning as folks are traveling to 12 southbound in the area of Pioneer Trail, they came across rain and hail, but the interesting thing is some of the hail accumulated on the roadway a pile of nearly a foot high in the left lane of traffic obstructed traffic cause some big backups MnDOT maintenance sent out a snow plow to clear it off and then things got back to normal but a very unusual occurrence. Eight to twelve Pioneer Trail with hail on the roadway cooler weather is forecast across Minnesota through the weekend today cooler as well partly to mostly cloudy
(00:01:39) widely scattered morning showers in the
(00:01:41) central part of the state highs today from near 40 in the Northwest reaching 60 in the far south or Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Mary Ann Sullivan.
(00:02:02) Good morning. Welcome to mid-morning. I'm Catherine Lanford. How would you tell the story of Minnesota? Would you go to the width of Sinclair Lewis The Passion of married eldest or the memories and pictures of photographer Gordon Parks. When we ask that question last hour, we've been getting some interesting answers from everyone about how they would tell the story we have editor Michael drag me here with us today. He is the editor of an anthology called Minnesota days Our Heritage and stories. Art and photos. We're talking to him and we're talking to Bill home. It's a well-known poet and writer here in Minnesota author of among other things the music of failure coming home crazy and the Heart can be filled anywhere on Earth, Minnesota Minnesota. We're talking to build home and Michael dragony about the stories that make up our Minnesota days. If you'd like to join our conversation, it's one eight hundred two four two 28 E eight one eight hundred two four to Twenty Eight Twenty Eight in the Twin Cities, six, five. One two, two seven six thousand now Michael drag name, we've been talking a lot about stories and about authors. But as we should remind folks this Anthology is not text only know there's a there's it's full of
(00:03:19) Photography artwork everything from paintings to some sort of cartoons that sir Matt serve as Memoirs. It's full of all sorts of different kinds of A folk art and so on
(00:03:33) and how did you I mean we're talking about how hard it is to to pick up the author's I mean, you've been getting wonderful suggestions here from people for anthologies, two three and four, but I would think it'd be even harder to pick out a single image. Well, it's difficult because as we
(00:03:51) said before you really try to find
(00:03:53) stories artwork photography everything to fit
(00:03:57) together to try to tell a bit larger for larger story
(00:04:00) and soul. A lot of time goes into putting all this together. We spent about a year and a half working on the whole
(00:04:06) book everything from the design to the selection of stories and so on but yes, it is difficult work to try to tell this greater story with the selection
(00:04:16) built home. I know that images and the visual can be very important for writers and especially for poets. I'm curious if there's an image of Minnesota that's close to your
(00:04:26) heart. book design and the photographs are wonderful, but there are two sets of photographs dear to my heart that seem to be there are among my favorites by my To Minnesota favorite photographers Wayne Goodman son from Moorhead and Bob first from Minnetonka, but the ball of twine picture by Wayne Goodman sin is here for the dude world's largest ball of twine, which is in Darwin Minnesota and the gentleman who saved the twine standing looking at it with a take-no-prisoners expression. It's wonderful. Yeah. I've got my copy of the book open to that same picture as I want to talk about that. It's a great story. We tell a
(00:05:12) Of
(00:05:12) that story in the caption here of the guy who collected all this twine it weighed
(00:05:17) 21,000 Pounds measured 12 feet in circumference. And the and the great thing is there was someone in in Kansas who tried to beat his
(00:05:29) record and this this other guy in Kansas worked and worked and worked and collect Baler twine and so on
(00:05:34) and he was up to 11 feet some inches in circumference and was
(00:05:38) on the verge of beating the Minnesota record. And then the Guy
(00:05:42) died. So Minnesota, I'll play
(00:05:45) you never know. You never know in this kind of you can tell from looking at the expression on that guy's face that he's not going to lose. That's very true. That's a brilliant picture by Wayne and it's funny in the best sense. It's true humor the humor of experience rather than the humor of Zetas are well, the other one I love of Wayne's is of course the two fishermen who are archetypes Community. I'm related to those guys.
(00:06:10) Well, and of course you're talking about a picture that's in Minnesota days that in fact was inserted in the middle of a Garrison Keillor essay and it is a very archetypal picture of two guys and actually, you know, what the part I love about that picture and I'm I'm thinking of our listening audience here. You have to Envision two guys whose names could be Vern lunker. Okay, and they've got one of the looks like they have wet suits on to go to go fishing. But my favorite part Bill home is the wife and the background about to get out of the car and she has that sort of I've just made hot dish. What are what are you guys doing look on her
(00:06:46) face the hurry up and let's get going. Every detail of that feature is perfect. My other favorite is quite different reason is the gravestone which I think is one of the most haunting photographs I've ever seen. It's a stunning image except for a Beckett play. And there's a great story about that picture in the Bob often doesn't monkey with nature. But on that one, he wanted a little light on the tombstone to give it that kind of eeriness. So we got a flashlight out of his truck and hung it duct tape the flashlight to the back of the tree so that it's shown sideways on the gravestone. So this I would say is technology used it. It's - but it's an eerie and haunting image.
(00:07:34) We're going to go to jannat in. Hapless welcome to mid morning Janet. Thank you. Uh-huh.
(00:07:40) I have to tell you Catherine. You're so persuasive. I sent in another pledge. I'll second one. I'm
(00:07:45) so glad to hear that Janet. Thank
(00:07:46) you. I think one of the fascinating parts of Minnesota History is the logging of the old growth in the North in the photos are fascinating and I would like to know more about that era. There's a
(00:08:00) photograph in here and I'm just
(00:08:01) paging to it.
(00:08:04) That's a that's an image
(00:08:05) people of probably seems taken by a Stillwater photographer John Runk and it
(00:08:10) shows a lumber Lumber workers from a sawmill in in Stillwater standing next to a couple boards. And these boards are just
(00:08:21) astonishingly huge. I mean, he reaches his arm across and it only goes about two-thirds of the way across this board and the board must be I don't know. 30 30 feet tall and it just shows in that image the amount of wood that came out of these old fold growth for us.
(00:08:39) We're going to go to Cosette and Bear River before we get there. I want to remind you that you too can join this conversation. What images what photos what artwork to use says Minnesota best evokes the unique Heritage we have here. Now you throw out a phrase like unique Heritage. Well, maybe you should tell us what that means to you. What is it about Minnesota that is unique singular that lends itself to our stories and our stories only. It's one eight hundred two for two. Twenty Eight twenty eight one eight hundred two, four two 28:28. We've been talking to Bill home and Michael drag me about the book Minnesota days Our Heritage and stories art and photos. We've also been talking to them about different Minnesota storytelling Traditions. Why is it that we seem to have so many satirist so many people willing to poke fun at us and why is it to that we seem to have so many people who have deep passionate loves of the landscape and then we have people who collect wine. Why is that? We'd love to know what you think. It's 1-800 to for to 2828 in the Twin Cities, six, five. One two, two seven six thousand six five. One two, two seven six thousand now we'll go to Cosette and Bear River. Welcome to mid-morning Cosette. Thank you Katherine. I've
(00:09:59) got another author that I think should be added to the Minnesota list. His name is Kelvin restroom. And I from what I don't think that there are Many people that really know about this author anymore. He wrote the same type of books that Sigrid Olsen wrote.
(00:10:17) How did you find out about him? Because
(00:10:19) that well, I have always been interested in the North Woods and I was just browsing through be Dalton back about 30 years ago when I lived down in the cities and in the Minnesota Section, and I saw this book challenge of the Wilderness and it's just looks so interesting. And I read it and I fell in love with it and I just went out and I got every book that he wrote and and read it and just love them so much and he was a great influence in my husband and I'm moving up into the northern
(00:10:56) Minnesota. Wow, so it actually you changed your life because of a book right now Bill home. It's interesting to me. I have to confess. I've never heard of Calvin restroom, and I know that Michael dragony it had Flicker of recognition either how is it that we can lose authors like this?
(00:11:14) Well, I've heard of him. I worked for at Lakewood College years ago in my department chairman was a great fan of Kells books and knew him. He was a wonderful old man. And as your caller said in the tradition of seagulls and and Earnest oberholser the kind of people who are really responsible for the literary sense of working to save the northern Minnesota Wilderness, but a lot of books go out of print. I mean, this is a culture in which here today and gone tomorrow if you publish for a small presses, I mostly do a milkweed your book stay in print for a long time. But other than that literature has a short shelf life even Powers when he died, you know, the much-loved powers was almost entirely out of print. So one of the things you know as we're praising a book in Minnesota is an encouragement to get some of the books out of our tradition back into print and available. And of course that's a job for you know presses and for Publishers and for universities to do what Cal restroom should certainly be in print. He's a good writer.
(00:12:17) We're going to go to Joe and Minneapolis. Welcome to
(00:12:20) mid-morning and I believe he made no the bjornson since I do indeed. Okay, and I have before me I'm a very good friend of Maya bjornsen sander brother Ian. Whoo-hoo you've met but I've got before me something called Saga incidents and anecdotes from by Gandhi. Is they recently moved from the family home having been there? 40 43 years and you own found this written by Gunnar Jansen. I know the book and it's I don't think it's a book. It's a manuscript the manuscript. Yeah, and it's phenomenal what he writes about the life on the plains of Minnesota in many Odin particular is just absolutely wonderful. My guess is that there's lots of books like that. There were question a little while ago about why there were no books for um and all selections from the Mexican immigrant experience and you could also ask that question about the Laotian immigrant experience. It takes a while and there are a lot of people writing down what's happening to them and there are a lot of manuscripts which will turn up is going to be urchins. Did, you know 50 years after he wrote the thing I mean amazing records of what life felt like to an immigrant of what it felt like to make the passage on the boat and to settle into a place. And of course for a new Somali, you're mowing immigrant. Now, it feels much like that. I mean this place feels is strange. Is it felt to an Icelander a Belgian a hundred and twenty years ago. And again, that's that's work for the state's Publishers for maybe University presses are the historical society to save that stuff and to make those wonderful records available to people that history exists in drawers all over the
(00:14:11) place. We're going Go to Kathy and Bloomington. Welcome to mid morning
(00:14:15) Kathy. Good morning. Hi. I'm calling because I have recently found a new up-and-coming author named William Kent Krueger. And I don't know if you're familiar with him. But he does fiction about a small town a small fictional town in northern Minnesota. And I just wanted to say that I'm a transplant from Illinois. I've only lived in the Twin Cities. I know nothing about the out state but William Kent Krueger makes me feel. I've been there. It's
(00:14:43) wonderful. Well, I think you really can't give higher praise to someone then that bill home. Can you spell Calvin restrooms last name for
(00:14:52) us? I think it's Ru t St. R om Rostrum. He was a sweet.
(00:14:59) Okay. All right Bill home. I know we have to let you go here. I want to thank you so much for joining us today.
(00:15:05) When I want to close with a compliment to Michael drag me in Voyager pressure having done a very nice job on this book. Well, thank you very much. It's a lovely piece of work and it's a nice collection of photographs and images and given the rich tradition that you had to pick from. I think you did a good job of getting a representative sampling. It's a good read so my compliments to you. Well, thank you
(00:15:31) Bill home. He is of course a much-loved author writer and poet here in Minnesota author of the music of failure coming home crazy in the heart can be filled and he filled anywhere on Earth. Many OTA Minnesota. We are talking of course about Minnesota days our heritage in stories art and photos. This is an anthology edited by Michael drag knee he is going to stay with us here in this conversation a little later. We'll be talking to Jim Northrup. You might know him. He is the author of walking the res Road. He's also the author of The syndicated column The Fond du Lac Follies will be talking to him and Michael dregg knee. So if you have Our own ideas of stories of images unique to our culture. It's 1-800 to for to 2828 in the Twin Cities, six, five. One two, two seven six thousand six five. One two, two seven six thousand. Now, of course, we're going to go. Oh boy back in to pitch mode. I'm joined just this hour by Mike
(00:16:34) Edgerly. We're rotating your partners in you know, it's exhausting. You're basically wearing them out one by one. Thank you
(00:16:41) Catherine. You're more than welcome. Mr. Edgerly
(00:16:44) to to 728 11 a fascinating discussion this morning about the the Minnesota days book and your guests Michael drag me has done a wonderful job editing this collection and it's available $120 level ten dollars a month Minnesota days, you know and you just had a caller I think a new Resident recently transplanted resident from Illinois who is talking about getting to know the state through its Riders and if your are a fairly New resident of the state what a great way to introduce yourself to the state of Minnesota. Its culture its history and its art
(00:17:18) frankly. This thing is worth the ball of twine picture alone. I have to tell
(00:17:21) you that in the wall. I picture the walleye over at Garrison, right?
(00:17:26) Exactly. Exactly. It's $10 a month. I want you to stop and think for a minute I think $10 a month apart pretty much the programming here is at least worth that and then you get this book on top of it and Edgerly that's what that's a great idea the idea that if you are new here now we know in fact now of course At public radio. We do not live or die by the numbers but oh they do piqued our interest and we know just from our numbers that have come out in the latest Arbitron ratings period that a lot more people are listening and in fact a lot more new people. So maybe you're new to public radio. Maybe you're new to Minnesota. This might be a book that would interest you. We're giving it away at the $10 a month level. I want you to stop and think about that as I said earlier, you know, what would that be in 30 generation excerpt terms like it would be like three Is a month man? I don't
(00:18:13) know really. Where are you buying your latte? That's pretty that's a pretty good deal.
(00:18:17) Actually. Well, there you go. There you go. It's what 802 to 728 11 1 800 2 to 7 2011. Listen to these people who've already called in Janet from Atwater. We appreciate your coverage of farm issues Out Here We Are Family Farmers. We hope to increase our pledge when Farm prices approve. Okay. Now we also have Lynn and Sam niskin in from Belle Plaine thought it was time. I'm well. There you go. It was time. We have Monica's a girl. She loves MPR we have niomi Rockler from Eden Prairie. I'm a new MPR head because I listen during my hour commute
(00:18:55) and MPR had does that mean she's a Catherine head to
(00:18:58) well, it doesn't say there. But if you're an MPR head, I'm afraid you are stuck with being this as well. Okay. We Anthony and Diane hofstede in Minneapolis. They got a renewal notice. They were listening to us here. They know how this is very This is a good marriage Anthony called up because he knows how much Diane likes mid-morning way to go way to go a blessed Union. I mean I said very very good one
(00:19:21) that is built on the foundation of mid morning between 9:00 and
(00:19:24) 11:00. I think a happy marriage is one where someone pledges in the name of his beloved spouse 1-800 to to 728 11 1-800 to to 728 11, you know, this is a shrinking pledge time. If you think I'll wait till Saturday when I have more time to make the call. This is it. You have got from now until Friday. Why not? Just get it done. Now why procrastinate 1-800 to to 728 11 now, I know that we have a little spot coming up about our giveaway. Why don't you take a listen here
(00:20:00) some call it the Athens of the north others old rekey. You'll call it home for five days. If you are the lucky one whose name is drawn to see a pretty hung
(00:20:11) companions first.
(00:20:12) I've show from Edinburgh Scotland you and a friend will fly first class with Northwest Airlines and stay at the luxurious Balmoral hotel and the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. We'll even throw in an unlimited train bus and Ferry Pass. You don't have to place to get your name in the Hat, but we wanted to know check out the details at npr.org RG call 1-800 to to 728 11 and become a member today.
(00:20:48) Now who could resist that
(00:20:49) my kitchen say no to to 728 11 1-800 to to 728 11 a chance to win an all expense trade the trip to Scotland the chance to support non-commercial public radio, Minnesota Public Radio all of this and year-round public broadcasting 1-800 to to 728 11 Catherine MPR is listen. Supported radio that means one of these listeners will be on a jet on a Northwest Airlines flight to Scotland coming up in February. One of these lucky
(00:21:22) listeners will be taken. We have 10 people on the line. I'm so excited. I'm so excited. We have 10 people. I bet we can make that 20 come on edge you and I
(00:21:30) together to 728 11. There's
(00:21:32) 11 dulcet tones dulcet tones. I love the sound of that phone
(00:21:36) 1-800-273-8255 to public radio with your membership donation and enter into our contest for to is that right Catherine to you and a guest Scotland in
(00:21:50) February. I wish it was me and a guest but no sadly. It'll be won't be me, but it could be you but it'll that will only happen if you call now. All right, I have to just remind you if you're listening to mid-morning right now, then you know what we offer here that you can't find anywhere else on the dial and that is conversation. There is a paucity of discourse. I believe in this country and one of the few places you can Get it as public radio now. Maybe you called up when Bill Moyers was here talking poetry or maybe you just went swoony when we had Isabel Allende on man, the woman can talk about anything and make its own wonderful 14 people in the line. Can we make that 24 we can if you pick up the phone 1-866-376-8255 the governor to Isabel Allende. I say that's a pretty good range Jesse The Body Isabel the rider 1-800 to to 728
(00:22:41) 11 to Evan 2811 $10 a month the $120 level you can help us reach our membership goal in this truncated the shortened version of membership campaign for well the last time in 1999 and if you come in at the $120 level 120 dollars gets you Minnesota days Our Heritage and stories arts and photos the wonderfully edited book that that we're talking about this morning on mid-morning. What is it
(00:23:09) Catherine? You seem stricken? I just realized this is the last Of the century. This is the last Pledge of the century. You are an alpha listener become an alpha Pledger. What are you doing out there you pick up that phone 1-800-273-8255 last pledge for posterity. Don't you want to say in the waning moments of 1999? I'm going to listen Like It's 1999. Yes, 1-800 to to 728 11. We haven't broken 20 at in this hour. I am disgusted. I know that mid-morning listeners can buck up better than that. That's the Spirit 15 people on the line what you get on the horn 1-800. What are you doing - 28:11, there's snoozin they're thinking of a few more minutes and she'll go back to talking to Michael drag knee. No no, I won't 18. Oh,
(00:23:55) yes, you will Catherine. You don't have a choice in that you're going to talk to Michael drag knee and if you call it the enter your membership at the 120.
(00:24:06) Now, of course, we have to actually raise the money but 24 people that's your line. We beat morning to Dish and I'm It wasn't the mature me 1-800 to to 728 11 1-800 to to 728 11:26 people on that horn, you know, I wouldn't scold you, but you seem to like it
(00:24:23) one eight hundred two to seven 28:11 Carol and joy a jury isakson say they're hopelessly addicted their new members of Minnesota Public Radio when finger of Minneapolis. Thank you Marcel Dedrick of St. Paul. Thank you all very much for calling in this morning 1-800 to to 728 11. I keep those calls coming.
(00:24:43) We just want to remind you that pledge of $10 a month. It's a hundred and twenty dollar annual contribution. Not only get you the programming you depend on the programming that helps you with that commute the programming that makes that little morning break with your toddler a little bit easier to take if you do that you get the Minnesota days, but now think of the writers who are in here Garrison Keillor Laura Ingalls Wilder F Scott Fitzgerald Sinclair Lewis, Jim Klobuchar Bill home married eldest or Jim Northrup John Hassler Jim. It breaks a photography is in there Craig but Blacklock a host of artists and photographers. This is not a bad deal. This is as my colleague Gary eichten would say a heck of a deal you get great programming and you get this book for pledging $10 a month. We will take your support at any level you can give us whether it's $1,000 leadership Circle contribution. $7 a month. All we ask is that you go from becoming a listener to becoming a member. We're asking for your commitment because we're committed to you. 1-800 to to 728 11 1-800 to to 728 11. Today's programming is sponsored in part by it an NPR member in honor of the children's trust fund working to strengthen Minnesota communities and families and prevent child abuse. You're listening to Minnesota Public Radio. The surveillance Society
(00:26:10) pop quiz minnesotans, which of these is really private your bank records your medical records your social security number your grocery list your retina your location your identity if you listen next week, you'll learn that none of them really is on Monday. We start the surveillance Society a week-long. Look at the erosion of privacy in America on the are starting Monday on the web and npr.org.
(00:26:50) I'm Catherine land for your listening to mid morning here on Minnesota Public Radio. We're continuing our conversation with Michael drag me. He is the editor of Minnesota days Our Heritage and stories art and photos and we welcome to us now Jim Northrup. He's joining us by phone. He's a poet journalist and Storyteller. He's the author of the collection of stories walking the res Road. He also writes the syndicated column The Fond du Lac Follies. He's contributing writer. I sent the ology we're talking about called Minnesota days Our Heritage and stories art and photos Jim Northrup. Thanks for joining us today
(00:27:28) for you bonjour.
(00:27:32) I wanted to you know, we've been talking for an hour and a half now between pledge segments about this notion of stories that need to be remembered stories that need to be held so that we have a full picture of our heritage and I was curious when you think of Minnesota and it Heritage what stories come to your mind
(00:27:53) Initially the stories that come to mind are the stories of before the coming of the white man stories that were told around the campfires the cooking fires. And now today the stories that are told around the kitchen table.
(00:28:08) You know, it's interesting that you would mention that because I have to say it going through stories in res road going through your newspaper columns. I know that that's how many of your story started out around kitchen tables around campfires and I have to say oh, I wish it's what it's really fun to read them. But I sure wish I had been there when you were telling him the first couple times.
(00:28:31) They get better with each telling
(00:28:33) you think things change is as they go through each
(00:28:35) telling sure different details pop into mind.
(00:28:40) Now I know that you said bonjour when you answered the phone use and I know that you have a story to tell about that.
(00:28:46) I said Buju
(00:28:47) a bosu. Okay
(00:28:49) comes from the cultural hero of the anishinabe called way. No Buju. And we know who his half-god and half-man when he's teaching us things. He's acting as a god when he's doing stupid things. He's acting as a man and way taboos. You can take on any shape or form. So people are in effect. Asking are you that one named Wayne Buju? It's also a family name. So people from all over can hear about the story of winter Buju.
(00:29:24) I know that you have a wonderful way of referencing the Caucasian peoples in Minnesota as the Immigrant communities. Let's talk for a minute about immigrant Stories versus the stories of indigenous people.
(00:29:42) First of all, let him think there should be any kind of spirit of competition here. Hmm, we each have our stories and uniqueness is which makes him so strong. I couldn't tell of the life of being a hearing for Sherman from Norway or Austria or someplace like that, but I sure can talk about harvesting wild rice.
(00:30:06) You know, I didn't mean to suggest a spirit of competition. But do you think that often happens?
(00:30:11) I think so, I think it's a product of the society we live
(00:30:15) in hmm. I guess I guess I've always thought that you know, there's always room for one more story. But do you think that is sometimes the what happens that you stories displace other
(00:30:27) stories? No, I don't think that at all.
(00:30:34) We're going to go to Rick in Luck, Wisconsin. Welcome to mid morning
(00:30:38) Rick. Good morning, Katherine. Hi. I must confess I am from Wisconsin but Minnesota Public Radio is a great thing for us to listen to up here as well. I wanted to add your conversation about Calvin rut strum. He's one of my favorite authors as well his book that I think everyone should read from the North country is called Paradise below zero. And it is Thoroughly enjoyable at ties in with your conversation you had yesterday about the weather and the media vilifying the weather and his take on the weather is it's cold out. That's great. Get out there and enjoy it.
(00:31:17) Thanks, Rick. Of course, we are welcome to your calls as well. We're talking to Jim Northrup poet journalist and Storyteller. He's author of the collection of stories walking the res Road. He also writes a syndicated column The Fond du Lac Follies, and he's a contributing writer to Minnesota days, which is a pathology subtitled Our Heritage and stories art and photos were talking to its editor as well. Michael drag knee would curious to know what stories you see as Joining the heritage of Minnesota also going up something that Jim Northrup and I were just talking about do you think that there is a spirit of competition in our culture so that sometimes people think that stories are competing against each other. Love to know what you think. It's 1-800 to four to Twenty Eight twenty eight one eight hundred two, four two 28:28. If you're in the Twin Cities, it's six five. One two, two seven six thousand six five one two, two seven six. Thousand we're going to go to Don and Minneapolis. Welcome to mid
(00:32:20) morning. Good morning Katherine. Hi, good morning, and good morning, especially to mr. Northrup Juke, would you I was wondering if you had any stories of cooperation between the Immigrant peoples and the native peoples of Minnesota, and if you would tell those stories and I'll listen offline. Thank you very much. The most recent one that Springs to mind is snowmobile boots. When they first came in around in the late 50s and early 60s, we thought they looked funny how we all wear them. That's a spirit of cooperation.
(00:33:01) Let's talk for a minute about your story. That's in the Anthology culture Clash where exactly you're talking about. A man of sees his brother walking along the road. Well Allah, let you tell part of the story. Where are the points of clash that you're trying to delineate?
(00:33:21) I think the main point is the police officer sitting on the side of the road eating Donuts. Suddenly saw a car load of Indians breaking the traffic laws. Well on the inside of the car, they were on a Mission of Mercy rushing an injured person to the hospital. In the police officer saw it as a callous disregard of the law. And made it into one of their own institutions called a high-speed chase, which always leads to increased adrenaline flow and usually physical violence at the end
(00:33:59) of it. I like the way that you made an institution of high-speed chase and capital letters at the beginning of each
(00:34:09) word. Yes. Having been a police officer for about five years. I know that
(00:34:17) institution. We're going to go to Carol and Sauk Centre welcome to mid morning. Good morning. Hi.
(00:34:25) Mr. Northrup had spoken at the correctional facility where I worked and we have the book the res Road in every one of the classrooms because it was so important for the young men and young women to read but I just wanted to tell him how funny I think the poem shrinking away is It's a good reminder that people who need help sometimes end up helping other people more than that than they could help and in return helping someone else helps them, but I just think he's I just want to tell you that your sense of humor. Is this remarkable? Thank you. Would you like to hear the poem? Yes. You can also hear it when it becomes part of the play called res Road 2000 at the Great American history theater. shrinking away Survived the war but was having trouble surviving the peace couldn't sleep more than two hours scared to be without a gun. Nightmares daymares guilt and remorse wanted to stay drunk all the time. 1966 and the VA said Vietnam wasn't a war. They couldn't help it. Give me a copy of the Yellow Pages. Pick the shrink off the list fifty bucks an hour as make it 125 a week. We spent sessions establishing Rapport. I heard about his military life is homosexuality is fights with his mother and anything else he wanted to talk about at this rate. We would have got to be in 1999. Gave up on that shrink couldn't afford him wasn't doing me any good. Six weeks later my shrink killed himself. Great, not only guilt about the war but new guilt about my dead shrink. If only I had a better job I could have kept on seeing him. I thought we were making real progress maybe in another six sessions. I could have helped him. I realized them surviving the piece was up to me.
(00:36:34) Thank you. Jim Northrup. We're going to go to Helen and Crystal. Welcome to mid-morning.
(00:36:40) Hi. Good morning. I heard that Laura Ingalls Wilder is represented in the Anthology. I was wondering about and I don't remember her name. My mind has gone blank the woman the Roti Betsy tacy books about growing up in Winona.
(00:36:57) You know, I can't remember her name at the moment either. But certainly the Betsy tacy books are very famous. Michael drag me. You're looking puzzle. I don't remember those either. Oh the Betsy tacy books. I didn't read them when I grow up. Well, they are there is a national fan club for them. See we have anthologies 4 5. Yeah, you bet. They're all loading up here. We're going to go to Jordi and Minneapolis. Welcome to mid-morning Jordi morning. Hi
(00:37:24) one a book that I really enjoy that was produced by Minnesota writer and photographer is called love in the 90s. It was produced in 1995 and it details the love story of carry pickets grandparents. They had the book has the love letters that her grandparents wrote to each other paired with the photographs that she took in Minnesota when they were living their life in their 90's and it's a really really wonderful Chronicle of you know, Common day life in Minnesota.
(00:37:56) Thanks, Jordy. Of course, we are still willing to take your ideas for an image a photograph A Story a tale that you think best represents Minnesota's Heritage. We're talking to Jim Northrup poet journalist and Storyteller author of walking the res Road. He also writes the syndicated column Fond du Lac Follies, and we're talking to Michael drag me. He is the editor of this Anthology called Minnesota days Our Heritage and stories art. Photos Heritage is sort of a well now. That's a fulsome word. We're curious to know what you make of Minnesota's Heritage. What do you think? It actually is it's one eight hundred two four to Twenty Eight twenty eight one eight hundred two, four two 28:28. If you're in the Twin Cities, six, five, one two, two seven six thousand. I'd love to put that question to you Jim Northrup because it strikes strikes me that everyone's going to have a different answer and it almost strikes me as an unwieldy. Question to say what's the heritage of
(00:38:58) Minnesota? For me, it's the wild rice. Such a big part of our life part of our stories. So this is one of the few places in the world that grows like it does. So for me, it's the wild rights.
(00:39:15) And when was the season for that is that just over it? Just beginning
(00:39:21) the end of the growing season is usually August first part of September.
(00:39:26) And so the harvest season is in September. Yes. Okay. How was it this year?
(00:39:34) It was not too pretty
(00:39:35) good. Well that that sounds pretty specific there.
(00:39:41) My wife Pat said it wouldn't be Enough to feed skinny family of Koontz.
(00:39:48) We're going to go to gym and Hopkins welcome to mid
(00:39:51) morning. Good morning. Hi. I've been enjoying listening to the show and I was thinking of the Louise aired Rich books because they cover sort of the mystery or the feel of an Indian reservation at least from my perspective in love medicine through small town life and through the maturing of both small town life and India. Is going through the from the reservation to the casino area into a really integrated life. And as I read that I thought of when I moved to Minnesota and different images and things I learned so I thought it was pretty indicative. Thank you. She was some of her pieces were certainly ones we looked at
(00:40:31) but I think a lot of them take place in North Dakota
(00:40:34) actually, don't they on some of the reservations in North Dakota? Yes, they do right but I think the original one was supposed to be in Minnesota. Wasn't it Love medicine? It may have I don't remember for sure. Neither do I obviously it's still I think a lot of that feel is much the same between the states and and in the growth of the smaller towns in the casino towns that brought a different level of sophistication both to the towns and to the tribes that were involved.
(00:41:06) Thanks for your call Jim. We're going to go to Mary Jane and Birchwood. Welcome to mid-morning.
(00:41:14) Was wonderful book early Candlelight was one of the first books that I read as a young person that really made the history of Minnesota seem romantic and interesting like the histories that I had read about the east coast and it was one of the first things that that really Minnesota seem is rich in Heritage as some of the places that I read about in history books more
(00:41:43) typically and Mary Jane. Mark Hart Lovelace wasn't she the author of The Betsy tacy
(00:41:47) book. Yes, he was and the Betsy tacy books were actually talked about Mankato Minnesota. They were set in Mankato Minnesota around the turn of the century. They were really wonderful books, but she was she was an author of a width of a number of historical both fiction and nonfiction.
(00:42:06) All right. Thanks Mary Jane. Well, I think it's interesting that some of her book early Candlelight
(00:42:12) was is a great example. I love a mix of history and literature. I've is a really nice book and very evocative
(00:42:20) and it just goes back to the question of how many stories you can fit in a in an anthology like this and unfortunately can't fit them all speaking of fitting in. I need to say goodbye to Jim Northrup because my time for fitting you in is up Jim Northrup. I want to thank you for joining us today.
(00:42:38) Hey Gretch, isn't that we egg?
(00:42:41) Which means
(00:42:42) thank you for listening to
(00:42:43) me. Jim Northrup will help we have you back here on
(00:42:46) mid-morning get
(00:42:49) Jim Northrup is a poet journalist and Storyteller. He's author of The Collection walking the res Road. He also writes the syndicated column The Fond du Lac Follies and is a contributing writer to Minnesota a days. We've been talking to Michael dragony. He is the editor of Minnesota days our heritage in stories art and photos. Okay. I'm Catherine land for I'm joined now. By Mike Edgerly and we're going to be talking about another version of days pledged a
(00:43:19) wedge days and Katherine. I have to say yes, if anyone needs a reason to support non-commercial public radio to support Minnesota Public Radio hearing Jim Northrup read his poetry on the air is there's really nothing else to say. I mean where else will you hear Jim Northrup read read that particular poem on the radio. I mean, it was just it was a it was a pure moment and you're just not going to find that kind of broadcasting anywhere
(00:43:43) else. 1-800 to to 728 11 if Mike Edgerly if what he's saying rings a bell with you if you're thinking yeah, you're right. I'm not going to hear poetry on the air anywhere else. I'm not going to hear the author of walking the res road if I'm not going to hear literature discuss like this on the air by golly. I need to
(00:44:02) support that. That's right. Jim Northrup is inauthentic Minnesota voice and it's those voices only find their homes in places like Minnesota Public Radio. There is time here to hear their voices. Has and but we can only do that. We can only bring to our listeners to you listening to us right now. The people like Jim Northrup with your financial support 1-800 to to 728 11. I guess it seems kind of crass in a way Catherine, you know after all the after this wonderful program. You've had to talk about something as well money, but that's that's how we're here. That's what keeps us on the air. It's a truth and it's a fact and that's that's why we do it the way we do it because we intrude less this
(00:44:42) way. It's $3,800 that we Need to raise in the next 12 minutes we can only do it with you. Now. If you have been listening to this interview, then you know, we're talking about a book called Minnesota days. It's a collection of writing photography and art work. We're talking married eldest or a Jim Northrup Paul Groucho John Hassler Jim Brandenburg. And at these names maybe ring a bell with you. We are talking about an anthology will show you can put it on your coffee table if you want, but this thing is meant to be read. It's meant to be savored and it's yours. It's an additional. Thank you that we We say when you pledged $10 a month ten dollars a month $120 a year to help support Minnesota Public Radio. It's 1-800 to to 728 11 1-800 to to 728 11. We'd love for you to call now. We've got four people on the line that we got up to 26 last hour all
(00:45:33) those other people in the phone room doing if we
(00:45:36) don't I don't know. I'm hearing them lollygag around. I think they're probably snacking heavy. I think they're eating chocolate and reading this book, Minnesota days and we want To be ants up. There we go. There we go. One eight hundred two to seven 28:11 1-800 to to 728
(00:45:51) 11 1-800 to to 728 11 Perhaps Perhaps listening to the radio isn't well, maybe it's not as satisfying as it should be to you and it's probably because you're not listening to Minnesota Public Radio enough and if you have discovered Minnesota Public Radio, and maybe you're still trying to figure out you know, what it's all about. Why are these two people barking at me and asking for money? Money, well, it's because we're that's because we don't run commercials. We don't do the intrusive interjections from from sponsors that you hear on other radio stations. And so we have to come to you three or four times a year and say, hey we're taking a break to ask for your support 1-800 to to 728
(00:46:32) 11, you know, it's no accident that we are talking about a book here and that we're trying to give a book away on the mid-morning pledge pitch because if you've been listening to mid-morning at all, you know that Many times in our second hour and our 10 o'clock hour. We have an author on I want you to stop and think about where else do you find literary as such a staple? We have poets on all the time just in the last couple months. We've had the poet laureate. Mr. Pinsky on we have had Robert Hassan who was the former Poet Laureate we have had Robert Bly on reading the Poetry of James right telling a story about how the poem The Blessing came into being. We had Michael Lewis on yesterday talking about his book. The new new thing and his sojourn in Silicon Valley now. I just want you to stop and think for a minute where else have I heard books given time to breathe on the air. It's 1-800 to to 728 11. We have 10 people on the line. Let's push that to 20 if you want books on the are not books on tape Pals books on the air. If you want to be talking to authors about an Act of Creation about an active connection, we asked you to call its 1-800 to to 728
(00:47:43) 11:1. Hundred two to seven 28:11 Charles vessel of Hibbing. We thank you Carla Parish of Inver Grove Heights has called in this morning Marilyn Belgium of Minneapolis. Thanks to you Tracy. Reed will of Southwest southeast Minnesota. Thank you all for calling to support and show your financial backing of Minnesota Public Radio 1 800 2 through 7 28:11 were up to 14 calls. It means a lot because this is a shortened fund Drive where not as we're not the interrupting the news and information programming quite as much this drive has we have in past because we but that that intensifies our request to you. It makes our call to you much more urgent to support non-commercial public radio the place where you can hear Bill homes Bill home Jim Northrup the only place on in on radio Minnesota that you're going to hear these two authentic Minnesota voices on a regular basis, and we ourselves.
(00:48:42) Can we come up with new ideas for an apologies I say voyageur press has to do curmudgeons of Minnesota that's right well I'd love that
(00:48:49) book a multi-volume set most likely 1-800 to to 728
(00:48:53) 11 1-800 to do 728 11 well they haven't published their curmudgeon book yet but we do have this lovely Minnesota days book it's yours with a commitment of $10 a month now I know that we keep talking about this book ten dollars a month let's say that your budget can afford more than that let's say you can afford to give $1,000 but then your what that's a major commitment and you know something people have done it and if you can bless you you'll also get 10,000 frequent flyer miles from Northwest Airlines who I should mention that sort of segues into the giveaway now we only have we only have a limited amount of time where we are giving away this trip to Scotland you might have heard Garrison Keillor talking about the trip earlier this is a great trip you celebrated Prairie Home Companion 25th anniversary they have a broadcast in Edinburgh Scotland you stay at the Balmoral Hotel No, very famous hotel. This is great. And you know what you call up you get registered for this now. We only have seven people on the line. I say your chances exponentially have improved simply by this. So give us a call 1-800 to to 728 11 1-800 to to 728 11
(00:50:03) and if you can do the $120 level that's $10 a month. We're talking the Minnesota days book our heritage and stories art and photos. You've been listening to Katherine and Michael dragony talk about the book. This morning you heard from a couple of the the writers whose work appears in this book Bill home and Jim Northrup It's a Wonderful premium and it's a great gift. We're coming up on the holiday gift giving season and I know Catherine's got this book on her list for me. I've seen that list it says Mike gets Minnesota days. Yeah. That's true. That's true
(00:50:34) being the unction anxious colleague. I am I always have a editors on my list. Now. Here's some people on the list for real David and Valerie pace and Roseville have pledged and we thank Them for that Kim Fair key and Winona said felt I should now that I have a decent job. Okay. There we go. Congratulations on that employment and thanks for telling us that this is what you wanted to do. Okay, we have horse who called for Minneapolis. He pledged Amy from Golden Valley. I think it's important to support MPR as a public resource. We have Debbie and Jeff from Crystal. Let's see now 11 callers. This is great. This is great. Okay, and Paul Wight and Minneapolis information is reliable enjoyed the programming we have Regina from st. Croix Falls. Okay. Thank you for Jenna. Thank all of you for calling. We we still need to raise $1,600 we can I yeah, yeah, that's what you think. I don't know. Oh, this is a pledge Squad. This is heavy lifting we have to do this in like the next four minutes. We can only do it. If you call one eight hundred two to seven 28:11 1-800 to to 728 11.
(00:51:44) 728 11 or you can pledge online at npr.org either way you choose to do it will take your pledge. Now we can have you on your way very shortly. It doesn't take long. We want to hear from you. We want to know what you think about the Minnesota Public Radio why you want to become a member? It is listener-supported Radio. That's probably the most important message message we can bring to you this morning is that we wouldn't be here without you.
(00:52:09) I like that Yelp and the background check. Okay, I think so that must have been one of those leadership sir. Equal pledges. But again, we don't really care how much you pledge. We want your commitment. We want your support. We want you to go from being a beta listener to an alpha Pledger. We know you can do it. It's 1-800 to to 728 11 1-800 to to 728 11 want to remind you that if you're one of those people who sorts of shies away from listening to the pledges gotta tell you we don't like, you know, let me rephrase this because obviously I sort of enjoy doing this but let me just say controls come Let me just say that we only do it for a short period of time you can call it your friends and other cities who are public radio heads as one of our previous pledgers said and they'll tell you these things can drag on for weeks not here. This is a freeze-dried pledged period it's just we've shortened it, but the only way it stays short is if you call now 1-800-273-8255 Century. Are you going to pledge Like It's 1999 you better. Two to seven
(00:53:15) 28:11 1-800 to to 728 11 Gary eichten had midday coming up in just a few minutes, but we have to urge you to call now to help us make our goals for this hour. We have lots of volunteers standing by lots of phone lines available. It won't take but just a couple of seconds if you were to to dial in right now, you can be you can make your commitment to Minnesota Public Radio and be on your way and off to the rest of your day in just a couple of minutes 1-800 to to 728 11, Minnesota days is yours for a Edge of $120 a year that's just ten dollars a
(00:53:47) month. You know, I've been talking about the authors who come through here. We have characters. We have personalities who come through here. And also we have we have conversations and this is Plumping that you get a no other program you love Bill Moyers. You've watched the specials you love the book on poetry. Well guess what you have a chance to actually talk to him. This is a very big kitchen table here at midmorning where we all have our morning coffee your mug of tea and you get to pull up a chair and you get to sit down with the former ambassador to Croatia with the poet laureate with the governor. This is something we offer you. You really can't find anywhere else and I'm saying to you if you've been able to get through on one of the lines and have that conversation if the conversation has been so riveting you've been late to work you've circled around the Block You've idled your car in the parking ramp. It's 1-800 to to 728 11 1-800 to to 728 11. We know your part of your we know that we're Part of your day. We would like to have you become a part of our programming by calling 1-800 to to 728 11
(00:54:51) 1 800 2 to 7 2011. If you call now you can you'll become registered immediately for the Prairie Home Companion Scotland giveaway. We're talking about a great trip to Scotland in February. It's a truly a first-class trip 1-800 to to 728 11
(00:55:07) Judy from Rogers has called to pledge and we thank you for doing that Robert from Lakeville. He's a new listener Within. This year now, this is what we like to see we like to see people going from just static listening to becoming Alpha pledgers saying active exactly saying, you know what I do use this service and wow when I really break it down. It's not going to cost me that much to become a member. It's going to cost me a so I give up a lot a a week, you know, once a month something like that. That's that's you know, that that's really the level we're talking about because there's so many of you out there that we don't have to ask for tons from One person and that's a good
(00:55:45) thing just a little bit of support from all of our listeners and we'll be at our goal and Beyond 1-800 to to 728 11.
(00:55:53) Okay, and we are done two seconds here 1-800 to to 728 11. Programming on NPR supported by Planned Parenthood of Minnesota South Dakota celebrating legacies of Family Planning education and advocacy for women and their families www.ppsd.com. I'm Lorna Benson, you've heard of the windy city. But what about the windy State on the next All Things Considered some North dakotans want to capitalize on wind power? It's all things considered weekdays at 3:00 on Minnesota Public Radio. It's cloudy and 46 degrees here at knoo wfm 91.1 Minneapolis st. Paul Twin Cities weather for today scattered showers isolated thunderstorms this morning, mostly cloudy and cooler with a high in the lower to Middle 50s. From NPR news in Washington. I'm core of a Coleman investigators May finally have some of the first concrete Clues to help them understand why EgyptAir flight 990 crashed off the New England coast 10 days ago National Transportation safety board engineers in Washington are studying information from the flight data recorder, which was pulled from ocean water early yesterday from Newport Rhode Island. NPR's Anthony Brooks
(00:57:14) reports some preliminary findings from the recorder are expected to be released soon, which could begin to shed some light on the mysterious crash of the Boeing 767 which has so far left investigators baffled the flight data recorder was plucked from the ocean yesterday and was described as damaged on one side but investigators have extracted the Magnetic Tape cleaned it and dried it and say it does contain data which could offer a picture of what the jet was doing during the final minutes of