This collection encompasses 50-plus years of interviews, readings, speeches, and reports on the vibrant literary scene in Minnesota. Not only home to giants F. Scott Fitzgerald and Sinclair Lewis, our state has an array of incredible contemporary poets, novelists and playwrights. Their words make up majority of this collection.
Repeatedly being named the “Most Literate City in the United States,” the Twin Cities has played host to numerous visiting national writers via book tours, festivals, and lectures. Many recordings of these are also included.
This project was funded by the National Historical Publications & Records Commission.
October 26, 1977 - Economist and author John Kenneth Galbraith speaks before the National Town Hall meeting. The moderator is J. Anthony Lewis of the New York Times. National Town Hall Meeting
November 5, 1977 - The following edition of The Poet's Perspective is on the subject of teenage pregnancy. The program features Southwest Minnesota regional poets Joe and Nancy Paddock.
November 16, 1977 - Broadcaster and writer Eric Sevareid bids goodbye to the National Press Club on the eve of his retirement.
November 22, 1977 - Former CBS reporter Daniel Schorr lectures on his coverage of Watergate and CIA activities which eventually cost him his job.
November 22, 1977 - Harrison Salisbury is a nationally known author, editor and critic. Born in Minneapolis, attended the University of Minnesota and has been associated with The New York Times since 1949. At the time of this speech he was involved in writing scripts for an upcoming television on World War II's Eastern Front. This speech is before the Minnesota Press Club, and he talks about recent controversial changes at The New York Times and changing competition among New York newspapers. He also talks about China.
December 1, 1977 -
December 16, 1977 - Minnesota poet Robert Bly reads some of his works at an appearance in Moorhead, Minnesota.
December 20, 1977 -
December 26, 1977 - In a rare interview, Henry Miller, author of "Tropic Of Cancer," "Tropic Of Capricorn", "Black Spring" and other controversial works of his time, discusses his writing career with NPR's Connie Goldman.
January 2, 1978 - An edited re-broadcast version of A Home for the Weekend program of poetry and music with Nancy and Joe Paddock, writers and poets from Minnesota.