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.
July 29, 1978 - John Beecher has worked as a steelworker, English instructor, government official, newspaperman and sociology professor but is best known for his poetry. He writes widely of The South.Here he is interviewed by Kim Hodgson, former manager of KRSW and now with KUOW, Seattle. He delivered a commencement address at Worthington Community College.
August 8, 1978 - Biologist and author Barry Commoner speaks on solar energy.
August 9, 1978 - I. F. Stone is a journalist and the man who began I. F. Stone's Weekly, a Washington publication that used sections of seldom seen documents to highlight governments inefficiency. Stone spoke in Iowa recently on the subject of President Jimmy Carter.Former political reporter I. F. Stone, who for years published I. F. Stone's Weekly, talks about Carter in the White House, the pros and cons.
August 24, 1978 - Author James Michener speaks in a live address before the National Press Club. Michener appears discusses the state of the novel, and talks extensively about many contemporary American writers.
September 14, 1978 - Frederick Manfred is a Minnesota author who lives and writes near Luverne in Southwestern Minnesota. He participated in a symposium in Moorhead that explored the effects of Place on a writer's works. He talks with reporter John Ydstie.
September 18, 1978 - Author and radio commentator Lowell Thomas talks about his experiences as an adventurer and journalist.
October 12, 1978 - Conservative commentator William F. Buckley offers his view on a variety of topics including the economy as part of remarks made at the National Town Meeting.
October 23, 1978 -
October 23, 1978 - The 150th anniversary of the birth of the Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy is celebrated in a special radio profile produced by Radio Moscow. Includes readings from Tolstoy's works.
November 15, 1978 - MPR’s Kim Hodgson visited poet Bill Holm in Minneota, Minnesota, and talked with Holm about his small town and the people who live there.