© harrington |
Welcome. I'm sure you know that Summer is a traditional time for reading, no doubt due to vacation schedules. This morning while we were at Subtext, the bookstore downstairs from Nina's, I started a conversation with Sue, the proprietor, about "25 books every Minnesotan should read." We have such a rich and rewarding heritage (literary and social and environmental) that reaching a consensus on our "literary commons" may be a real challenge, but one I believe we can rise to meet. The listed books must capture the essence of Minnesota and should primarily be written by Minnesotans (a few outlanders can be allowed). Ten of my nominees would include (in no particular order):
Paul Gruchow:
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Journal of a Prairie Year
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Robert Bly:
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Silence in the Snowy
Fields
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Howard Mohr:
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How to Talk
Minnesotan: A Visitor’s Guide
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Craig Blacklock:
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Lake Superior Images
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Paul Gruchow and Jim
Brandenberg:
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Minnesota: Images of
Home
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Mary Lethert Wingerd:
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North Country: The
Making of Minnesota
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John Tester:
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Minnesota’s Natural
Heritage: An Ecological Perspective
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Jim Gilbert:
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Minnesota’s Outdoor
Wonders
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Sigurd F. Olson
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Wilderness Days
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Bill Holm:
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The Music of Failure
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It's intentional that there aren't more authors and titles listed here. This is supposed to be a conversation, not a monologue nor a dissertation to be defended. What would you add (or subtract) from this list to get to 25 books that best capture the Minnesota you most love? Thanks for listening. Feel free to add your nominees using the comments option (which may or may not work on any given day). Come again when you can. Rants, raves and reflections served here daily.
I would add the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder and any of Lorna Landvik's books.
ReplyDeleteMy My, only one woman? How about "The Gift of The Deer" by Helen Hoover. "The Voyageurs Highway" by Grace Lee Nute, and toss in a Justin Kerfoot for good measure.
ReplyDeleteDon't know that I'd count How to Talk Minnesotan as a book...
ReplyDelete