Events of The Library Foundation of Hennepin County

Talk of the Stacks: Kevin Kling - Holiday Inn

librarysupport@hclib.org — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:00:00 -0600

Kevin Kling is a storyteller, playwright, and regular contributor to NPR’s All Things Considered. His plays have been seen at the Guthrie Theater, Second Stage, Seattle Rep, the Goodman Theatre, the Spoleto Festival, and the HBO Comedy Arts Festival.
Kling's first book, The Dog Says How, brought readers into his wonderful world of the skewed and significant mundane. His second book, Holiday Inn, is a romp through a year of holidays.
Recorded live on November 12, 2009 from the Central Library in downtown Minneapolis. The Talk of the Stacks is presented by the Library Foundation of Hennepin County and the Private Client Reserve at US Bank.

Talk of the Stacks: Padgett Powell - The Interrogative Mood

librarysupport@hclib.org — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Once touted as one of "the best American writers of the younger generation” by Saul Bellow, Padgett Powell’s newest work, The Interrogative Mood, is a wildly inventive, jazzy meditation on life and language in which every sentence is a question. Often compared to David Foster Wallace or George Saunders, Powell’s new book explores what it feels like to hear the swing and snap of American talk.

Powell is the author of two collections of short stories and four novels, including Edisto, which was nominated for the American Book Award. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s, The Paris Review, and elsewhere.

Recorded live on October 28, 2009 from the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall. The Talk of the Stacks is presented by the Library Foundation of Hennepin County and the Private Client Reserve at US Bank.

Talk of the Stacks: Andrew Zimmern - Bizarre Truth

librarysupport@hclib.org — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Andrew Zimmern is a food columnist, culinary expert, dining critic, radio talk show host, TV personality and chef. Writing for many national magazines and publications, Zimmern has received the Society of Professional Journalists Page One Award. Host of a weekly travel and food program on the Travel Channel called Bizarre Foods, Zimmern travels the world, exploring the food. His new show, Bizarre World's with Andrew Zimmern, is set to debut on Travel Channel in 2009.

His new book "Bizarre Truth: How I Walked out the Door Mouth First and Came Back Shaking My Head" chronicles his world travels.

Recorded live on October 20, 2009 from the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall. The Talk of the Stacks is presented by the Library Foundation of Hennepin County and the Private Client Reserve at US Bank.

Talk of the Stacks: Saïd Sayrafiezadeh - When Skateboards Will Be Free

librarysupport@hclib.org — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Saïd Sayrafiezadeh is a writer and dramatist, whose writing has appeared in Granta, the Paris Review, and numerous anthologies. He was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1968 to an Iranian father and a Jewish-American mother, both of whom were members of the Socialist Workers Party.

When Skateboards Will Be Free tells the story of a brilliant young writer struggling to break away from the powerful mythologies of his upbringing and create a life and a voice of his own. Chosen as one of the 7 Best Books by Amazon, this acclaimed debut memoir was described in the New York Times as “exacting and finely made…[written] with extraordinary power and restraint."

Recorded live on September 17, 2009 from the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall. The Talk of the Stacks is presented by the Library Foundation of Hennepin County and the Private Client Reserve at US Bank.

Talk of the Stacks: Patricia Smith - Blood Dazzler

librarysupport@hclib.org — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Smith's groundbreaking book, 'Blood Dazzler,' chronicles the human, emotional and physical toll exacted by Hurricane Katrina. It was a finalist for the 2008 National Book Award and one of NPR’s Top Books of 2008. A poet, spoken word performer, playwright, author, writing teacher, and former journalist, Smith was inducted into the International Literary Hall of Fame for Writers of African Descent in 2006 and has performed at Carnegie Hall, on tour with Lollapalooza, in the film Slamnation, and on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam.

Presented by the Library Foundation of Hennepin County and US Trust on July 30, 2009.

Globalization Unearthed: Global Trends in Art Museums

librarysupport@hclib.org — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Art has rarely respected international borders, but globalization's pace and pervasiveness is changing the business of art museums in new ways. What challenges and opportunities are museums experiencing? How are these trends affecting artists and patrons? Is the art business a barometer of globalization? Or is art part of the process of globalization? Kaywin Feldman, Director of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and Olga Viso, Director of the Walker Art Center, will explore these questions and others as they contemplate the world of art in this new age of interconnectedness. Moderated by Tad Simons, the arts and entertainment editor for Mpls.St.Paul Magazine.

Globalization Unearthed: Voices and Influences of International Journalism

librarysupport@hclib.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:00:00 -0500

The future of foreign relations may rely on the future of global journalism. If a wise foreign policy relies on an informed and engaged public, it is essential to understand how the consolidation of media ownership, celebrity journalism, increasing access to foreign media via the web, and the perceived disinterest of the American public all impact awareness and policy. Join us for a conversation among media leaders exploring how media consolidation is affecting the news consumption and how this shift allows for new voices, perspectives and news media to emerge. Panelists include: Tom Gitaa, President & Publisher of Mshale; Nghi Huynh, Publisher & Editor of Asian American Press; and Melinda Ward, Senior Vice President for Content, Public Radio International.

Recorded live on July 21, 2009 at the Central Library in Downtown Minneapolis. Globalization Unearthed is presented by the Library Foundation of Hennepin County with promotional support from the Minnesota International Center.

Globalization Unearthed: Responding to the Global Food Crisis

librarysupport@hclib.org — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:00:00 -0500

The United Nations announced last year that the number of undernourished people in the world had increased by 75 million reaching to more than 963 million worldwide. Demand at U.S. food banks increased by 30% last year. How did we get here? Jim Harkness will discuss the causes of the global food crisis and chart a course for how the U.S. and the world can build a stronger, healthier global food system.

Harkness is the president of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. Former adviser for the World Bank and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Harkness has written and spoken frequently about sustainable development.

Presented by the Library Foundation of Hennepin County in partnership with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy and the Minnesota International Center.

Recorded live on July 14, 2009 at the Central Library in downtown Minneapolis.

Globalization Unearthed: Globalism's Funeral and the Future of the World

librarysupport@hclib.org — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Is globalism as we know it dead? What will replace it? Since the 1980s, neo-liberalism supporters have advocated for government deregulation of the economy and a dismantling of political borders in order to permit the free flow of capital across countries. Yet the global economic crash of 2008-2009 seriously questions the continued viability of these practices. Dr. David Schultz examines the contending perspectives on globalism and what possibilities there are for the creation of a new world economic order. Schultz is a Professor at Hamline University’s School of Business and a senior fellow at the Institute of Law and Politics at the University of Minnesota. He is the author of more than 20 books and 100 domestic and international articles. A frequent commentator for television and radio, he has appeared on Almanac, Today Show, National Public Radio, and elsewhere.

Recorded live on June 23, 2009 at the Central Library in downtown Minneapolis.

Globalization Unearthed: Beyond World Music - From the Roots of Jazz to Ringtones

librarysupport@hclib.org — Tue, 9 Jun 2009 19:00:00 -0500

The role of music within the process of "globalization" is rich and complex -- yet poorly understood. In this joint presentation, two University of Minnesota professors tackle overlapping perspectives on the subject: definition and distribution.

Timothy Brennan, author of Secular Devotion: Afro-Latin Music and Imperial Jazz, dissects the perplexing term of "world music" by exploring jazz's neo-African and Latin roots. Sumanth Gopinath, currently working on a book on the ringtone industry, examines the new microindustry of musical ringtones and its impact on the world economy, artists, and social practices.

Presented in partnership with the University of Minnesota's School of Music and the Minnesota International Center.

Globalization Unearthed: The World is Curved: Hidden Dangers to the Global Economy

librarysupport@hclib.org — Tue, 2 Jun 2009 16:50:53 -0500

David Smick argues, "The world is curved. We can't see over the horizon" and that is why the world has become such a dangerous place." Looking back at how the economic deck of cards was formed and how it failed, Smick will examine the challenges presented by a curved world. From the local mortgage mess to Wall Street to the global Asian markets, Smick will address: How bad can things really get in today’s volatile economy? And what can we do about it?

Smick is the best-selling author of The World is Curved. Global economic strategist and founder of The International Economy, his writing has also appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and the New York Times.

Recorded live on June 2, 2009 at the Central Library in Downtown Minneapolis. Globalization Unearthed is presented by the Library Foundation of Hennepin County with promotional support from the Minnesota International Center.

Talk of the Stacks: David Plotz - Good Book

librarysupport@hclib.org — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:00:00 -0500

David Plotz is the Slate's new editor. Contributor to the New York Times Magazine, Harper's, Rolling Stone, New Republic, Washington Post, and GQ, Plotz won the National Press Club's Hume Award for Political Reporting in 2000. His newest work, Good Book: The Bizarre, Hilarious, Disturbing, Marvelous, and Inspiring Things I Learned When I Read Every Single Word of the Bible, is based on his Blogging the Bible series which previously appeared on Slate.com. Examining the Bible from a cultural and personal perspective, Plotz explores such theological questions as: Does God prefer obedience or good deeds? How many commandments do we actually need? Why are so many women in the Bible prostitutes? And why does God love bald men so much?

Recorded live on March 10, 2009 from the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall. The Talk of the Stacks is presented by the Library Foundation of Hennepin County and US Trust.

People's University: Building a Fairy Tale Opera: Exploring the Music and Stage Magic of Pinocchio

librarysupport@hclib.org — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:00:00 -0500

In March 2009, The Minnesota Opera stages the American premiere of The Adventures of Pinocchio. This fantastical tale brings to life the wooden boy who wants to be good, but just can’t stay out of trouble. Guided by the Blue Fairy, Pinocchio has a lot to learn before he can discover the secret to becoming a real boy. Jonathan Dove's exhilarating music is paired with magical stagecraft and storybook scenery. Come explore how a beloved fairy tale becomes a full-scale opera.

In this People's University class, literature and opera buff Marcia Aubineau leads composer Jonathan Dove, director Martin Duncan, and librettist Alasdair Middleton in a look behind the scenes at the opera, The Adventures of Pinocchio.

Recorded live on March 17, 2009 from the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall. The People's University is presented by the Library Foundation of Hennepin County.

People's University: Using Photography to Engage Community

librarysupport@hclib.org — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:30:00 -0600

This winter the library hosts "32 x 4," a photography exhibition that documents 32 Twin Cities neighborhoods through the lenses of 4 commissioned photographers (Michael Dvorak, Dusty Hoskovec, Sarah Stacke, and Xavier Tavera). "32 x 4," a project by Over Exposure, explores the changing characteristics of local neighborhoods and engages the community in the artistic process. In this installment of the People's University, join experts from artistic, public policy, historical, and economic fields as they discuss this landmark exhibition and the intersection of art and community.

Panelists include photographer Xavier Tavera; Minneapolis City Council member Elizabeth Glidden; historian and photography curator George Slade; and Ann Markusen, professor and Director of the Arts Economy Initiative at the Humphrey Institute, and visual and performing artist Camille Gage as moderator. Recorded live on January 27, 2009 from the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall. The People's University is presented by the Library Foundation of Hennepin County.

Talk of the Stacks: M.T. Anderson - The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing

librarysupport@hclib.org — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:00:00 -0600

M.T. Anderson is the multiple award-winning author of several books for children and young adults, including The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, (2006 National Book Award Winner for Young People's Literature) and Feed (2002 Los Angeles Times Book Prize winner). Anderson has published six novels, two collections of young-adult stories, four middle-grade picture books, and adult short stories. Known for his keen sense of social criticism, complex narratives, and masterful use of language, Anderson proves young-adult novels are alive and well. Co-hosted by Teen Central's Teen Advisory Group. Recorded live on December 11, 2008 from the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall. The Talk of the Stacks is presented by the Library Foundation of Hennepin County and US Trust.

2008 Holiday Toast: George Rabasa - The Wonder Singer

librarysupport@hclib.org — Fri, 5 Dec 2008 16:00:00 -0600

Author George Rabasa, soprano Jennifer Baldwin Peden, and pianist Barbara Brooks present The Wonder Singer through a program of storytelling and song. Rabasa's critically acclaimed 2008 novel, The Wonder Singer, tells the story of Mark Lockwood, who is hired to ghost-write the autobiography of an aging operatic diva. When she dies suddenly, leaving him with hours of interview tapes, he realizes he has the greatest story of his life, but he faces the greatest struggle of his life in telling it. The Wonder Singer, takes shape as a book-within-a-book and sweeps Lockwood along the dizzying chronology of the diva’s life. Recorded live on December 5, 2008 from the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall. The Holiday Toast is presented by the Library Foundation of Hennepin County.

Talk of the Stacks: Garrison Keillor - Liberty

librarysupport@hclib.org — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:00:00 -0600

Author, poet, storyteller, humorist, and creator of the radio show A Prairie Home Companion, Garrison Keillor has been entertaining audiences for more than 34 years with his tales from Lake Wobegon. Author of more than a dozen books including Lake Wobegon Days, Pontoon, and Good Poems for Hard Times, Keillor writes a syndicated newspaper column and is a frequent contributor to Time, The New Yorker, and National Geographic. His radio show inspired the 2006 movie, A Prairie Home Companion. Keillor's latest book is titled Liberty. Recorded live on November 11, 2008 from the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall. The Talk of the Stacks is presented by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and US Trust.

Talk of the Stacks: Andrei Codrescu - Jealous Witness

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:00:00 -0500

Romanian-born poet, novelist, screenwriter, and commentator on National Public Radio, Andrei Codrescu is internationally known for his satiric wit and biting political perspective. His newest collection of poetry, Jealous Witness, honors the dispossessed, artists, lovers, and cultural icons who have influenced his life. Published by Coffee House Press, Jealous Witness includes a CD by the New Orleans Klezmer AllStars and some spoken word performances by the poet. Recorded live on October 30, 2008 from the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall. The Talk of the Stacks is presented by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and US Trust.

Talk of the Stacks: Marilynne Robinson - Home, A Novel

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:00:00 -0500

Marilynne Robinson's first novel, Housekeeping, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 1980. In 2005, her long-anticipated second novel, Gilead, won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. Her newest novel, Home (set in the same town as Gilead), is a moving and healing book about family secrets, love, death, and faith. Home has been named a finalist for the 2008 National Book Award for fiction.

In this recording, Robinson treats a Talk of the Stacks audience to a reading from Home and took questions ranging from writing to religion.
Recorded live on October 16, 2008 from the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall. The Talk of the Stacks is presented by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and US Trust.

2008 Annual Meeting: State by State - A Panoramic Portrait of America

friends@hclib.org — Wed, 1 Oct 2008 19:00:00 -0500

Matt Weiland, editor of the best-seller State of State, leads an entertaining and educational conversation with contributing authors Philip Connors, Susan Orlean, and Saïd Sayrafiezadeh.

Is our nation truly so divided between blue and red states? What are each state's prejudices and biases, beauty marks and moles, cadences and jokes? State by State answers these questions and more while portraying the beauty, the kitsch, the humorous, the unexpected, and the quintessential things that make America home and each state unique. The brainchild of editors Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey, the State by State collection resurrects an effort from the 1930s, when the WPA created the Federal Writers' Project, commissioning America's writers to describe their states. It is a classic American road movie in book form. Presented by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library on October 1, 2008 at the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall.

People's University: William Carlos Williams - Father of Modern American Poetry

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:00:00 -0500

Presented by Dr. Neil Baldwin, Distinguished Visiting Professor in the College of the Arts at Montclair State University, and best-selling author of eight books, including To All Gentleness: William Carlos Williams, The Doctor-Poet. William Carlos Williams is celebrated in our cultural memory as the author of modern lyrics crafted in the speech of the working-class streets he knew so well; in addition to novels, short stories, essays, plays -- and the epic long poem, Paterson. He was also a devoted family doctor, delivering more than three thousand babies in the course of a forty-year career at his suburban home-office in Rutherford, New Jersey, the town where he was born in 1883, lived his entire life, and died in 1963. Join best-selling author and historian Dr. Baldwin for a lively discussion in celebration of the 125th anniversary of Williams' birth. Presented by The Friends and the Marquette Financial Companies on August 14, 2008 at the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall.

People's University: 150 Years of Beer Brewing by the River

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 19:00:00 -0500

For centuries, brew masters both professional and homegrown have pursued the perfect pour - a delectable combination of barley, yeast, water, and hops and few states can claim as devoted a relationship to beer as Minnesota. Starting with its first brewery in 1849, Hoverson will tell the story of the state’s beer industry from the small-town breweries that gave way to larger companies with regional and national prominence (including Hamm's, Grain Belt, and Schell's) to the vibrant beer culture of today, led by a new wave of breweries such as Summit, Lake Superior Brewing Co., and Surly.

Presented by Doug Hoverson. Hoverson is a teacher at St. Thomas Academy, associate editor of American Breweriana Journal, a certified beer judge, and the author of Land of Amber Waters: The History of Brewing in Minnesota.

Presented by The Friends and the Marquette Financial Companies on July 31, 2008.

Talk of the Stacks: Lynne Rosetto Kasper -- The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper

friends@hclib.org — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:00:00 -0500

For more than twenty years, Lynne Rossetto Kasper has been recognized as one of America’s leading food authorities, commentators, and cultural historians. Her national radio show, The Splendid Table, is a staple of American Public Media. Her first cookbook, The Splendid Table, is the only book to receive The Cookbook of the Year Award from both the Julia Child/IACP and James Beard Awards.

Now with her third book, How to Eat Supper, Kasper goes far beyond the recipe and standard cookbook by exploring the people and stories that shape America's changing sense of food. Examining rarely heard perspectives on food from the quirky to the political from the highbrow to the humble, Kapser shows the essential role breaking bread together plays in our world. Tom Crann, host of Minnesota Public Radio's All Things Considered, and Sally Swift, co-author and managing producer of The Splendid Table, join Kasper on stage for this delicious edition of Talk of the Stacks.

Recorded live on June 24, 2008 from the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall. The Talk of the Stacks is presented by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and US Trust.

Talk of the Stacks: Tim Weiner -- A Legacy of Ashes

friends@hclib.org — Tue, 3 Jun 2008 19:00:00 -0500

Tim Weiner is a Pulitzer-Prize winning reporter for The New York Times and has on American intelligence for more than twenty years. Weiner will discuss his newest work, A Legacy of Ashes, which won the 2007 National Book Award for Nonfiction and was a Finalist for the 2008 National Book Critics Circle Award. Based on more than 50,000 documents (primarily from the archives of the CIA itself and hundreds of interviews with CIA veterans), A Legacy of Ashes examines the CIA from its creation after World War II through its battles in the cold war to its near-collapse after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Weiner’s work has been praised as "impressively reported" and "immensely entertaining" by The New York Times and "truly extraordinary . . . the best book ever written on a case of espionage" by the Wall Street Journal.

Recorded live on June 3, 2008 from the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall. The Talk of the Stacks is presented by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and US Trust.

Talk of the Stacks: Riding Shotgun -- Women Write About Their Mothers

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:00:00 -0500

A group of America's award-winning literary women have come together to tackle a topic close to their hearts: Mom. Riding Shotgun is a disarmingly honest and poignant collection of essays that explores one of the most common and complex human experiences, being a daughter. Looking behind the cliché of motherhood, these honest narratives tackle the personal experiences of motherhood. Edited by Kathryn Kysar, the 21 diverse stories in Riding Shotgun are beautifully crafted, alternately tender and tormented, and shockingly intimate. In an advance celebration of Mother’s Day, Talk of the Stacks hosts the book launch of this highly-anticipated anthology.

Participating authors: Barrie Jean Borich is the creative nonfiction editor of Water Stone Review and the author of My Lesbian Husband and Restoring the Color of Roses. Shannon Olson is the author of Welcome to My Planet: Where English Is Sometimes Spoken and Children of God Go Bowling. Wang Ping is a poet, essayist, and fiction writer with seven books, including her most recent story collection, The Last Communist Virgin. Faith Sullivan is the author of eight novels, including Gardenias, What a Woman Must Do, and The Cape Ann. Anne Ursu is the author of two novels, The Disapparation of James and Spilling Clarence, and the children’s trilogy, The Cronus Chronicles. Ka Vang is a Hmong playwright, fiction writer, and poet. Her play, From Shadows to Light, was produced by Theatre Mu. Kathryn Kysar is the author of a book of poetry, Dark Lake, and the editor of this collection of essays, Riding Shotgun.

Recorded live on April 24, 2008 from the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall. The Talk of the Stacks is presented by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and US Trust.

Talk of the Stacks: Ali Selim and Will Weaver, Sweet Land - From Fiction to Film

friends@hclib.org — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:00:00 -0500

In 1989, author Will Weaver received the Minnesota Book Award for Best Fiction for A Gravestone Made of Wheat & Other Stories. Sixteen years later screenwriter and director Ali Selim adapted the title short story from this collection to create the critically acclaimed movie, Sweet Land.
In this unique installment of Talk of the Stacks moderated by The Rake's Cristina Cordova, Selim and Weaver will discuss fiction writing, film making, and the process of adapting a short story to a feature-length movie.
Will Weaver writes for adults and young adults. His novels and short stories have earned praise from reviewers coast to coast for their realism. Weaver’s debut novel, Red Earth, White Earth, was produced as a CBS television movie and several of the stories were performed on National Public Radio. Formerly an English professor at Bemidji State University, Weaver was described by the Los Angeles Times as a writer of uncommon natural talent.
Saint Paul resident Ali Selim (son of a German-American mother and an Egyptian-born father) has been directing advertising commercials since 1989. Selim has received the Gold Lion, advertising’s most coveted award from Cannes Advertising Film Festival. Ad Week magazine listed Selim in the top 1% of most sought after directors in the country and the Star Tribune named him the Minnesota Artist of the Year in 2006.
Recorded live on March 28, 2008 from the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall. The Talk of the Stacks is presented by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and US Trust.

Talk of the Stacks: Charles Baxter - The Soul Thief

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 19:00:00 -0500

In his 25-year career as a fiction writer, Charles Baxter has established himself as one of our great contemporary American novelists. Perhaps best known for his National Book Award-nominated The Feast of Love (which will be released this fall as a major motion picture starring Morgan Freeman), Baxter is the author of four novels, four collections of short stories, three collections of poems, and a collection of essays on fiction.

In his new novel, The Soul Thief, Baxter delivers a beautifully wrought and unexpected work of fiction about Nathaniel Mason, a graduate student living in Buffalo, who through a chain of illusive relationships and complex events learns his identity may in fact not be his own. Acutely observed in its emotional and terrifying detail, The Soul Thief explores the slippery nature of identity in American culture.

Recorded live on February 28, 2008 from the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall. The Talk of the Stacks is presented by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and US Trust.

Talk of the Stacks: Chip Kidd - The Learners

friends@hclib.org — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:00:00 -0500

Award-winning graphic design pioneer Chip Kidd is credited with changing the way modern books are packaged. Having designed more than 1,500 book covers and counting, Kidd has been called "the closest thing to a rock star" in graphic design today by USA Today. His work has been featured in Vanity Fair, The New Republic, TIME, The New York Times, and countless other publications. With 'The Learners', the fascinating follow-up to his national bestselling debut 'The Cheese Monkeys', Kidd again shows that his writing is every bit as original and memorable as his celebrated book jackets. This time, Kidd conjures up a remarkable story about advertising, electro-shock torture, suicide, a giant dog, potato chips, and the Holocaust. Written in sharp, witty prose, and peppered with absorbing ruminations on the presence and importance of graphic design in our everyday lives, 'The Learners' is as entertaining as it is thought provoking.

In this insightful and hilarious presentation, Kidd reads from 'The Learners' and takes audience questions. Due to the audio-only nature of this recording, portions of Mr. Kidd's presentation that relied heavily visuals have been edited from this podcast.

Recorded on February 27, 2008 from the Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall. The Talk of the Stacks is presented by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and US Trust.

Talk of the Stacks: Night Train and Other Ojibwe Stories: A celebration of Writing and Sisterhood with the Erdrichs

friends@hclib.org — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:00:00 -0600

Sisters Lise, Heid, and Louise Erdrich grew up together in Wahpeton, ND (where their parents taught at the Bureau of Indian Affairs school) and each of them became accomplished writers. Coming together for a rare public appearance in celebration of Lise's debut story collection, Night Train, the three sisters will discuss their craft, life, and Native American writing.

Lise is the author of several children's books, including Sacagawea and Bears Make Rock Soup: And Other Stories. Her debut story collection, Night Train, is hot off the press from Coffee House. A sharp-humored collection set in the small towns and reservations of Northwestern Minnesota and North Dakota, Night Train was described by Sherman Alexie as "beautiful and rowdy, this book challenged, entertained, thrilled and scared me."

Heid is the author of three collections of poetry, National Monuments (forthcoming), The Mother's Tongue, Fishing for Myth, as well as co-editor of Sister Nations: Native American Women on Community. Her books have each been nominated for the Minnesota Book Awards and she has received numerous grants and honors. She co-founded the Turtle Mountain Writing Workshop with her sister Louise.

Louise is the author of eight novels, including the National Book Critics Circle Award-winning Love Medicine and the National Book Award Finalist The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse, as well as poetry, children's books, and a memoir of early motherhood, The Bluejay's Dance. She owns a small independent bookstore, BirchBark Books, in Minneapolis.

The Talk of the Stacks is presented by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and US Trust. Recorded live on February 12, 2008.

People's University: Hmong in Minnesota

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:00:00 -0600

According to the 2000 census, more than 42,000 Hmong live in Minnesota and the Twin Cities has the largest number of Hmong persons of any metropolitan area in the nation. Dr.Chia Vang (a refugee from Laos, assistant professor of history at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, and author of Hmong in Minnesota) will recount the colorful, intricate history of Hmong Minnesotans, many of whom were forced to flee their homeland of Laos when the communists seized power during the Vietnam War in the mid-70s. Through personal stories from immigrants, Vang will offer a unique perspective into the lives of the Minnesota Hmong population - exploring the immigrants' struggle to adjust to new environments, build communities, maintain cultural practices, and make their mark on government policies and programs today.

Presented by The Friends and the Marquette Financial Companies on January 31, 2008.

People's University: Backstage at Peer Gynt

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 12:00:00 -0600

This winter, the Guthrie Theater will present Peer Gynt, a timeless and rarely-produced masterpiece, with a newly commissioned translation by prolific poet and Minnesota native Robert Bly. Bold, raucous, and satirically funny, this charming fantasy play captures the misadventures of the charismatic Peer Gynt on a journey to find his place in the world. Get the inside scoop on the newest production of the Guthrie Theater when Carla Steen (Literary Department) discusses the text, Craig Pettigrew (Assistant Technical Director) talks about building the set, the Property Mistress discusses the props, and Amy Schmidt (Costume Director) talks about the costumes for this eagerly awaited production.

Moderated by Louise Chalfant, Associate Director of Education and Community Programs at the Guthrie Theater and presented by The Friends and the Marquette Financial Companies on January 24, 2008.

2007 Holiday Toast with Kevin Kling

friends@hclib.org — Fri, 7 Dec 2007 16:00:00 -0600

Kevin Kling is a storyteller, playwright, and regular contributor to NPR's All Things Considered. His plays have been seen at the Guthrie Theater, Second Stage, Seattle Rep, the Goodman Theater, the Spoleto Festival and the HBO Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado. For the 2007 Friends Holiday Toast, Kling performed stories from his new debut book, The Dog Says How, a collection of classic and never-before-told stories about his eclectic life - from hopping freight trains, getting hit by lightning, performing his banned play in Czechoslovakia, to growing up in Minnesota. In Kling's world, "the mundane becomes magical, the fantastic becomes accessible and through it all his profound sense of curiosity about the world transforms the everyday to the timeless" (Queen Anne News).

Talk of the Stacks: Bill Holm - Windows of Brimnes - An American in Iceland

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 19:00:00 -0600

Garrison Keillor described Bill Holm as "The tallest radical humorist in the Midwest and a truthful and graceful writer. The award-winning author of nine books (both poetry and essays), Holm lives in Minnesota half the year teaching at Southwest State University and spends his summers in Iceland on the Arctic Circle.

Poet, musician, and polemicist Bill Holm brings us his most ambitious book to date, in Windows of Brimnes, a long essay that reflects on the state of America today as seen from the window of his home in the small fishing town of Brimnes, Iceland. Holm contrasts Iceland’s warmth, community, secularism, pacifism, and love of nature and poetry with America’s seemingly permanent state of war, fundamentalism, and pervasive violence. Bill Holm delivers a straightforward and often comical reflection on the state of our country today.

The Talk of the Stacks is presented by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and US Trust.

People's University: Reading the Days of the Dead: Its Theory of Person and Society

friends@hclib.org — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 19:00:00 -0600

Presented by Dr. Juanita Garciagodoy, Professor at Macalester College and author of Digging the Days of the Dead

In this illustrated lecture about interpreting Mexico's Days of the Dead, Dr. Garciagodoy will consider the practices and paraphernalia of the fiesta in order to tease out some of its philosophical implications. According to the celebrant, what is a human being and how does she fit into her community? What obligations do the living have towards the dead and vice versa? How does this festival both use and resist the homogeneity of a globalized world? At the end of the lecture audience members will be invited to build an ofrenda to our dead at the library -- bring a photo or name-card of your dead, plus a representation (or item) that was of significance to them, such as their favorite food, clothing, or pastime.

Talk of the Stacks: Arvonne Fraser - She's No Lady: Politics, Family, and International Feminism

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 1 Nov 2007 19:00:00 -0600

Arvonne Fraser is senior fellow emeritus of the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, co-founder and director of the Institute's Center on Women and Public Policy, former director of the International Women's Rights Action Watch, and former ambassador to the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women. Political activist, prolific leader, and founding mother of the women’s movement, Fraser is the author of countless publications, articles, and books.

In her newest work, She's No Lady, she brings us a spirited memoir of a Minnesota farm girl who became founding mother of the worldwide women’s movement. Recounting her Depression-era upbringing, the early days of the DFL Party, her marriage to Don (former Congressman and Minneapolis Mayor), and her career in the non-profit sector, Fraser let's the reader into her fascinating and inspiring life. In celebration of the publication of this historic memoir, Lori Sturdevant (editor and friend) will join Arvonne on stage in a conversation about life, politics and everything in between.

Sponsored by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and US Trust. Recorded on November 1, 2007.

Talk of the Stacks: Steve Almond - Not That You Asked

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 19:00:00 -0500

Steve Almond is the author of Candyfreak (named a Best Book of 2004 by Booksense, Amazon.com, Time Out and Library Journal), My Life in Heavy Metal, The Evil B.B. Chow, and Which Brings Me to You, co-written with Julianna Baggott. The San Francisco Chronicle described Almond’s language as "rendered in precise strokes with metaphors so original and spot-on that they read like epiphanies."

In (NOT THAT YOU ASKED), Almond gives us a provocative, universally offending, and wickedly entertaining collection of essays that explore the moral dilemmas of our age - tackling topics such as chest waxing, Kurt Vonnegut, ham at Chanukah, Oprah’s Book Club, homoerotic nature of professional sports, reality television, and much more.

Contains some adult language. Sponsored by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and US Trust. Recorded on October 11, 2007.

People's University: Taking a Global Temperature - Climate Literacy in the 21st Century

friends@hclib.org — Tue, 2 Oct 2007 19:00:00 -0500

Frank Niepold, Climate Education Coordinator at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, delivers a presentation on ground-breaking work to ensure resource managers, policy makers, and the general public understand how to cope with climate variability and change. Annual temperatures are now approximately 1 degree warmer than at the start of the 20th century and the past nine years have all been among the 25 warmest years on record for the contiguous United States. Improved satellite and climate observation technologies, coupled with media interest and the internet, have allowed scientists to share their findings with a broader public audience.

Presented in collaboration with the Minnesota Planetarium and Space Discovery Center. Recorded on October 2, 2007.

Talk of the Stacks: Per Petterson - Out Stealing Horses

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 19:30:00 -0500

With his fifth book, Out Stealing Horses, Per Petterson has become an international literary sensation. Out Stealing Horses, published by the Twin Cities’ Graywolf Press, has won International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, Norwegian Booksellers Prize, the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize, and has been translated into 24 languages. The New York Times calls it, "a gripping account of such originality as to expand the reader’s own experience of life." Out Stealing Horses is the story of Trond, a man who has settled into a rustic cabin in eastern Norway to live the rest of his life with quiet deliberation. A meeting with his only neighbor, however, forces him out of isolation to reflect on a fateful childhood summer. Sponsored by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and US Trust. Recorded on September 27, 2007 at 7:30pm.

Talk of the Stacks: Steven Pinker - The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window Into Human Thought

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 19:00:00 -0500

Steven Pinker is one of TIME magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World Today" and a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist. A professor of psychology at Harvard, his books include The Language Instinct, How the Mind Works, and The Blank Slate. A frequent contributor to TIME, The New York Times, The New Republic, and other publications, Pinker serves on the Usage Panel of the American Heritage Dictionary.

With irreverent wit, elegant style, and examples from popular culture and everyday life, Pinker's latest book, The Stuff of Thought, takes on a wide range of scientific and everyday questions.

Please note: Although used in an academic context, this program contains strong language.

Recorded on September 20, 2007.

Talk of the Stacks: Reading, Writing, Reviewing - 25 Years at the Washington Post Book World with Michael Dirda

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 5 Jul 2007 19:00:00 -0500

Michael Dirda is the winner of the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for criticism. He has been an editor and writer for The Washington Post Book World for the past 25 years. A Fulbright Fellowship recipient, Dirda received his bachelor's degree in English from Oberlin College and his doctorate in comparative literature from Cornell University.
Dirda is the author of two collections of essays (Readings: Essays and Literary Entertainments and Bound to Please), a memoir (An Open Book: Coming of Age in the Heartland) and a guide to reading and its life lessons (Book by Book: Notes on Reading and Life).

Dirda's not-to-be-missed presentation is sponsored by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and US Trust. Recorded on July 5, 2007.

People's University: The Guantanamo Bay Challenge

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 18:30:00 -0500

Attorneys James Dorsey and Nicole Moen, of Fredrikson & Byron, P.A., represent a Guantanamo Bay detainee and are on the leading edge of international human rights advocacy. Their presentation highlights four recent visits to Guantanamo Bay, their client's situation, and human rights concerns. Join us for this eye-opening event, sponsored by The Friends and the Marquette Financial Companies. Recorded on June 14, 2007.

Talk of the Stacks: An Unexpected Life of Books - Sven Birkerts & Lewis Buzbee

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 7 Jun 2007 19:00:00 -0500

Explore the unexpected life in books with award-winning authors Sven Birkerts & Lewis Buzbee, in conversation with Gail See. Both authors started their careers as booksellers and ultimately became authors. How did their passion for books become an all consuming career? What books have changed their lives? Will the 'book' survive? This engaging conversation is presented by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and US Trust. Recorded on June 7, 2007.

Talk of the Stacks: Heather McElhatton - Pretty Little Mistakes

friends@hclib.org — Tue, 15 May 2007 19:00:00 -0500

Heather McElhatton's original debut novel, Pretty Little Mistakes, is an edgy interactive novel for adults with more than 150 possible endings. After a witty introduction from satirist Kevin Kling, Heather reads one possible scenario from her book. Guitar accompaniment by Robert Bell. Sponsored by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and US Trust. Recorded on May 15, 2007.

2007 Minnesota Book Awards Finalists

friends@hclib.org — Fri, 4 May 2007 19:00:00 -0500

Join us as nine exciting finalists of the 2007 Minnesota Book Awards describe the writing process and read from their books. Featured finalists are:

Caroline Burau for 'Answering 911'; Mary Rose O'Reilley for 'The Love of Impermanent Things'; Matthew Sanford for 'Waking'; Diane Wilson for 'Spirit Car'; Brian Freeman for 'Stripped'; Roger Stelljes for 'The St. Paul Conspiracy'; Alicia Conroy for 'Lives of Mapmakers'; Patti Frazee for 'Circus'; and Maureen Millea Smith for 'When Charlotte Comes Home'.

Emceed by The Rake Publisher Tom Bartel. Presented by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and the Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library. Recorded on May 4, 2007.

Favorite Poem Celebrity Reading

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 12:00:00 -0500

Favorite Poem Celebrity Reading asks Minnesota celebrities to share a favorite poem. This popular event is in its 6th year. This year's participating celebrities are: Andrew Zimmern, Host of the Travel Channel's 'Bizarre Foods'; Amelia Santaniello, WCCO News Anchor; Ta-coumba Aiken, artist; Brad Childress, Vikings Coach; Nate Dungan, Lead vocalist of Trailer Trash; Lee-Ann Stephens, Minnesota Teacher of the Year; Scott Seekins, artist; and Kerri Miller, Host of MPR Midmorning. Emceed by The Friends Board Vice President, Glenn Miller. Recorded on April 19, 2007.

Talk of the Stacks: The Laurel Poetry Collective

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 19:00:00 -0500

This special event marks the completion of the Laurel Poetry Collective's four-year mission and features its two latest books. Celebrate with US Trust and The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library as 22 accomplished poets read a poem and shares how poetry has effected their lives. Recorded on April 12, 2007.

People's University: Neil Baldwin and The Marshall Plan and Its Meanings - Europe 1947 - Iraq 2007.

friends@hclib.org — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 19:00:00 -0500

Best-selling author (The American Revelation, Henry Ford and the Jews) and historian Dr. Neil Baldwin assesses the Marshall Plan's use as a descriptor for Bush administration's actions in Iraq. Presented by the Marquette Financial Companies and The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library. Recorded on March 29, 2007.