Highlights of a recent tribute to Minneapolis poet John Engman (1949-1996), sponsored by The Loft and Hungry Mind Bookstore, featuring readings of his work by Michael Dennis Browne, Barton Sutter, Phil Gallo, Jennifer Crosby, Jim Heynen, John Minczeski and other poets;plus excerpts from a video produced by Augsburg College professor John Mitchell. A book of Engman's poems, Temporary Help (Holy Cow! Press) is a 1999 Minnesota Book Award nominee.
A special Duluth get together of these two prominent Minnesota authors who have successive Winter Books published by Afton Historical Society Press: Bill Holm and "Faces of Christmas Past" (1997), and Jon Hassler and "Underground Christmas" (1998). Duluth author Barton Sutter introduces an evening of holiday readings, book talk & music.
Sidell, Doug; Vogels, Vicky; Arey, Richard; Blair, Bruce
Date Created:
1998
Description:
Doug Shidell and Vicky Vogels discuss their self-published book, Bicycle Vacation Gnide to Minnesota and Wisconsin, with complete bike trail and route maps, and event and lodging information. Richard Arey talks about his Twin Cities Bicycling book, published by Minnesota Outdoors Press, with maps and descriptions of dozens of interesting bicycle rides and trips around the metro area. Bruce Blair, manager of the beautiful and popular Cannon Valley Trail, talks about Rail-Trail Handbook, a complete guide to the growing number of new biking and hiking trails along former railroad corridors in the Upper Midwest, published by Nodin Press.
A special presentation of the remarkable personal testimonials about Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, with readings by the winners in the essay contest sponsored by Aveda Corporation and Milkweed Editions, Also featured: A presentation by Andrew Malcolm, the author of Mississippi Curents.
Part 1 of 2: Elderly residents of Pioneer Apartments in 1977. They discuss school memories from early 1900s including teachers, activities, and sports. They also discuss after school activities including their chores, outdoor games, winter sports, dances, picnics, and family life. Other topics include: boarding houses and boarders, the Pengilly Mine, and the Ojibwe families on Burntside Lake and Basswood Lake. Also discussed are the 1910 forest fire and the Vail Hotel fire. Part 2 of 2: Interview with former teacher Mrs. Evancho...? Teacher and principal at the 26-Zenith-Savoy location school which had two classrooms and two teachers. She taught grades 3-6. Mr. Burns, superintendent.
Interview with Frank and Stan Smuk. Frank and Stan were the sons of Yugoslav immigrant parents. The two men began work in the mines in 1941 and 1947 respectively. Stan worked with the mine credit union while Frank was a contract miner. They spoke of the pranks they pulled on other workers. Accidents were frequent. Rocks fell on workers and the tunnels collapsed. Even with broken bones men would go to work and be given light duty. The Smuk brothers did a lot of hunting and fishing. The whole family played the accordion. They also played on the city softball teams that competed against other towns. Frank belongs to the American Legion and the VFW. He had served in the Air Force during World War II. Stan was blind in one eye so was turned down for the army.
Interview with Hulda Koski and Mrs. Nick Korent. Note: this interview is transcript-only. There is no audio available. Together they discuss early life in Ely, life growing up on a farm, early Ely schools.
Interviews with Mary Mackie, Mary Berrini, and Beatrice Masnari. They discuss immigration. Mackie's and Berrini's parents emigrated from Italy seeking better lives and jobs. Masnari arrived in 1931 to join her husband who had come to Ely some years before. Italian was spoken at home, but they learned English at school. They lived in the Chandler Location where the housing costs were paid by the owners. They discuss their chores, including hauling water in boilers on sleds or wagons, carrying buckets of water using yokes, and pumping well water. Lake water was used for gardens and washing clothes. Drinking water was dipped from a pail. Bringing in wood and hauling out ashes, shoveling snow, scrubbing floors (three times a week). Sense of community: People got along well, helping each other out. Groups of men would hunt together and share game. Families shared garden produce and people would help each other building homes. In addition to gardens, families had chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits and cows. Many home remedies were used for illnesses. Making grappa (wine). Games and entertainment included Bocce ball, Briscola, and adult card game, movies, Duck on the Rock, making skimmers from barrel staves, rolling hoops, carnivals and circuses. Shops and peddlers: The Chocolate Shop, Mr. Bismark's candy store, grocery stores that delivered, Mr. Giacomo's ice cream cart, the door-to-door scissors sharpener who came to Ely once a year, the organ grinder and his monkey. They discuss their Christmas memories, when Italian traditions were observed with Italian foods. The Christmas tree was decorated with candy, popcorn, and candles. Christmas gifts included fruit, nuts, and candy.
Abdelhafidh Bouassida, Director /Producer from Tunisia, now film instructor at Minneapolis CommunityCollege, is interviewed by Diana Seyb of the WRITE Agency.
R. D. Zimmerman, author of Death Trance, a novel of hypnotic detection, along with other suspense novels, is interviewed by Eileen Cavanagh, Hennepin County Library.
Adina Wrobleski, author of Suicide: Why? and Suicide: Survivors, which answers questions on why people choose to end their lives, is interviewed by Eileen Cavanagh.
Alan Lathrop, curator of the Northwest Architectural Archives, who compiled "Drafting A House History", a guide to tracing a building's historical background, is interviewed by Steve Benson.
In an oral history, Albert Bye describes his parents coming from Norway to Minnesota, his family life growing up starting with his birth in 1894, him being drafted during World War I, and his life as a young adult.
In an oral history, Alec Ruttger discusses how his parents started a resort in Crow Wing County, how he took it over and expanded it, and that his three brothers also got involved in the resort business. As a family, they built up the very well known Ruttger empire of resort locations.
Alice Kaplan, Professor of French at Duke University and author of "French Lessons: Memories of growing up in Minnesota," is interviewed by poet and teacher Phebe Hanson.
Amy Dolnick, author of "Between Deep Vallet and the Great World: A Look at Maud Hart Lovelace's 'Betsy-Tacy'" series, is interviewed by Kathleen Baxter, Anoka County Library.
Andrew Slade is the author of White Woods, Quiet Trails (Ridgeline Press), the ultimate guidebook for enjoying cross country skiing, snowshoeing and winter hiking, plus many other winter activities and attractions, along Minnesota's North Shore. Jay Steinke, a Duluth photographer, has put together two photography books: Gunflint Territory (tea table books), images from the Boundary Waters near the Gunflint Trail, and Superior's North Shore-Wild Places. Both Andrew and Jay are interviewed in Duluth's Lester Park by author Richard "Fred" Arey.
