Tracker Pixel for Entry

​Just east of the “Heart of the World”

Culture | July 29th, 2015

Author of Pulitzer Prize-winning book to give reading in Fargo

Elizabeth A. Fenn, author and professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, is coming to Zandbroz Variety in downtown Fargo to give a reading and signing of her new book, “Encounters at the Heart of the World: A History of the Mandan People.” The event is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 3, at 7 p.m.

In “Encounters at the Heart of the World,” Fenn pieces together the history and culture of the Mandan people, whose home, “the Heart of the World,” was traditionally centered on the upper Missouri River in North Dakota. By weaving together her own firsthand encounters with the region today, exhaustive archival research and new archaeological findings, Fenn offers an astonishing, eye-opening look at a vibrant culture that was once a vital regional hub of trade and agriculture.

“Encounters,” which was awarded the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for History, is not just an important rephrasing of early American history. It is also an essential read for anyone who calls North Dakota home.

As a primer for the upcoming event, HPR contacted Fenn and asked her a few questions about how “Encounters” came to be.

HPR: How long have you been interested in Mandan history and culture? What initially piqued your interest in upper-Missouri cultures?

Elizabeth Fenn: I learned about the Mandans in the process of researching a huge smallpox epidemic that became the subject of my first book, “Pox Americana: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775-82.” I was stunned to come across such a huge, vibrant, commercial nation that I knew almost nothing about. It made me wonder what early American history would look like if we moved our starting point inland from the Atlantic seaboard. Instead of focusing on Anglo-Americans and their incremental march westward, what if we tell the early American story from the perspective of the heartland and its native peoples? It's a much richer, deeper, longer and more interesting story than the one most of us have been taught.

HPR: When did you first decide to write the history of an entire Native American tribe? How long did that process take?

EF: I began working on “Encounters at the Heart of the World” in 2002. The entire process took twelve years. The book was published in 2014.

HPR: What sort of difficulties did you encounter with your research?

EF: The hardest part was handling the dearth of sources for some periods of time. The result was that I had to be creative and look beyond the written documentary record that most historians rely on for their work.

HPR: In the book, there is quite a bit of emphasis on place and the landscape – the Missouri River plays a central role in Mandan history. Can you describe briefly the importance of the Missouri and the surrounding landscape on Mandan culture? Also, is there anything about the North Dakota landscape that draws you to it?

EF: The confluence of the Heart and Missouri rivers is "the Heart of the World" for the Mandan people. It is where Lone Man and First Creator made medicine pipes together. The landscape along the Missouri is a documentary record in its own right, marking different stories from the Mandan past. These stories teach us about history and about how to act in the world.I love the North Dakota landscape. This is a humbling place. Each time I come here, I am reminded of my own insignificance, of the need to listen and learn from others.

IF YOU GO:

“Encounters at the Heart of the World” reading and book signing

Mon, Aug. 3, 7 p.m.

Zandbroz Variety, 420 Broadway, Fargo

FREEzandbroz.com

Recently in:

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comNorth Dakota communities will join a “nationwide day of defiance” against authoritarianism and President Donald Trump’s policies on Saturday, June 14. A range of "No Kings" events…

Back-to-school season is on the horizon, but there's still plenty of summer left. Check out our favorite August attractions and events in North Dakota and western Minnesota. And if if you missed them, here are a few excellent May…

June 21, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.Fargo Theatre, 314 Broadway N., Fargo“We Watch Shudder,” Fargo’s favorite horror podcasters, bring on the darkness during the longest day of the year. The Darkest Day of Horror Film Festival features…

Fighting the good fightBy Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Over two thousand rallies took place nationwide June 14 as part of the “No Kings" protest. Ten of those protests were held in North Dakota, with thousands in attendance.…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comThe Fiddler on the roof was taking a big chance after two thousand years of hate Cal Thomas, who seems to hate a lot in a journalistic and broadcasting career where he expresses his conservative…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com The weather warmed up quickly here in the upper Midwest this spring, sparking prime eating season. This means burger battles, food trucks and lake-season food travel. The 2025 Downtown Fargo Burger…

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comThe Moorhead Public Library will offer three free, all-ages outdoor concerts featuring regional bands this summer. The series begins on June 12 with the Meat Rabbits, a group that blends…

By JD Provorsejdprovorse@gmail.comHorror movie fans of the valley, our time has come! Darkest Day of Horror Film Festival comes to the Fargo Theatre on Saturday, June 21. I sat down with JD Provorse, the creator and curator of DDHF…

By Raul Gomezraul@hpr1.com Minutes before Modern’s Celebration of Life opened its door at the Sons of Norway, I was fiddling with the bar computer, trying to pull up the playlists of Modern’s work I had set aside for the…

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comAct Up Theatre, in partnership with Minnesota State University Moorhead, will present “The Sound of Music” on June 10-14. All shows are at 7:30 p.m. at the Minnesota State Moorhead’s…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

By Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com There appear to be differences in the incidence of mental illnesses between men and women. For example, women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression, post-traumatic stress…

By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…

By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson.nd7@gmail.com Our trucking business has me driving almost daily from gas plants in western North Dakota's oil patch to Canada. I haul natural gas liquids (NGLs) products we used to see flared off at…