by HPR Contributor | .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) | Writer's Block | March 6th, 2019
By Nataly Routledge
natalyroutledge@googlemail.com
MOORHEAD, MN —Authors Sigrid Nunez and Victoria Johnson have been invited to Concordia College for an evening of discussion on their latest two novels. Nunez’s “The Friend” won the 2018 National Book Award for Fiction, and Johnson’s “American Eden” was a finalist for the 2018 National Book Award for Nonfiction.
Concordia College is a founding partner in the National Book Foundation, a program dedicated to bringing National Book Award winners and finalists to college campuses. The program incorporates master classes and other activities for on-campus students, but the main event, the author talk, is open to the public.
Professor Olsen of Concordia and Chief of Staff Tracey Moorhead are the coordinators for the event. The two attend the National Book Awards every year to determine the authors they would like to invite for a two-day residency. “The books reflect the tenor of the country,” Moorhead commented on their choices of authors and books throughout the years.
“The Friend” introduces a narrator struggling with unexpected grief as well as a Great Dane named Apollo. Together, these two characters navigate mourning and isolation. Nunez’s novel was praised for being touching and deeply human. The reader becomes well-acquainted with the narrator, enjoying her dry humor, reminiscing, and genuine-feeling memories. The book reads like a personal journal without the choppiness of chronological ordering. It flows across days and memories, allowing a reader to look directly into the thought processes of a woman in pain and her growing bond with Apollo. More than anything, Nunez writes in a minimalistic style that retains all the details of high-quality fiction.
“American Eden” is a nonfiction book sharing the life and accomplishments of Botanist and Physician David Hosack. A friend of both Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, Hosack was an individual detached from politics and obsessed with the medicinal advantages of botanic research. Hosack worked to create an American botanical garden so large in scale that would involve a long hunt for seeds, international plants, and extensive research. A mixture of history, botany, medicine, politics, and one man’s determination, this book methodically covers a range of disciplines.
The senior producer of audience development and engagement at MPR News, Stephanie Curtis, will moderate the event.
This free event will be held in the Centrum, Knutson Campus Center at 7:30 p.m. on March 14th. Copies of the books will be available at the event as well as at Zandbroz Variety. A book signing and reception will follow the talk, allowing audience members to interact one-on-one with the authors.
IF YOU GO:
14th annual National book awards at Concordia
Thursday, March 14, 7:30 p.m.
Centrum, Knutson campus center, Moorhead
March 6th 2019
March 6th 2019
March 6th 2019
March 6th 2019
February 6th 2019
FARGO – The city is requesting help from the public to produce one million sandbags in preparation for the 2019 Spring Flood. There remains a 10 percent chance waters will rise up to 40.3 feet, higher than the flood of 2009. Two…
By Gabrielle Herschgabbyhersch@gmail.com“North Dakota (and Minnesota) nice” is an attitude, a stereotype, and a way of life that has permeated our region, as well as perceptions of the Midwest, since as long as people have been…
Friday, March 22, 6-8 p.m.Red Raven Espresso Parlor, 916 Main Ave, FargoDigital photos from North Dakota’s backroads. Hornung has been exploring the roads less traveled for close to a decade. Carefully documenting and collecting…
“North Dakota Nice,” is a phrase that I see getting tossed around more and more these days. Many are sincere and others display yet another facet of our disposition that’s not nearly as desirable. Yes, we’re professin’…
The Battle Between Extreme Capitalism And Democratic SocialismAfter Vice-President Mike Pence representing racial and extreme capitalism ended his scathing rant about democratic socialism at the Conservative Political Action…
The eighth week of this year’s HPR Cocktail Showdown was another tripleheader for our panel of judges. On this particular week, we found ourselves focused on a trio of downtown dining and entertainment establishments to visit…
In rural Minnesota, outside of Park Rapids, Amy Thielen was attempting to light her wood-fired oven. It is in her brand-new kitchen that she hopes to teach cooking classes out of, which is a far cry from what it was when she and…
The Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra has had its fair share of guest performances headlining its concerts over the years. They all have impressive resumes, their fair share of awards, and worldwide recognition. However, bringing…
FARGO – Most people know the Trail of Tears that followed the Indian Removal Act of 1830. The U.S. government – under the direction of President Andrew Jackson – forcibly removed tens of thousands of Natives from their…
Hidden away in the tiny North Dakota town of Lefor I find Karen Valley, an author and an artist. She is without a doubt the artist’s artist. Her soul is art, talent and words. Meeting her is a true experience in finding a soul so…
To many people unfamiliar with the wide range of the musical genre, the word ‘opera’ conjures up stereotypical images of people in period costumes and large women in Viking garb singing in foreign languages. The truth, however,…
Stand-up comedy is traditionally a one-way exchange. Outside of the odd question addressed to a random audience member, the limit of the spectators’ contribution to the conversation is their laughter at the comedy stylings being…
By Gabrielle Herschgabbyhersch@gmail.comThink & Drink is coming to Fargo! Organized by Humanities North Dakota, Think & Drink is a happy hour series that hosts a facilitated public conversation about big issues and ideas. Lead by a…
I’m a big man, I’m tall and powerful, but this also causes some issues in the body department. I suffer from acute scoliosis in my lower back, and pain radiates from this area on a daily basis. I have only ever had one massage…
by HPR Contributor
by Devin Joubertdevinlillianjoubert@gmail.comIt’s that beautiful time of the year that’s filled with seasonal decorations, sparkly lights, warm family gatherings, and delicious feasts. I love everything about this time of the…
I’ve got a problem. I need to write a column that is going to be kind of critical of three people I like, and I’m trying to figure out how to do it without making them all angry at me. Their names are Sara, Doug and Marvin.…