Minnesota Books

Harvest of Grief, by Annette Atkins chronicles the grasshopper plagues of the 1870s and discusses the hardships faced by the farmers of that decade and the failure of the government to supply them with public assistance.

I found out about this book doing a search on the Internet after reading "On The Banks of Plum Creek" by Laura Ingalls Wilder to my son. When Laura and her family moved to Minnesota, their crops were devestated by the "Rocky Mountain Grasshoppers" that swept over the western praries from the years 1873-1878 and caused millions of dollars in damages.

This book (Harvest of Grief) deals with the farmers' plight in Minnesota.

The 1870s were a time of change in America and it's territories. Ideals were changing and it wasn't the farmer that was the cornerstone of American society any longer, but money that proved success. With families like the Rockerfellers and the Vanderbilts, the definition of "success" was rapidly changing.

The book tells of the theories behind why the grasshoppers came and why they suddenly disappeared after 5 years, how farmers tried desperately to save their farms, often losing them to mortgage companies, and those who begged and borrowed trying to survive along with their families.

The book also tells of how they tried to get federal relief from the government and why this was difficult. Hundreds of people were in some cases left homeless with nothing more than a blanket and a sheet, without a bed to sleep in nor a floor to make one on.

Annette Atkins uses Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family as a reference several times in the book, along with others who suffered greatly during that time, when being poor and unable to pay your debts was looked on as a character flaw, the result of laziness and an unwillingness to work.

This was an excellent book and I highly recommend it.

Diane Fujino accurately captures the strife of social injustices perpetrated by a nation that was and is still very much controlled by those who harbor deep rooted, yet carefully concealed, racist values. This is a fascinating read that follows the life of Yuri Kochiyama who was changed from an American with unquestioning loyalty to her country, into a TRUE American who stands up for the those persecuted in this nation for nothing more than belonging to a non-white race. Yuri was driven to question authority and speak out aganist the social injustices that had been all around her yet unnoticed until the bombing of Pearl Harbor highilghted the government sanctioned racism and unjustified persecution of her family and friends of Asian descent. This book applies every bit today as it did then.
A great read!

The Bible tells us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts, lean not unto our own understanding, in all our ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct our paths. This fiction book presents a plot of mystery that shows how various characters lives formed into a pattern that none of them could imagine. It shows how disappointment can eventually work out for a desired outcome.

Lena Nelson Dooley is a masterful storyteller who uses her God given talent in such a way that readers are inspired and encouraged. For people going through a period when things don't make sense, books like this help to remind you that there is a plan if you are a Christian.

"Heavenly Visions: Shaker Gift Drawings and Gift Songs" is a most impressive explanation and study of Shaker spirituality and the role of prophecy and gender within it.

Frances Moran manages in a simple and easily understood manner to see Shaker visions as a source of spiritual leadership and power for younger women within a community that was being increasingly hierarchical and bound up by the standards of "the world" (as Shakers referred to it). Frances explains easliy that gift drawings and gift songs gave Shaker women direct contact with the Spirit, which was characteristic of the earliest Believers but was lost during the early nineteenth century when Shakerism expanded. It is also show that the type of mediumship found in Shakerism is actually seen even today in native religions of the world.

The majority of "Heavenly Visions: Shaker Gift Drawings and Gift Songs", however, consists of some most beautiful pictures that show Shaker art of the period known as "Mother Ann's Work". The pictures are often much more beautiful and much more clearly laid out than those in less detailed studies of Shakerism and the book is made into an important purchase.

The actual pictures show there to be a great deal of structure and reason behind the gifts given to Shaker mediums during the 1840s and 1850s, as well as illustrating Shakerism's unique spiritual character. We find that there were many pictures of key Shaker leaders from the early period, and also a strong emphasis on the basic necessities of the natural world in the content of Shaker gift drawings. The written words on these drawings are beautifully written but I have not been able to read them.

A most important resource for the understanding of Shakerism.

Stubborn, ignorant, unneighborly. That's what we Finns sometimes are here in the Old Continent. That's what they seem to be in Michigan, particularly in Upper Peninsula, particularly in Keweenaw Peninsula. Other folks live somewhere else. they are beyond Mackinac Bridge, i. e. downstaters or they are some odd relatives from Florida who have lost their ability to survive in real "Finnish" circumstances of cold weather, snow or rain. After having read many hilarious stories about us Finns here in Finland by Finnish authors it's been a fun to find out that a writer of Finnish descent could catch the same proudly humbleness (or is it humble pride?) where vices are almost virtues. But a reader wonders if anybody could get offended because nobody is serious. Except in "An Odd Collection of Finns" where more tragical elements of being an immigrant suddenly arise as a main theme. Even these extraordinary stories could not arouse the interest beyond the readers of Finnish origin I sincerely recommend them to the folks in both sides of Mackinac Bridge - or should I say in both sides of Atlantic Ocean?

Rhoda Gilman has written an authoritative and interesting account of Henry Hasting Sibley's life. Although Sibley's entire life and career centered around the upper midwest, he was involved in a number of different activities, from the fur trade to representing Minnesota as its first state governor. He had many dealings with the Sioux (and other) Indians in Minnesota and the Dakota Territory, producing the "Divided Heart" of Gilman's subtitle.

Sibley was born in Detroit in 1811, a town known for its cultural diversity at the time, and he knew French and French ways. He first worked for the American Fur Company on Mackinac Island, but then was put in charge of the company's operations on the upper Mississippi. This is when he built his famous stone house at Mendota, across the river from Fort Snelling. He went to Washington in 1848 to help secure recognition of Minnesota as a territory. He was able to cede lands from the Sioux in 1851 and was elected first state governor in 1857. He opposed the harsh policies against the Indians popular with the federal government at the time, but to no avail. In 1862, as the head of the state militia, he was instrumental in subduing the Sioux at Wood Lake during the Minnesota Uprising. The following year he led an expedition into Dakota Territory to reduce the remaining Sioux. After this successful campaign he retired to St. Paul, where among other things, he was president of the Minnesota Historical Society for a number of years.

Sibley left all his papers to the Society and Gilman makes excellent use of them. She writes in a very forceful style and her book should remain the definitive biography of Sibley for years to come. Highly recommended.

This is by far the best county histoy book that I have found. Unlike many of these book, it is supuberbly orginized and very well writen. The Heritage of Blue Earth County Minnesota book is a must have for Genealogists and people interested in Blue Earth County.

Michel de Certeau, who died in 1986, was one of France's leading intellectuals and considered by many to be one of the most brilliant and sensitive minds. A perfect example of the ideal interdisciplinary scholar, he studied and taught in the fields of literary criticism, anthropology, sociology, history, theology, and psychoanalysis. All these disciplines inform the essays of this volume.

First time readers of de Certeau will probably not want to start here, since the essays collected are on a variety of topics and in a variety of styles. "The Practice of Everyday Life" or "The Writing of History" might be better starting points (the former for anthropologists, perhaps, and the latter for historians).

Of course, despite their variety, these essays all reflect de Certeau's interests in ethics (along the lines of Levinas), theory (French post-structuralism), historiography, mysticism, speech, and politics (cultural studies). Broadly, there are a few essays on Freud and Lacan; a few on Foucault (of whom de Certeau is critical); one on "Mystical Speech"; and an excellent essay on history and ethical historiography. De Certeau assumes a familiarity with his subject matter, and individuals without the right background may find his already difficult language to be unmanageable. However, for those interested in French post-structuralism and looking for a perspective that shows the best of different academic disciplines (including a theological perspective -- de Certeau was a Jesuit), de Certeau is a wonderful find.

An excellent guide for hikes of all different lengths and for all abilities. Good maps and directions. Highly recommended.

Jeffrey Carlson displays a unique and intriguing blend of old fashion Minnesot-ian life in this radiant best-seller. With his old-school charm, he'll draw you into this historical album. So, you think you know all there is to know about Minnesota, eh? Jeff thinks you're wrong! Read this book today. Best historical album, hands down.