Minnesota Books

We travel with 2 young (2 yr & 6yr) children and this guide is fabulous to carry and let the kids use to point out what they see. Very light for the kids to carry & laminated so survives the stomp in every puddle that accompanies our every hike...We have a number of them, CA, PA, MN etc. We get one wheever we are traveling to a new state. It's also jurable enough to help make longer car trips more interesting.

Minnesota Family Weekends: 28 Fun Trips For You And The Kids by author and travel writer Martin Hintz is an "interesting things to do and places to go" guide for the whole family. Individual chapters are divided by county and geographical regions of Minnesota, with a wealth of practical information on lodgings, tourist attractions, museums, hikes, places to shop, sights to see, and much, much more. A concise and useful resource, Minnesota Family Weekends is a definitive planning guide for anyone wanting taking a "kid friendly" trip or excursion anywhere in Minnesota.

As a beginning gardener, this book was invaluable to me in identifying the common plants in my neighborhood. The pictures are very good for getting a real sense of what each plant is like. Also, the number of plants included is manageable - not too many so as be completely overwhelming for the beginning or casual gardener, not too few as to be limiting. I also like the easy picture keys for each plant (native, sun/shade, drought, etc) - you can quickly scan through for plants that'll work for your situation.

Gardening on the Minnesota prairie had its origins with the advent of pioneer homesteads in the 1840s. Because of the climate (especially the severe and extended winters), prospects for horticulture were grim. But in the following 150 years, Minnesota saw the development of estate gardens whose beauty and opulence would rival those of Europe, and who public landscapes would be numbered among the best America had to offer. Hundreds of new plant varieties, a flourishing seed industry, and gardens of all kinds and sizes would extend to every corner of Minnesota. In Minnesota Gardens: An Illustrated History, reference librarian and dedicated gardener Susan Price has drawn upon original sources (including old newspaper accounts, diaries, historic photos, and interviews) to showcase Minnesota gardening past and present in the first comprehensive and superbly illustrated history of the subject that is enthusiastically recommended for the all gardening enthusiasts -- and would serve as an admirable template for similar works celebrating the history of regional gardening anywhere else in the nation.

Minnesota Grit is the remarkable true story of Northfield, Minnesota, and how its ordinary citizens mobilized to break a notorious gang of robbers. When the James-Younger Gang tried to rob Northfield's bank, the citizenry turned against them so fast that two members of the outlaws were killed moments later, and ultimately only Jesse and Frank James escaped the posses, their power broken for the rest of history. Painstakingly researched, and illustrated with a handful of black-and-white photographs, Minnesota Grit tells the true tale with rousing intensity and accuracy, including the story of the "Magnificent Seven" who captured the Younger Brothers at Hanska Slough. An exciting portrayal of a legendary episode in American history.

It so well written and full of good information for making ones trips in Minnesota wonderful.

Minnesota is my home and I'm proud of my state for many reasons. Beyond pride, Minnesota is a great and beautiful state. And Afton Press is a homegrown publisher that provides readers with books that rival any publishing house in the world. They have done Minnesota proud by publishing Karal Ann Marling's Minnesota Hail to Thee! It is simply stunning!

Minnesota Hail to Thee! is a celebration of Minnesota history in words/stories and pictures. The early inhabitants of Minnesota all came from somewhere else and that continues today. We're no longer a state brimming over with Scandinavians and Germans. We now boast people from most countries in the world. And Minnesota Hail to Thee! is our story, the good and the not-so-good. But the one thing that holds Minnesota citizens together is that we believe that WE are all in this thing called life together.

From the words to Minnesota's state song, "Hail! Minnesota," to the people and politicians, including our own contact with women's rights and slavery, the reader will learn things I suspect they never knew about Minnesota.

I enjoyed the story of Jane Grey Swisshelm, the editor of the "St. Cloud Visiter." She was a strong opponent of owning slaves. The U.S. Dakota war is one I'd not heard about but it is intriguing. Having lived in Anoka, I was drawn to the postcard of downtown Anoka and the corn and potato palace. My fondness for Hubert Humphrey drew me to the photos of him, and then there is the Guthrie Theater, the Mary Tyler Moore statue and many other cultural mentions.

I could go on and on and yet I would miss many of the places and faces of Minnesota. All I can say is pick up Minnesota Hail to Thee! A copy for yourself would be nice and then several for gifts. Minnesota citizens are proud of their state and love reading about the past and present. This book has it all.

Armchair Interviews says: A must have for anyone who loves history and loves Minnesota--for yourself and as a superb gift.

This is a great guide for anyone exploring Minnesota by car. It lists 348 highway markers and their complete texts, all arranged by county. There is also a very thorough index of topics and names mentioned on the markers. Local history buffs or anybody interested in Minnesota history and geology will find this book a wonderful read.

very good to read. You can read most of the pages unlike V 1
where you can't read most of the rosters. Wrote in the Same
1st person writting as V1.

One of the most underrated divisions in the civil war. The North was literally saved on the second day at Gettysburg by this group of soldiers. I used to believe that the day was saved by the 20th Maine, however I believe it is hard to find a more compelling story than that of the 1st Minnesota. They gloriously held the center against superior numbers long enough to allow the North to reform. I suggest this book along with others that tell the story of the 1st Minnesota.