Podcast appearances and mentions of William Kent Krueger

In this episode of Dishing with Stephanie's Dish, host Stephanie Hansen speaks with Jordyn Stocks from Paragis Outfitters Bookstore about the impact of recent wildfires on the Ely community, the role of the bookstore in supporting local culture, and the hidden gems of Ely. They discuss the diverse offerings of the bookstore, including popular book recommendations and the importance of community support during challenging times.Visit Ely, Minnesota for fun things to do year-round! Whether you are looking for a place to stay, a delicious meal, a hiking trail, or an immersion experience, we have businesses ready to meet your needs.Stephanie Hansen (00:00.824)Hello, everybody, and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's Dish, the podcast where we talk to people in the food space, but I also talk to other people too. And I've been doing a little mini-series here for VisitElyMN.com to help you get to know some of the cool Ely businesses. Ely is my second home. It is the place where I wrote the True North Cabin cookbook, and it's very near and dear to my heart. And you may have heard that theyHave experienced some wildfires in the Boundary Waters Canoe area and around that area this summer. As of this recording, I think the fires are about 40 to 50% contained. Some of the evacuation areas have been lifted. And the town has just really done a great job of keeping people informed and safe. And I'm here today with Jordan Stocks. She is from Piragis Outfitters.And she particularly runs the bookstore that opened gosh, it was last summer already, wasn't it, Jordyn?Jordyn Stocks (00:59.77)Yes, yeah. So in the new space, we've been there since last May, but the bookstore itself has been around in some version for over 20 years now. So it'sStephanie Hansen (01:11.286)So what happened is is there was in the Piragis store, there was the bookstore on the second level, and they used to have another building down the street that they did some surplus kind of sales, and they've merged a lot of that together inside this building. And then you guys have paddle boards and canoes also across the street. Piragis sort of owns this corner that has a lot of fun stuff going on in Ely andI know that with the boundary waters permits being canceled and just opening up more recently to daytime. And I imagine we'll get some more areas that'll open up here as the summer progresses. Has it been a hard time for you guys at the store?Jordyn Stocks (01:54.437)It's it's yeah, it's been a little bit different. It's been a little quieter as you can imagine, in outfitting particularly without having the boundary waters open. We've definitely seen some slowdown in traffic there.Stephanie Hansen (02:07.315)And when you think about the bookstore, yeah. WhatJordyn Stocks (02:11.732)Yeah, the bookstore and the store have maintained like we've still been busy. We've still seen traffic. you know, not as busy as it would normally be. Blueberry festival would have been this weekend, as you know. that didn't happen. But yeah, overall it's still been we're hanging in there. It's still been still been a good weekend, but yeah, quieter.Stephanie Hansen (02:35.286)It's a good example of how smart it is for businesses to kind of silo to. Like, you know, you start with one thing that maybe is your core competency, but then to support the business through non-trip times, you know, you've got the clothing store and then you add the bookstore, which is kind of a year-round service business for the town in and of itself. It's cool to have so many different facets. And I know you guys sell online too and have a pretty big online following.Jordyn Stocks (02:43.473)Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, it it it does help that we have a few different things going on with the the clothing and the gifts and the gear and the books and the online presence. So that is that's been nice to have all of that going on. And we've definitely seen an uptick in in online sales and phone sales. So we're still shipping things out all over the country. We're still selling things to, you know, fire crews that are here, local folks that are out and about.People coming up for their cabins. Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (03:37.612)What is your history with Paragas and how did you get started and land in the bookstore component?Jordyn Stocks (03:41.76)well I've been here. This is my third no 14th summer here. So I started out just kind of part-time evening shifts in the retail store. And then the bookstore manager at the time, she was she was moving on to I think she was going back home to Chicago or somewhere. So I was excited about the prospect of working with the books and here I am.Thirteen years later. Stephanie Hansen (04:13.856)And you are an Ely resident. Are there some features about Ely in particular or locations that you feel are like hidden gems?Jordyn Stocks (04:23.909)Yeah, so I was actually born and raised here. So I don't know, growing up I kind of kind of probably took a lot of it for granted, but now you know seeing it with fresh eyes, I guess through people who were coming here for the first time and you know coming here repeatedly year after year. one of one of my favorite things is the the Ely Witten Historical Society. They have this cute little museum in the Vermillion Community College.It's it's free, they just feel like goodwill donations, it's self guided. But there's a lot of really interesting historical things there. They have a lot of a lot of books that were written by local folks about history and like very specific history, like the Birdside River or Winton and the lumber industry. So that's pretty fun local history. I love the sedan mine. It's it's open now for underground tours again, which I'm excited to do this summer. I haven't goneYears. Yeah, we just went.Stephanie Hansen (05:19.384)I'm trying to think.I did go to the Sedan Underground mine tour. It's super cool. I think I went, gosh, probably when I first started coming to Ely. So maybe, you know, like gosh, 20 years ago, but it was so cool to be taken underground and through the mine system. And you went with a original miner. So they would talk about like what their day was like. That seems like a uniqueaspect of being in northeast Minnesota because mining was such a pillar of what was happening here at the time. And just like being underground and the constant temperature, that was one of the highlights of one of the things I've done in town.Jordyn Stocks (06:04.049)Yeah, yeah, it's a it's a very cool experience. I'd highly recommend doing that. but yeah, other than that, we've got a lot of great hiking trails, places to canoe and paddle and swim and do all those things. Berry picking. there's always something to do. We've got a great yeah, we've got a great you know, local art scene with the theater and art shows, we've got the movie theater.It's just a lot of fun stuff to do, always always something.Stephanie Hansen (06:38.12)Absolutely. And I know you guys for such a smallish town, your bookstore has like a big footprint. You guys have sold a ton of the True North Cabin cookbooks for me, so thank you. Also, the Moon Tav the Moon Tavern.Jordyn Stocks (06:49.271)Yeah. Yeah, of course. Thanks for coming and Yeah. Yeah, the the new one's been popular.Stephanie Hansen (06:58.964)And also Kurt's book, The Barrens, the Canoe Book has still done well too. So I wanna thank you for that. And I know you guys have a lot of artists that come through and authors that come through. When you're stocking the bookstore, like who would you say is your ideal customer that you're stocking for? Because you have like such a great romance section, a good kid section.Jordyn Stocks (07:21.126)Gosh, that that's a tough one. and it changes, I feel. a lot of people are just are looking for a book to take out on trip with them. Something something that's gonna like be engaging right away, something that's engrossing. they don't want a lot of heavy reading necessarily. But we've also got people who want, you know, the latest best sellers, the things they're seeing on on book talk or theYou know, Reese's book picks or all those things. but also a lot of people looking for local history, things about the area, just something to kind of you know put them in the mindset of being here in the woods. Yeah. A lot of lot of different customers, a lot of variety.Stephanie Hansen (08:07.916) I imagine maybe that changes as you get into the winter months too and it's more of the regular town folk versus the though you have a big visitors that come in the winter too, ‘cause we come and go snowmobiling, we cross country ski.Jordyn Stocks (08:19.792)Yeah. Yeah, yeah, totally. Yeah, there's definitely people coming all year round. It's it's of course, you know, a little a little more mellow in the winter, not as much foot traffic. But yeah, definitely a lot of locals will they'll special order things, you know, they heard about on the radio or they read about in the paper, or you know, they've gottheir favorite Minnesota authors having a new book come out and they want to pre-order that. So yeah.Stephanie Hansen (08:49.877)Yes. I love that. if you could pick three books that you think are kind of buzzy right now that you see that people are excited about, we'll we'll throw them out there because I think I'm always looking for new reads.Jordyn Stocks (09:05.333)Yeah, so people right now are looking for Theo of Golden. I'm blanking on the author's name, but they're also looking for the correspondent and Calamity Club. And then the newest William Kent Krueger book, which won't be out tillAugust, but you know, they're always looking for his latest. Stephanie Hansen (09:29.815)I think I'm the only one in the world that didn't love that Theo of Golden Book, but you know, everybody's got their own vibes.Jordyn Stocks (09:34.01)I haven't read it, but I've definitely that seems like a book that people are either loving or they're hating. There's no in-between on that, as far as I'm hearing.Stephanie Hansen (09:51.192)I feel like that's also what is the name of the book? And I bought it at your store about the social media influencer who gets dropped into the eighteen hundreds.Jordyn Stocks (10:00.429)Yesteryear. That one's been really popular too. Yeah, that's another love it or hate it one. Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (10:02.347)Yes. Another book that I yes, like I totally hate read that book and read the whole thing and hated it, but kept going. It it was, you know how sometimes you don't love a book, but it's compelling enough to keep reading and sort of see what happens at the end.it's fascinating, I think, that that book got so much traction. But I don't know, like I I love the diversity of what you guys offer there. You have a ton of local too, like Abby Yaminez. I know you have a large section for her romance books. And romance is a big seller.Jordyn Stocks (10:36.246)We do. Yep. It is. We never used to carry much of it or like have much of a demand for it, but it's been like flying off the shelves lately. I I don't I don't know what it is, but and and that's not a genre that I typically read. So I I've been relying a lot on like s like coworker and customer recommendations, which has been fun. .Stephanie Hansen (11:09.793)It for your personal life, like you probably have to read a lot of books. Like how many books do you think you read in a month?Jordyn Stocks (11:17.462)And I I don't know. I also listen to a lot of books, but I don't know how many I read in a month. Probably like half a dozen, maybe. I don't I don't really know. I doStephanie Hansen (11:31.064)That's a lot. I listen to people talk about, you know, is listening to a book the same as reading or does it count? It's like who's keeping score number one? And yes, it counts. when you can think of a book that is narrated by someone that really makes it come alive, like I just listened to Whistler by Ann Patchett, which I don't know if I would have liked that book as much if she hadn't read it.Jordyn Stocks (11:58.966)Yeah, I totally get that. I I listen to more nonfiction, more memoirs and things, and I especially love when the author reads it. Like David Sederis will read his own, like Nick Offerman reads his own. They're both really great to listen to. And it's just I don't know, it it I think it brings a lot more to it in that circumstance. So but yeah. before we break here, I do want to mention that you guys have the catalog. And in the catalog are you have a lot of books in the catalog, a lot of the cookbooks, the seasonal books, there's also gear.Jordyn Stocks (13:16.393)We do. We do, yeah, and we have the website as well that's fully shoppable, the Boundary Waters catalog website. there's I mean certainly more than what was in the catalog, but not not as much as in the store. But there is quite a variety there and I'm I'm always happy to special order things too if someone's looking for something that they're not seeing in the store oron the website that's happy to look for things. Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (13:43.949)That's good to know. That's good to know because I know there's been a lot of interest in supporting Ely in particular. I'm going to link there's a fund that's been established that the United Way of Northeastern Minnesota is putting together and there's three pillars that you can donate to. One is nonprofits, one is Ely specific small business, which I appreciate. And also there is an opportunity to donate to the Wildfire Fund. SoI will put that in the show notes. Anything you want people to know specifically about Ely before we break?Jordyn Stocks (14:15.351)Great.gosh. it's just it's just such a great place to to live and to visit. There's you know great people here. Just the way you know you've mentioned people have been showing up for one another and supporting people during this just weird, uncertain wildfire time. It's it's been really cool. It's just a great place to be. Lots, yeah.Stephanie Hansen (14:42.423)I think so too. We're lucky. And we're lucky to have you, Jordan, be such a good supporter of books and reading. And I appreciate everything Piragis has done for our books. And I'm looking forward to seeing you soon. I always pop in to sign books and I'll see you, I'm sure, in the next week.Jordyn Stocks (14:59.62)Yeah, sorry I missed you yesterday. Hopefully we'll see you soon. All right. Wonderful. You too. Absolutely. Thanks for having me. Bye.Stephanie Hansen (15:02.34)Yeah. you will, you will. It's good to see you again, Jordan, and thanks for being a guest. Okay, bye-bye. Mm-hmm.Stephanie Hansen's @StephaniesDish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Dishing with Stephanie's Dish, host Stephanie Hansen speaks with Jordyn Stocks from Paragis Outfitters Bookstore about the impact of recent wildfires on the Ely community, the role of the bookstore in supporting local culture, and the hidden gems of Ely. They discuss the diverse offerings of the bookstore, including popular book recommendations and the importance of community support during challenging times.Visit Ely, Minnesota for fun things to do year-round! Whether you are looking for a place to stay, a delicious meal, a hiking trail, or an immersion experience, we have businesses ready to meet your needs.Stephanie Hansen (00:00.824)Hello, everybody, and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's Dish, the podcast where we talk to people in the food space, but I also talk to other people too. And I've been doing a little mini-series here for VisitElyMN.com to help you get to know some of the cool Ely businesses. Ely is my second home. It is the place where I wrote the True North Cabin cookbook, and it's very near and dear to my heart. And you may have heard that theyHave experienced some wildfires in the Boundary Waters Canoe area and around that area this summer. As of this recording, I think the fires are about 40 to 50% contained. Some of the evacuation areas have been lifted. And the town has just really done a great job of keeping people informed and safe. And I'm here today with Jordan Stocks. She is from Piragis Outfitters.And she particularly runs the bookstore that opened gosh, it was last summer already, wasn't it, Jordyn?Jordyn Stocks (00:59.77)Yes, yeah. So in the new space, we've been there since last May, but the bookstore itself has been around in some version for over 20 years now. So it'sStephanie Hansen (01:11.286)So what happened is is there was in the Piragis store, there was the bookstore on the second level, and they used to have another building down the street that they did some surplus kind of sales, and they've merged a lot of that together inside this building. And then you guys have paddle boards and canoes also across the street. Piragis sort of owns this corner that has a lot of fun stuff going on in Ely andI know that with the boundary waters permits being canceled and just opening up more recently to daytime. And I imagine we'll get some more areas that'll open up here as the summer progresses. Has it been a hard time for you guys at the store?Jordyn Stocks (01:54.437)It's it's yeah, it's been a little bit different. It's been a little quieter as you can imagine, in outfitting particularly without having the boundary waters open. We've definitely seen some slowdown in traffic there.Stephanie Hansen (02:07.315)And when you think about the bookstore, yeah. WhatJordyn Stocks (02:11.732)Yeah, the bookstore and the store have maintained like we've still been busy. We've still seen traffic. you know, not as busy as it would normally be. Blueberry festival would have been this weekend, as you know. that didn't happen. But yeah, overall it's still been we're hanging in there. It's still been still been a good weekend, but yeah, quieter.Stephanie Hansen (02:35.286)It's a good example of how smart it is for businesses to kind of silo to. Like, you know, you start with one thing that maybe is your core competency, but then to support the business through non-trip times, you know, you've got the clothing store and then you add the bookstore, which is kind of a year-round service business for the town in and of itself. It's cool to have so many different facets. And I know you guys sell online too and have a pretty big online following.Jordyn Stocks (02:43.473)Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, it it it does help that we have a few different things going on with the the clothing and the gifts and the gear and the books and the online presence. So that is that's been nice to have all of that going on. And we've definitely seen an uptick in in online sales and phone sales. So we're still shipping things out all over the country. We're still selling things to, you know, fire crews that are here, local folks that are out and about.People coming up for their cabins. Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (03:37.612)What is your history with Paragas and how did you get started and land in the bookstore component?Jordyn Stocks (03:41.76)well I've been here. This is my third no 14th summer here. So I started out just kind of part-time evening shifts in the retail store. And then the bookstore manager at the time, she was she was moving on to I think she was going back home to Chicago or somewhere. So I was excited about the prospect of working with the books and here I am.Thirteen years later. Stephanie Hansen (04:13.856)And you are an Ely resident. Are there some features about Ely in particular or locations that you feel are like hidden gems?Jordyn Stocks (04:23.909)Yeah, so I was actually born and raised here. So I don't know, growing up I kind of kind of probably took a lot of it for granted, but now you know seeing it with fresh eyes, I guess through people who were coming here for the first time and you know coming here repeatedly year after year. one of one of my favorite things is the the Ely Witten Historical Society. They have this cute little museum in the Vermillion Community College.It's it's free, they just feel like goodwill donations, it's self guided. But there's a lot of really interesting historical things there. They have a lot of a lot of books that were written by local folks about history and like very specific history, like the Birdside River or Winton and the lumber industry. So that's pretty fun local history. I love the sedan mine. It's it's open now for underground tours again, which I'm excited to do this summer. I haven't goneYears. Yeah, we just went.Stephanie Hansen (05:19.384)I'm trying to think.I did go to the Sedan Underground mine tour. It's super cool. I think I went, gosh, probably when I first started coming to Ely. So maybe, you know, like gosh, 20 years ago, but it was so cool to be taken underground and through the mine system. And you went with a original miner. So they would talk about like what their day was like. That seems like a uniqueaspect of being in northeast Minnesota because mining was such a pillar of what was happening here at the time. And just like being underground and the constant temperature, that was one of the highlights of one of the things I've done in town.Jordyn Stocks (06:04.049)Yeah, yeah, it's a it's a very cool experience. I'd highly recommend doing that. but yeah, other than that, we've got a lot of great hiking trails, places to canoe and paddle and swim and do all those things. Berry picking. there's always something to do. We've got a great yeah, we've got a great you know, local art scene with the theater and art shows, we've got the movie theater.It's just a lot of fun stuff to do, always always something.Stephanie Hansen (06:38.12)Absolutely. And I know you guys for such a smallish town, your bookstore has like a big footprint. You guys have sold a ton of the True North Cabin cookbooks for me, so thank you. Also, the Moon Tav the Moon Tavern.Jordyn Stocks (06:49.271)Yeah. Yeah, of course. Thanks for coming and Yeah. Yeah, the the new one's been popular.Stephanie Hansen (06:58.964)And also Kurt's book, The Barrens, the Canoe Book has still done well too. So I wanna thank you for that. And I know you guys have a lot of artists that come through and authors that come through. When you're stocking the bookstore, like who would you say is your ideal customer that you're stocking for? Because you have like such a great romance section, a good kid section.Jordyn Stocks (07:21.126)Gosh, that that's a tough one. and it changes, I feel. a lot of people are just are looking for a book to take out on trip with them. Something something that's gonna like be engaging right away, something that's engrossing. they don't want a lot of heavy reading necessarily. But we've also got people who want, you know, the latest best sellers, the things they're seeing on on book talk or theYou know, Reese's book picks or all those things. but also a lot of people looking for local history, things about the area, just something to kind of you know put them in the mindset of being here in the woods. Yeah. A lot of lot of different customers, a lot of variety.Stephanie Hansen (08:07.916) I imagine maybe that changes as you get into the winter months too and it's more of the regular town folk versus the though you have a big visitors that come in the winter too, ‘cause we come and go snowmobiling, we cross country ski.Jordyn Stocks (08:19.792)Yeah. Yeah, yeah, totally. Yeah, there's definitely people coming all year round. It's it's of course, you know, a little a little more mellow in the winter, not as much foot traffic. But yeah, definitely a lot of locals will they'll special order things, you know, they heard about on the radio or they read about in the paper, or you know, they've gottheir favorite Minnesota authors having a new book come out and they want to pre-order that. So yeah.Stephanie Hansen (08:49.877)Yes. I love that. if you could pick three books that you think are kind of buzzy right now that you see that people are excited about, we'll we'll throw them out there because I think I'm always looking for new reads.Jordyn Stocks (09:05.333)Yeah, so people right now are looking for Theo of Golden. I'm blanking on the author's name, but they're also looking for the correspondent and Calamity Club. And then the newest William Kent Krueger book, which won't be out tillAugust, but you know, they're always looking for his latest. Stephanie Hansen (09:29.815)I think I'm the only one in the world that didn't love that Theo of Golden Book, but you know, everybody's got their own vibes.Jordyn Stocks (09:34.01)I haven't read it, but I've definitely that seems like a book that people are either loving or they're hating. There's no in-between on that, as far as I'm hearing.Stephanie Hansen (09:51.192)I feel like that's also what is the name of the book? And I bought it at your store about the social media influencer who gets dropped into the eighteen hundreds.Jordyn Stocks (10:00.429)Yesteryear. That one's been really popular too. Yeah, that's another love it or hate it one. Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (10:02.347)Yes. Another book that I yes, like I totally hate read that book and read the whole thing and hated it, but kept going. It it was, you know how sometimes you don't love a book, but it's compelling enough to keep reading and sort of see what happens at the end.it's fascinating, I think, that that book got so much traction. But I don't know, like I I love the diversity of what you guys offer there. You have a ton of local too, like Abby Yaminez. I know you have a large section for her romance books. And romance is a big seller.Jordyn Stocks (10:36.246)We do. Yep. It is. We never used to carry much of it or like have much of a demand for it, but it's been like flying off the shelves lately. I I don't I don't know what it is, but and and that's not a genre that I typically read. So I I've been relying a lot on like s like coworker and customer recommendations, which has been fun. .Stephanie Hansen (11:09.793)It for your personal life, like you probably have to read a lot of books. Like how many books do you think you read in a month?Jordyn Stocks (11:17.462)And I I don't know. I also listen to a lot of books, but I don't know how many I read in a month. Probably like half a dozen, maybe. I don't I don't really know. I doStephanie Hansen (11:31.064)That's a lot. I listen to people talk about, you know, is listening to a book the same as reading or does it count? It's like who's keeping score number one? And yes, it counts. when you can think of a book that is narrated by someone that really makes it come alive, like I just listened to Whistler by Ann Patchett, which I don't know if I would have liked that book as much if she hadn't read it.Jordyn Stocks (11:58.966)Yeah, I totally get that. I I listen to more nonfiction, more memoirs and things, and I especially love when the author reads it. Like David Sederis will read his own, like Nick Offerman reads his own. They're both really great to listen to. And it's just I don't know, it it I think it brings a lot more to it in that circumstance. So but yeah. before we break here, I do want to mention that you guys have the catalog. And in the catalog are you have a lot of books in the catalog, a lot of the cookbooks, the seasonal books, there's also gear.Jordyn Stocks (13:16.393)We do. We do, yeah, and we have the website as well that's fully shoppable, the Boundary Waters catalog website. there's I mean certainly more than what was in the catalog, but not not as much as in the store. But there is quite a variety there and I'm I'm always happy to special order things too if someone's looking for something that they're not seeing in the store oron the website that's happy to look for things. Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (13:43.949)That's good to know. That's good to know because I know there's been a lot of interest in supporting Ely in particular. I'm going to link there's a fund that's been established that the United Way of Northeastern Minnesota is putting together and there's three pillars that you can donate to. One is nonprofits, one is Ely specific small business, which I appreciate. And also there is an opportunity to donate to the Wildfire Fund. SoI will put that in the show notes. Anything you want people to know specifically about Ely before we break?Jordyn Stocks (14:15.351)Great.gosh. it's just it's just such a great place to to live and to visit. There's you know great people here. Just the way you know you've mentioned people have been showing up for one another and supporting people during this just weird, uncertain wildfire time. It's it's been really cool. It's just a great place to be. Lots, yeah.Stephanie Hansen (14:42.423)I think so too. We're lucky. And we're lucky to have you, Jordan, be such a good supporter of books and reading. And I appreciate everything Piragis has done for our books. And I'm looking forward to seeing you soon. I always pop in to sign books and I'll see you, I'm sure, in the next week.Jordyn Stocks (14:59.62)Yeah, sorry I missed you yesterday. Hopefully we'll see you soon. All right. Wonderful. You too. Absolutely. Thanks for having me. Bye.Stephanie Hansen (15:02.34)Yeah. you will, you will. It's good to see you again, Jordan, and thanks for being a guest. Okay, bye-bye. Mm-hmm.Stephanie Hansen's @StephaniesDish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Today we're sharing a conversation with an author who has been discussed often here on the podcast: William Kent Krueger.  We originally held this author talk over in Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club, and which we're sharing with you today as we explore Krueger's book This Tender Land. This conversation feels especially timely and has been on our minds and on our tongues, as This Tender Land was inspired by Homer's The Odyssey, a timeless story that many of you tell us you're looking forward to seeing on screen this summer in the new blockbuster adaptation film. Today's conversation and your enjoyment of it does not hang on whether you know anything at all about The Odyssey, or whether you've read anything by Kent Krueger yet. Join us as we explore the power of a good story well told, how authors make creative decisions, and the backstories behind Krueger's beloved series and his decidedly different standalone novels. You'll also hear the story behind his favorite pair of boots.  Let us know if you're looking forward to seeing (or reading) The Odyssey this summer in the comments section. Find that along with the list of titles discussed on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/534. For more conversations like this one, join us over in the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club, where we're excited about our upcoming annual observance of Austen in August, followed by our Fall Book Preview in mid-September. We'd love to have you join us for our live events. Members also enjoy our robust community featuring dedicated book forums, buddy reads, classes, and more happenings. We hope you'll find your book people in Book Club. Find out more and join us at modernmrsdarcy.com/club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Barbara Peters in conversation with William Kent Krueger 

A few nights before Halloween, as Cork O'Connor gloomily ruminates on his upcoming birthday, he receives a call from his son, Stephen, who is working for a nonprofit dedicated to securing freedom for unjustly incarcerated inmates. Stephen tells his father that decades ago, as the newly elected sheriff of Tamarack County, Cork was responsible for sending an Ojibwe man named Axel Boshey to prison for a brutal murder that Stephen is certain he did not commit.Cork feels compelled to reinvestigate the crime, but that is easier said than done. Not only is it a closed case but Axel Boshey is, inexplicably, refusing to help. The deeper Cork digs, the clearer it becomes that there are those in Tamarack County who are willing once again to commit murder to keep him from finding the truth.At the same time, Cork's seven-year-old grandson has his own theory about the investigation: the Windigo, that mythic cannibal ogre, has come to Tamarack County…and it won't leave until it has sated its hunger for human blood.William Kent Krueger is the New York Times bestselling author of The River We Remember, This Tender Land, Ordinary Grace (winner of the Edgar Award for best novel), and the original audio novella The Levee, as well as twenty acclaimed books in the Cork O'Connor mystery series, including Spirit Crossing, Fox Creek, and Lightning Strike. He lives in the Twin Cities with his family. Learn more at WilliamKentKrueger.com.#speakingofwriterspodcast #williamkentkrueger #authorpodcast

In part two of our “Best Books of the Year” conversation, Hunter and Autumn share their favorite reads as categorized within general interest, children's books, and fiction and literature, reflecting on the stories that stuck with them this year. From critiques of modern discourse and meditations on land and interdependence to novels of grace, friendship, and moral awakening, these books ask what it means to live well and love rightly.Resources mentioned in this episode:General Interest:Summer of our Discontent: The Age of Certainty and the Demise of Discourse by Thomas Chatterton WilliamsA Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon by Kevin FedarkoFrom Strength to Strength by Arthur BrooksChildren's:We Sing! and Pippa and the Singing Tree by Kristyn GettyColorado: 50 Hikes With Kids by Wendy Gorton and Kristin TillackFiction and Literature:Lord of the Rings (3 Vols.) by J.R.R. Tolkien - Fiction and LiteratureTill We Have Faces by C.S. LewisSilas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe by George EliotOrdinary Grace by William Kent KruegerMaster and Commander by Patrick O'BrianDeath Comes for the Archbishop by Willa CatherSmall Things Like These by Clare Keegan

Barbara Peters in conversation with William Kent Krueger      

New York Times bestselling author, Marc Cameron, discusses his pulse-pounding new release, DEAD LINE. Deputy U.S. Marshal Arliss Cutter and his partner must save a government witness from cold-blooded assassins. But in the brutal Alaskan wilderness besieged by snow and ice, it will take everything they have to make it out alive. “I can't think of another writer whose work I admire more." —William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author Listen in as we chat about how his experiences as a US Marshalls influenced the story, hear the special Maori saying that sums up how he writes such multidimensional characters, and find out breaking news about the mind-blowing book event Marc has scheduled for next year! https://marccameronbooks.com https://www.mariesutro.com/twisted-passages-podcast ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Author of the New York Times bestselling Jericho Quinn Thriller series, Marc Cameron's short stories have appeared in The Saturday Evening Post and BOYS LIFE magazine. In late 2016, he was chosen to continue the Tom Clancy Jack Ryan/Campus Thriller series. TOM CLANCY COMMAND AND CONTROL released in November 2023. Cameron is a retired Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal who spent nearly thirty years in law enforcement. His assignments have taken him from Alaska to Manhattan, Canada to Mexico and dozens of points in between. He holds a second-degree black belt in Jujitsu and is a certified scuba diver and man-tracking instructor. Originally from Texas, Cameron is an avid sailor and adventure motorcyclist. His books often feature boats and bikes including OSI Agent Jericho Quinn's beloved BMW GS Adventure. Cameron and his wife live in Alaska. He enjoys hearing from readers.

New York Times bestselling author, Marc Cameron, discusses his pulse-pounding new release, DEAD LINE. Deputy U.S. Marshal Arliss Cutter and his partner must save a government witness from cold-blooded assassins. But in the brutal Alaskan wilderness besieged by snow and ice, it will take everything they have to make it out alive. “I can't think of another writer whose work I admire more." —William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author Listen in as we chat about how his experiences as a US Marshalls influenced the story, hear the special Maori saying that sums up how he writes such multidimensional characters, and find out breaking news about the mind-blowing book event Marc has scheduled for next year! https://marccameronbooks.com https://www.mariesutro.com/twisted-passages-podcast ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Author of the New York Times bestselling Jericho Quinn Thriller series, Marc Cameron's short stories have appeared in The Saturday Evening Post and BOYS LIFE magazine. In late 2016, he was chosen to continue the Tom Clancy Jack Ryan/Campus Thriller series. TOM CLANCY COMMAND AND CONTROL released in November 2023. Cameron is a retired Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal who spent nearly thirty years in law enforcement. His assignments have taken him from Alaska to Manhattan, Canada to Mexico and dozens of points in between. He holds a second-degree black belt in Jujitsu and is a certified scuba diver and man-tracking instructor. Originally from Texas, Cameron is an avid sailor and adventure motorcyclist. His books often feature boats and bikes including OSI Agent Jericho Quinn's beloved BMW GS Adventure. Cameron and his wife live in Alaska. He enjoys hearing from readers.

In this chapter, the Bookies talk about books! (Yep, you read that right.) We also discuss some about Annette and Kailen's experience of going to a live book reading in Grand Rapids for author William Kent Krueger. It was a first-time experience for the two; have you ever been to a reading? Did you enjoy it? Let us know!Follow and reach out to us on our respective socials:Instagram - paperback_perspectivesX - Paperback_PodTikTok - paperback.podYouTube - @PaperbackPerspectivesPodcastemail - paperbackperspectivespod@gmail.com

Hello, everyone! If you are a reader, this is the episode for you! I am with my book-loving friend Paula, who shared her book recommendations with us last year! She's thankfully agreed to indulge me with a podcast, and from my research, her list is pretty good! Please know that I provide nothing other than an occasional question of verification or a hearty laugh. It was the best decision, trust me. Paula is a pro, and she didn't really need to know that I'm currently reading the Throne of Glass series. For the third time. EPISODE NOTES: PAULA'S CHOICES Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (cozy mystery) Thursday Murder Club (on Netflix) Theo of Golden by Allen Levi (fiction) Sociopath by Patric Gagne (memoir) Have More Fun by Mandy Arioto (non-fiction) The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger (literature) The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles (historical fiction) Where the Light Fell by Philip Yancey (Christian memoir) Colony by Anne Rivers Siddons (fiction) The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (fiction) Ordinary Time: Lessons Learned While Staying Put by Annie B. Jones (essays) SHOW NOTES: Subscribe to Podcast: iTunes or Android Follow Me: Instagram, and Twitter Audio Player

In this episode, Ross talks with William Kent Krueger about his Cork O'Connor series, including a sneak peak of the next book in the series, God's Country. Krueger discusses his use of a small town setting, spirituality, and a dynamic protagonist to keep his long-running series compelling to readers.    Krueger will be visiting the Sharon Forks Library on October 9 and October 10. Please check our Events Calendar for registration details.

Barbara Peters in conversation with William Kent Krueger

The NLS annotation follows: Spirit crossing: a novel DB123843 Author: Krueger, William Kent Reading Time: 10 hours, 4 minutes Read by: David Chandler Subjects: Mystery and Detective Stories, Suspense Fiction “The disappearance of a local politician’s teenaged daughter is major news in Minnesota. As a huge manhunt is launched to find her, Cork O’Connor’s grandson stumbles across the shallow grave of a young Ojibwe woman–but nobody seems that interested. Nobody, that is, except Cork and the newly formed Iron Lake Ojibwe Tribal Police. As Cork and the tribal officers dig into the circumstances of this mysterious and grim discovery, they uncover a connection to the missing teenager. And soon, it’s clear that Cork’s grandson is in danger of being the killer’s next victim”– Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. New York : Recorded Books, Inc., 2024. You can find this book on Bookshare at the following website: https://www.bookshare.org/browse/book/6190327?returnPath=L3NlYXJjaD9tb2R1bGVOYW1lPXB1YmxpYyZrZXl3b3JkPVNwaXJpdCUyQkNyb3NzaW5n

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Scott Graham is the National Outdoor Book Award-winning author of the National Park Mystery Series, published by Torrey House Press. A special 10th Anniversary Edition of book one in the series, Grand Canyon Sacrifice, featuring a foreword by Anne Hillerman, will be released March 25, 2025. Death Valley Duel, book nine in the series, was released in June 2024. Scott's critically acclaimed mysteries feature archaeologist Chuck Bender and his family as they encounter villainous intrigue in America's iconic western national parks, illuminating environmental and social justice issues specific to the parks along the way. Upon its debut, William Kent Krueger praised Grand Canyon Sacrifice as “engrossing…a topnotch read,” and Nina de Gramont called Death Valley Duel “a taut, smart, and propulsive thriller.” Scott is an avid outdoors person and advocate for public lands who lives with his wife, an emergency physician, in Durango, Colorado. In addition to his mysteries, Scott is the author of five nonfiction books. He has worked as a newspaper reporter, magazine editor, radio disk jockey, city councilor, and coal-shoveling fireman on the steam-powered Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.  More: scottfranklingraham.com. Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/   Host Mark Stevens www.writermarkstevens.com   Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8&si=yl_seG5S4soyk216

Tune in to explore what makes Spirit Crossing a must-read, gain insights from our team, and hear why it's captured the attention of our library staff. Perfect for fans and new readers alike!

Your local pumpkin patch might be closed for the season, but you can still enjoy crisp, cool evenings and the crunch of fallen leaves with these autumnal reading recommendations. Check out what we talked about: "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen with readalike "Pride and Premeditation: A Jane Austen Murder Mystery" by Tirzah Price. "The Night Country" by Stewart O'Nan with readalike "Dark Tides" by Chris Ewan. "The Chandler Legacies" by Abdi Nazemian with readalike "The Maidens: by Alex Michaelides. "Nine Liars" from the "Truly Devious" series by Maureen Johnson. "Sweetbitter" by Stephanie Danler with readalike "This Tender Land" by William Kent Krueger. "The October Country" by Ray Bradbury with watchalike cartoon miniseries "Over the Garden Wall" from Cartoon Network. Briefly mentioned were the television series "Inspector Morse," "Midsomer Murders," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," and "The Twilight Zone." To access complete transcripts for all episodes of Not Your Mother's Library, please visit: oakcreeklibrary.org/podcast Check out books, movies, and other materials through the Milwaukee County Federated Library System: countycat.mcfls.org hoopladigital.com wplc.overdrive.com oakcreeklibrary.org

Mystery lovers, rejoice! This week's guest is one of the undisputed leaders of the genre, a NYT bestseller, and a recipient of the Edgar Award. The author of 20 Cork O'Connor novels and several more standalones visited Authors Love Bookstores to talk with fellow author Joe Moldover about a life steeped in Minnesota mystery. Hosted by Trisha Blanchet

How is the brain affected by solitary confinement? How would you deal with being stranded on a deserted island? And do baby monkeys make the best therapists?  SOURCES:William Broyles Jr., screenwriter, journalism, and former U.S. Marine Corps officer.Beatriz Flamini, Spanish mountaineer.Craig Haney, professor of psychology at the University of California Santa Cruz.Harry Harlow, 20th-century American psychologist.Sarah Hepola, author.Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa.Tree Meinch, freelance writer, editor, and freediver.Alexander Selkirk, 18th-century Scottish privateer and Royal Navy officer.Cheryl Strayed, writer and podcast host. RESOURCES:"The Impact of Isolation on Brain Health," by Vibol Heng, Craig Haney, and Richard Jay Smeyne (Neurobiology of Brain Disorders, 2023)."What Happens When Humans Are Extremely Isolated?" by Tree Meinch (Discover, 2023)."Spanish Climber Leaves Cave After 500 Days in Isolation," by Ciarán Giles (AP News, 2023)."Solitary Confinement Is Not 'Solitude': The Worst Case Scenario of Being 'Alone' in Prison," by Craig Haney (The Handbook of Solitude, 2021).This Tender Land, by William Kent Krueger (2019).Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, by Cheryl Strayed (2012)."The Real Robinson Crusoe," by Bruce Selcraig (Smithsonian Magazine, 2005)."Lost at Sea and Back Again," by Sarah Hepola (The Austin Chronicle, 2000)."Social Recovery of Monkeys Isolated for the First Year of Life: I. Rehabilitation and Therapy," by Melinda Novak and Harry Harlow (Developmental Psychology, 1975). EXTRAS:"Do You Need a Hug?" by No Stupid Questions (2024)."What Makes a Good Gathering?" by No Stupid Questions (2024)."What to Do When Everything Looks Like a Catastrophe?" by No Stupid Questions (2022).Cast Away, film (2000).

We wrapped up our early 2024 “Bookaccino Live” Book Group programming with William Kent Krueger as our guest. He discussed his New York Times bestseller and Edgar Award-nominated book, THE RIVER WE REMEMBER. Readers joined to ask questions, which covered a myriad of topics. Kent also gave us a preview of his new Cork O'Connor mystery, SPIRIT CROSSING, which will be available on August 20th, and talked about his audio original novella, THE LEVEE, which came out last year. As always when Kent joins us, the conversation was warm and engaging. Our Latest “Bookreporter Talks To” Interviews: Lisa Wingate: https://youtu.be/Ob8T6DGotYA Ruth Reichl: https://youtu.be/SUUOB2pcY2E Genevieve Kingston: https://youtu.be/ZoQXByI0XMU Terah Shelton Harris: https://youtu.be/9wmUdzlRuJ4 Ann Hood: https://youtu.be/KvHoLDZQSAQ Mary Kay Andrews: https://youtu.be/fPgCOM0Dfxg Simone Gorrindo: https://youtu.be/pgg46TW63SY Megan Miranda: https://youtu.be/VqZ_EEV5JbE Anna Quindlen: https://youtu.be/JiOt8pz9kLo Tamron Hall: https://youtu.be/XIgoGu-Qpc4 Our Latest “Bookaccino Live” Book Group Events: Ann Napolitano: https://youtu.be/VNYNugzjVbo Kate Morton: https://youtu.be/P8nwLRTAaFg Shelby Van Pelt: https://youtu.be/V2RbvnDn_rs Lisa See: https://youtu.be/GV3G-szlWHU Dani Shapiro: https://youtu.be/Qwb4YxxQIPU Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan: https://youtu.be/A4t2w8dat7c Alice Elliott Dark: https://youtu.be/4fgncFSfeM0 Laura Dave: https://youtu.be/fD82fbLJ1Pg Kristin Hannah: https://youtu.be/p4dVHdVZC3I Allison Pataki: https://youtu.be/7HmJlMd0V1A Fiona Davis: https://youtu.be/DT-XR5ue_5Q Nita Prose: https://youtu.be/f_Ev0KN8z2M Sign up for newsletters from Bookreporter and Reading Group Guides here: https://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/ FOLLOW US on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookreporter Website: https://www.bookreporter.com Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

PWPL Library Director Andrea Ingmire talks wine marathons, Puzzle Mania, and mysteries. Andrea's Book Recommendations: The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger

On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: accepting bookish feedback and purging our bookshelves Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: our current top 5 reads of 2024 The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) .  .  .  .  .  1:29 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week 9:18 - Our Current Reads 9:53 - The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo (Meredith) 17:02 - Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher (Kaytee) 20:29 - 101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered by Sadie Hartman (Meredith) 20:36 - @mother.horror on Instagram 25:57 - The Girls I've Been by Tess Sharpe (Kaytee) 28:18 - A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson 28:20 - One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus 29:07 - Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy (Meredith) 30:05 - An Unlikely Story 30:30 - Commonplace Books 32:26 - A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman 33:43 - Sociopath by Patric Gagne (Kaytee) 39:23 - Our Top 5 Reads of 2024 (So Far) 42:36 - The Color Purple by Alice Walker 43:24 - Shoot the Moon by Isa Arsen 43:56 - The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger 44:43 - A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams 44:57 - Seven Days in June by Tia Williams 45:12 - Confessions by Kanae Minato  46:11 - Wolfsong by T.J. Klune 47:30 - The God of the Woods by Liz Moore 48:36 - James by Percival Everett 49:32 - All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker 50:06 - We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker 51:17 - Family Family by Laurie Frankel 52:19 - The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett 54:40 - Meet Us At The Fountain 54:51 - I wish you could bottle up the feeling of reading a book for the first time. (Meredith) 54:56 - Family Family by Laurie Frankel 54:57 - The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett 55:45 - I wish I could press All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle. (Kaytee) 56:17 - All The Lonely People by Mike Gayle 57:11 - Minisode w/Mike Gayle Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. May's IPL comes to us from Commonplace Books in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the special insights of an independent bookseller The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

Big Book and Bold Ideas talks with authors from around the globe. But our favorite moments come when host Kerri Miller sits down with Minnesota writers to talk about story, craft and how calling this state home influences both. This week, we took a look back at some conversations with notable Minnesota authors, including Shannon Gibney, who just won her third Minnesota Book Award, Hmong writer Kao Kalia Yang and not-ashamed-to-be-a-mystery-writer William Kent Krueger.

Let's look back to a simpler time, when kids played outside until dark and phones were attached to the walls. Have you seen the movie Secretariat where the father says to his sons, “Get your devices off the table,?” The devices were their toy airplanes, that always cracks me up but it also is a reminder of how much things have changed. Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger reminds us of a less hurried time. He wrote from his hear masterfully weaving together a novel of historical fiction, matters of grief, coming of age (bildungsroman), and mystery. The story is told from Frank Drum's viewpoint as he, now a grown man, looks back to the summer when he was an unsettled kid of thirteen grappling with what manhood was all about in his mixed-up world. His younger brother, Jake, has a stuttering problem. He also has deep insight. He didn't fake things, he was the real deal. Ariel, their talented older sister, was soon to be on her way to Juliard. Their father, Nathan Drum, pastors 3 churches, ministers to his war buddy,Gus, and pours into the whole community. “My father and his great embracing heart.” On the other end of the caring spectrum we meet Ruth Drum, distant mom and wife, being a preacher's wife is not what she signed up for. Kruegar shows the after effects of WWII. “I think that it wasn't so much the war as what we took into the war. Whatever cracks were already there the war forced apart, and what we might otherwise have kept inside came spilling out.” The novel starts with an accidental death of a small boy then the boys find a homeless man who died of natural causes. Next, there's a suicide attempt and a murder! Not a book for youngsters, the content is heavy and the language is like that of sailors, but for readers that are ready it is a gift. We are shown the different ways people work through grief. “Hope was what my father held to. My mother chose despair.” “I (Frank)felt ______'s death had shoved me through a doorway into a world where I was a stranger.” Jake said, “If we put everything in Gods' hands, maybe we won't have to be afraid anymore.” Please join Kate and Sheila as they dive into the 1960s. Blessings to you, dear readers! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

Hello, everyone! If you are a reader, this is the episode for you! I am with two of my book-loving friends and I made them sit around a darling kitchen table to share what they are devouring lately. From my research, the list is pretty good. Please know that I provide nothing other than an occasional question of verification or a hearty laugh. It was the best decision, trust me. These women are pros, and they didn't really need to know that I'm currently reading the Selection series. For the third time. EPISODE NOTES: PAULA'S CHOICES All My Knotted Up Life by Beth Moore (biography) Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See (historical fiction) How To Stay Married by Harrison Scott Key (memoir) The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (murder/mystery) Taste by Stanley Tucci (food/memoir) The Kitchen Counter Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn (cooking/food) RANELLE'S CHOICES The Local by Joey Hartstone (thriller) First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston (thriller) Something Bad Wrong by Eryk Pruitt (thriller) The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger (murder/mystery) The Women by Kristin Hannah (historical fiction) Tea Shop Mystery Book Series by Laura Childs (murder/mystery) Blind Date with a Book Books as TV Series A Gentleman in Moscow (Amazon Prime) Lessons in Chemistry (Apple Plus) We Were the Lucky Ones (Hulu) SHOW NOTES: Subscribe to Podcast: iTunes or Android Follow Me: Facebook and Instagram, and Twitter Audio Player

On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: bookish pre-orders and picking the right books for ourselves Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: Bookish Friends' best and worst books of 2023, with interesting overlaps! The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) .  .  .  .  .  2:19 - Currently Reading Patreon (sign up for a 7 day free trial and check out all the goodness!) 7:42 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week 10:57 - The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (pre-order, releases June 11, 2024) 11:01 - Long Bright River by Liz Moore 12:51 - Fabled Bookshop 14:29  - Our Current Reads 14:42 - The Elephants of Thula Thula by Francoise Malby-Anthony (Kaytee) 15:09 - The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony and Graham Spence 18:04 - The Serpent & the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent (Meredith) 20:32 - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 20:35 - Twilight by Stephanie Meyer 24:12 - Erasure by Percival Everett (Kaytee) 29:48 - The Trees by Percival Everett 30:42 - What the Dead Know by Barbara Butcher (Meredith) 35:28 - The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein 36:51 - Thieves' Gambit by Kayvion Lewis (Kaytee) 36:56 - The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 40:38 - The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger (Meredith) 45:31 - This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger 46:11 - Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger  46:20 - Ordinary Grace by Willam Kent Krueger 46:42 - Deep Dive: Bookish Friends' Best and Worst Reads of 2023 46:51 - Currently Reading Patreon 50:35 - Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (#1 best AND worst read) 51:25 - Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese (#5 favorite) 51:28 - Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (#4 favorite) 51:32 - Hello Beautiful by Anne Napolitano (#3 favorite) 51:36 - Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (#2 favorite) 51:49 - The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer (#5 least favorite)  51:54 - Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson (tied #3 least favorite) 51:56 - Happy Place by Emily Henry (tied #3 least favorite) 51:59 - I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai (#2 least favorite) 52:23 - Shark Heart by Emily Habeck 52:46 - Happiness Falls by Angie Kim 53:46 - Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus 53:47 - Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt 54:39 - Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld 54:46 - Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros 57:58 - The Whispers by Ashley Audrain 59:05 - The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin 59:17 - Sarah's Bookshelves Interview with Lara Love Hardin 1:01:37 - Meet Us At The Fountain 1:01:45 - I wish for  more duologies in the bookish universe. (Kaytee) 1:02:12 - The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny 1:02:45 - I want those who love mysteries, thriller and horror to follow @mother.horror on Instagram (Meredith) 1:03:34 - Mother Horror Patreon 1:03:51 - Near the Bone by Christina Henry 1:04:09 - The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. February's IPL is brought to you by Booktenders in Huntington, West Virginia. Trope Thursday with Kaytee and Bunmi - a behind the scenes peek into the publishing industry All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the special insights of an independent bookseller The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

Barbara Peters in conversation with Amy Pease and William Kent Krueger

Hello to you listening in Moelv, Norway!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with 60 Seconds for Thoughts on Thursday and your host, Diane Wyzga.The Witch of Whidbey is a voracious reader. So many books, so little time. Here's one summary of a recently read novel: On Memorial Day 1958 in small town Jewel, Minnesota, the body of wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn is found floating in the Alabaster River, dead from a shotgun blast. The investigation falls to Sheriff Brody Dern, a highly decorated war hero who still carries the physical and emotional scars from his military service.The summary is innocuous enough; but what will make The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger a spell-binding page-turner? It's the Set-up! Page 1: There's a river; it's in Minnesota; it starts here; flows this way and that; people swim and fish in the river; the river has many fish such as this one and that one; and the channel catfish, bottom-dwelling, mud-sucking, ugly, voracious. Last line: “And this is the story about how the channel cats ate Jimmy Quinn.”Don't you want to know .... what happens next?A story is how "what happens next" affects someone who is trying to achieve what turns out to be a difficult goal, and how she changes as a result.Question: Which books and opening lines do you remember because you wanted to know, what happens next? How do your choices reveal aspects of your own story? Email me at info@quartermoonstoryarts.net to share your discoveries.You're always invited: “Come for the stories - stay for the magic!” Speaking of magic, would you subscribe, share a 5-star rating + nice review on your social media or podcast channel of choice, and join us next time!Meanwhile, stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website to:✓ Check out What I Offer,✓ Arrange your free Story Start-up Session,✓ Opt In to my monthly NewsAudioLetter for bonus gift, valuable tips & techniques to enhance your story work, and✓ Stay current with Diane on LinkedIn.Stories From Women Who Walk Production TeamPodcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story ArtsMusic: Mer's Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron MusicAll content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved.

Zibby interviews William Kent Krueger about his novel THE RIVER WE REMEMBER, a dazzling, instant New York Times bestseller. Krueger shares insights into his writing process, the inspiration behind his work, and the importance of the setting as a character. This novel, which is set in 1958 Minnesota, revolves around a mysterious murder in a small town, but its deeper themes explore the impacts of war and the quest for healing. Krueger, not a Minnesota native, describes his profound connection to the state and how it influences his writing. And, reflecting on his father's experience in World War II and its impact on family dynamics, Krueger illustrates how personal history can shape his stories. Finally, Krueger shares his best advice for aspiring writers (it includes writing from the heart and marrying someone with a stable job).Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3SRoZHMShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Now there's more! Subscribe to Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books on Acast+ and get ad-free episodes. https://plus.acast.com/s/moms-dont-have-time-to-read-books. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

William Kent Krueger joined us for our first-ever LIVE “Bookreporter Talks To” interview to discuss THE RIVER WE REMEMBER. Some of the readers who won the book in a recent Bookreporter contest joined us live with their questions, while Carol Fitzgerald shared questions on behalf of our readers who are camera-shy or were unable to join us live. Please note that there were no spoilers discussed so you can watch or listen even if you have not read the book. We also opened up this program to all readers who wanted to attend live so they could enjoy it. Book discussed in this episode:  THE RIVER WE REMEMBER by William Kent Krueger: https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/the-river-we-remember Our Latest “Bookreporter Talks To” Interviews: Jean Kwok: https://youtu.be/zi5aAQBvX6g Thrity Umrigar: https://youtu.be/F0btsAxTPQA Ashley Audrain: https://youtu.be/39UpbAbc5no John Sargent: https://youtu.be/Wm93hbgRs-A Sarah Pekkanen: https://youtu.be/lb5EUOn-Rr4 Angie Kim: https://youtu.be/iOZJcg6i1iM Our Latest “Bookaccino Live” Book Group Events: Alice Elliott Dark: https://youtu.be/4fgncFSfeM0 Laura Dave: https://youtu.be/fD82fbLJ1Pg Kristin Hannah: https://youtu.be/p4dVHdVZC3I Allison Pataki: https://youtu.be/7HmJlMd0V1A Fiona Davis: https://youtu.be/DT-XR5ue_5Q Nita Prose: https://youtu.be/f_Ev0KN8z2M Sign up for newsletters from Bookreporter and Reading Group Guides here: https://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/ FOLLOW US on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookreporter Website: https://www.bookreporter.com Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

In Episode 153, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I are back for our 3rd annual Debuts Special! Today, we're sharing our favorite debuts from 2023 (so far), new and backlist! Plus, we discuss our reading stats for debuts this year, and we talk about some standout sophomore novels that made the cut. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Highlights How this year's crop of debuts compares to those from previous years. A full breakdown of our 2023 debut-related stats. Debuts we love, divided into three categories: Favorite Debuts of 2023 (so far) Favorite Backlist Debuts Standout Sophomore Novels Favorite Debuts of 2023 (so far) [7:06] Sarah Talking at Night by Claire Daverley | Amazon | Bookshop.org [8:01] The Art of Scandal by Regina Black | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:43] Good for a Girl by Lauren Fleshman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:02] Shark Heart by Emily Habeck | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:41] Susie Go As a River by Shelley Read | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:47] Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [16:49] In Memoriam by Alice Winn | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:43] The Road to Dalton by Shannon Bowring | Amazon | Bookshop.org [30:40] Other Books Mentioned The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin [7:27] The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue [8:47] Normal People by Sally Rooney [8:48] The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller [8:50] One Day by David Nicholls [8:51] Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering [9:20] Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens [13:07] The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger [24:23] The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff [24:25] A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara [25:33] No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister [32:06] The Net Beneath Us by Carol Dunbar [33:07] A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson [33:10] Favorite Backlist Debuts [33:22] Sarah The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:37] Blood Sugar by Sascha Rothchild | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:47] Susie Severance by Ling Ma | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:18] Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:53] Other Books Mentioned Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson [34:23] Tom Lake by Ann Patchett [37:21] Pete and Alice in Maine by Caitlin Shetterly [37:23] Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel [37:33] The Dog Stars by Peter Heller [37:40] Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller [42:56] Standout Sophomore Novels [44:46] Sarah I Could Live Here Forever by Hanna Halperin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:23] The Connollys of County Down by Tracey Lange | Amazon | Bookshop.org[49:51] Susie The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:33] The Whispers by Ashley Audrain | Amazon | Bookshop.org [51:59] Other Books Mentioned Happiness Falls by Angie Kim [45:10] Something Wild by Hanna Halperin [47:25] Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes [49:21] We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange [50:00] The Push by Ashley Audrain [52:35] Additional Books Mentioned Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus [2:15] The Measure by Nikki Erlick [2:17]

Tonight Trevor is joined by NY Times Bestselling Author William Kent Krueger and the two discuss his new novel The River We Remember, his favorite authors, inspirations, The Deep Valley Book Festival and his love for Minnesota. Then Rachael Hanel joins to discuss The Deep Valley Book Festival which is this weekend in Mankato. Marc "TNT" Stone joins for weekly NFL picks and Trevor closes with Your Parting Gift weekly commentary and this week he talks about people with too much hot air.

Barbara Peters in conversation with William Kent Krueger

We don't want to pigeon hole William Kent Krueger as a mystery writer. He writes terrific mysteries that will keep you guessing, sure, but what will keep you coming back is his talent! His sweeping descriptions of Minnesota landscapes, his unforgettable characters and his roots in cultural anthropology will keep you coming back. His new novel, The River We Remember, is a terrific "who done it" that beautifully weaves in themes of PTSD, the cultures of tribal bands in Minnesota, and the joys and perils of small town living. Our bookstore this week is Page 158 in Wake Forest, NC. Why is that their name? Tune in and find out! Books mentioned in this week's podcast: The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger The devil's bed by William Kent Krueger Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger Boundary Waters by William Kent Krueger Purgatory Ridge by William Kent Krueger Blood Hollow by William Kent Krueger Mercy Falls by William Kent Krueger Copper River by William Kent Krueger Thunder Bay by William Kent Krueger Red Knife: A Cork O'Connor Mystery by William Kent Krueger Heaven's Keep by William Kent Krueger Vermilion Drift by William Kent Krueger Northwest Angle by William Kent Krueger Trickster's Point by William Kent Krueger Tamarack County by William Kent Krueger Windigo Island by William Kent Krueger Manitou Canyon by William Kent Krueger Sulfur Springs by William Kent Krueger Destination Mountain by William Kent Krueger Lightning Strike by William Kent Krueger Fox Creek by William Kent Krueger The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Tom Lake by Ann Patchett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode, I am chatting with William Kent Krueger. William is an award-winning authors of many novels, including This Tender Land and the recently released, The River We Remember. We chatted about memories that books bring us, cultivating his writing and reading life, as well as what it is to be human. Tune in to hear this insightful episode including his favorite books over the years as well as his list of regular re-reads. I hope you enjoy the episode as much as I did.

In this interview, Kent and I discuss The River We Remember, creating a strong sense of place in his stories, how his father was changed by fighting in World War 2, the time period following this war in the U.S., the genre of domestica exotica, his title and cover, and much more. Kent's recommended reads are books by Fredrik Backman. Join my Patreon group to support the podcast.  Other ways to support the podcast can be found here.     The River We Remember can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back VBT listeners! This week, we sit down with 2019 BOTY finalist William Kent Krueger. We discuss his newest novel, The River We Remember; his love for small towns; making peace with the past; and why he dedicated this book to his editors.  The River We Remember takes place on Memorial Day in Jewel, Minnesota, when the half-clothed body of a wealthy landowner is found floating in a river. The investigation of the murder falls to Sheriff Brody Dern—a war hero who still carries the emotional and physical scars from his service. Quickly, vicious rumors circulate through the small town that the killer must be Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII veteran. The River We Remember is both a complex mystery and a masterful portrait of mid-century American life. Get The River We Remember at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  

Do you have a recommendation for a guest on the show? Want more of a particular direction of guests? Drop me a line at hank.garner@dabblewriter.com and let me know! Join us at our YouTube channel to join in LIVE for upcoming author interviews!  https://tinyurl.com/dabbleyoutube Raised in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, William Kent Krueger briefly attended Stanford University—before being kicked out for radical activities. After that, he logged timber, worked construction, tried his hand at freelance journalism, and eventually ended up researching child development at the University of Minnesota. He's been married for fifty years to a marvelous woman who is a retired attorney. He makes his home in St. Paul, a city he dearly loves. Krueger writes a mystery series set in the north woods of Minnesota. His protagonist is Cork O'Connor, the former sheriff of Tamarack County and a man of mixed heritage—part Irish and part Ojibwe. His work has received a number of awards, including the Minnesota Book Award, the Loft-McKnight Fiction Award, the Anthony Award, the Barry Award, the Dilys Award, and the Friends of American Writers Prize. His last eleven novels were all New York Times bestsellers. Ordinary Grace, his stand-alone novel published in 2013, received the Edgar Award, given by the Mystery Writers of America in recognition for the best novel published in that year. The companion novel, This Tender Land, was published in September 2019 and spent nearly six months on the New York Times bestseller list.

Minnesota author William Kent Krueger has written 19 books that star his primary protagonist, private investigator Cork O'Connor. But just as central to his writing is the landscape of Northern Minnesota. It's more than a setting. It's a character. “I write profoundly out of a sense of place,” Krueger told MPR News host Kerri Miller at a special spring Talking Volumes earlier this month. “When I used to teach writing, I taught place as character. Place is one of the most important and versatile characters in any story.” Don't miss this warm and revealing conversation between Miller on Krueger, recorded on stage at The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth. They talk about the development of O'Connor as an Irish-Ojibwe man, how Anishinaabe mythology shaped Krueger's writing and why he believes mysteries should not be underestimated as classic literature. Krueger also shares the jaw-dropping prologue for his next stand-alone novel, “The River We Remember,” which comes out later this year. Miller and Krueger were joined on stage by musical guests Clancy Ward and Kyle Orla. Guest: William Kent Krueger is a prolific author, known best for his Cork O'Connor mysteries, which are set in Northern Minnesota. His next novel, “The River We Remember,” publishes in September 2023. Use the audio player or video player above to listen to the conversation. Subscribe to the MPR News with Kerri Miller podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or RSS. Subscribe to the Thread newsletter for the latest book and author news and must-read recommendations.

Minnesota writer William Kent Krueger is a fan favorite, thanks largely to his series of crime novels featuring private investigator Cork O'Connor. Krueger joined host Kerri Miller in Duluth earlier this week for a special spring edition of Talking Volumes. You'll hear that conversation on Friday. So it's only fitting that this week's archive is Krueger's last appearance on the Talking Volumes stage. He was at the Fitzgerald Theater in 2021 to discuss his book, “Lightning Strike.” Guest: William Kent Krueger is a prolific author, known best for his Cork O'Connor mysteries set in Northern Minnesota. Use the audio player above to listen to the conversation. Subscribe to the MPR News with Kerri Miller podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or RSS. Subscribe to the Thread newsletter for the latest book and author news and must-read recommendations.

Golden Voice narrator JD Jackson acts out William Kent Krueger's dramatic audio-original novella. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Michele Cobb discuss this AudioFile Earphones Award-winner set in Mississippi in 1927. Listeners learn of a potential breach of a levee, the only thing holding back torrents of water during unprecedented flooding of the lower Mississippi River. Four men arrive by boat and work tirelessly to save the levee and rescue stubborn stranded residents. Jackson's deep, gravelly voice pervades the performance. The raging river's inexorable attacks are reflected in Jackson's cadence as he adds emotional energy to the exhausting fight between men and the mighty Mississippi. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Levee Raised in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, William Kent Krueger briefly attended Stanford University—before being kicked out for radical activities. After that, he logged timber, worked construction, tried his hand at freelance journalism, and eventually ended up researching child development at the University of Minnesota. He's been married for nearly fifty years to a marvelous woman who is a retired attorney. He makes his home in St. Paul, a city he dearly loves. Krueger writes a mystery series set in the north woods of Minnesota. His protagonist is Cork O'Connor, the former sheriff of Tamarack County and a man of mixed heritage—part Irish and part Ojibwe. His work has received a number of awards, including the Minnesota Book Award, the Loft-McKnight Fiction Award, the Anthony Award, the Barry Award, the Dilys Award, and the Friends of American Writers Prize. His last nine novels were all New York Times bestsellers. Ordinary Grace, his stand-alone novel published in 2013, received the Edgar Award, given by the Mystery Writers of America in recognition for the best novel published in that year. The companion novel, This Tender Land, was published in September 2019 and spent nearly six months on the New York Times bestseller list.

The Levee Raised in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, William Kent Krueger briefly attended Stanford University—before being kicked out for radical activities. After that, he logged timber, worked construction, tried his hand at freelance journalism, and eventually ended up researching child development at the University of Minnesota. He's been married for nearly fifty years to […]

William Kent Krueger talks to Carol Fitzgerald about his novella, THE LEVEE, which is available in audio format only. He shares the history of this story, as well as the decision to produce it as an audio original. They talk about the narrator, JD Jackson, and how his performance really brought the story to life. Kent's books are known for their strong characters, and he discusses the importance of character development. The audiobook includes an author's note read by Kent and a preview of his next novel, THE RIVER WE REMEMBER (on sale September 5th), which he mentions in the interview. Book discussed in this episode: THE LEVEE: https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/the-levee-audiobook Latest “Bookreporter Talks To” Interviews: J.T. Ellison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F63lFI2nmw Hank Phillippi Ryan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMZjJCtKUU4 Jane Harper: https://youtu.be/-N2EWgHeeEU Deborah Goodrich Royce: https://youtu.be/0DluxmfXGoI Allegra Goodman: https://youtu.be/l_Un9MvpmNQ Dani Shapiro: https://youtu.be/cxN5wItfyP0 Clare Mackintosh: https://youtu.be/yxU_npofftw  Jamie Fiore Higgins: https://youtu.be/bz6tTCLmxlE Check out our past “Bookaccino Live” Book Group events: Nita Prose: https://youtu.be/f_Ev0KN8z2M Chamaine Wilkerson: https://youtu.be/0DluxmfXGoI Joyce Maynard: https://youtu.be/atXP9_gxGU8  Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray: https://youtu.be/rYelwWiTJbE Janet Skeslien Charles: https://youtu.be/47Sx9DtcAkA Miranda Cowley Heller: https://youtu.be/gVlKvApDO8M Sign up for newsletters from Bookreporter and Reading Group Guides here: https://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/ FOLLOW US on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookreporter Website: https://www.bookreporter.com  Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

In this interview, Kent and I discuss The Levee, using Faulkner's novella The Old Man as a jumping off point, the booming audiobook market, writing an audio original versus a book, why he focuses on the themes of the power of nature and the complexity of humans, and much more. Kent's recommended reads are: To Catch a Storm by Mindy Mejia Saving Myles by Carl Vonerau Support the podcast by becoming a Page Turner on Patreon.  Other ways to support the podcast can be found here.     Ask Me Anything question for me for April's episode? Submit it here. Want to submit a Read-Alike Request for the podcast? Submit it here. Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don McMillan took the path less traveled, in fact he may be that path's lone pedestrian. Don came to stand-up comedy from Silicon Valley. A former engineer with a Masters from Stanford, the comedy and problem solving portions of Don's brain have collaborated to craft a unique act that features a hilarious roast of power point presentations, illustrated, of course, by a power point presentation.Don's uniquely relatable brand of stand-up took him to the semi-finals on this year's America's Got Talent. With jokes that are perfectly pithy, while maintaining all the elegance of the Pythagorean Theorem, Don has established a Corporate comedy niche that finds him performing consistently for an audience of global brand giants.Don joins us with AGT behind-the-scenes secrets, success tips and power point dos and don'ts!Plus, Weezy recommends ORDINARY GRACE by William Kent Krueger and Fritz's pick is B.J. Novak's VENGEANCE.Path Points of Interest:Don McMillanDon McMillan on YoutubeDon McMillan AGT SemifinalsDon McMillan on TwitterDon McMillan on InstagramVengeance - PrimeOrdinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

Writers come to the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul from all over the world for Talking Volumes. The experience is always intimate and energetic. But hometown authors might have the most fun. For this special edition of Big Books and Bold Ideas, host Kerri Miller takes a look back at some of her favorite on-stage conversations with Minnesota writers. They include Dessa, who appeared at Talking Volumes in 2018 to talk about her memoir, “My Own Devices,” William Kent Krueger, who was the finale guest in 2021, and Kate DiCamillo, who also appeared in 2021 and brought the house down several times with her witty banter. You can still get tickets to the 2022 season of Talking Volumes. Karen Armstrong kicked it off in September. Coming up later this month and in November: Celeste Ng, Dani Shapiro and Ross Gay. Guests: Dessa is a singer, rapper and writer based in Minneapolis. Her memoir, “My Own Devices,” was published in 2018. William Kent Krueger is an novelist and crime writer, best known for his series of novels featuring Cork O'Connor, which are set mainly in Minnesota. Kate DiCamillo is an award-winning storyteller for both children and adults. She lives in Minneapolis. To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.  Subscribe to the MPR News with Kerri Miller podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or RSS. Subscribe to the Thread newsletter for the latest book and author news and must-read recommendations. 

Developing good relationships with your building and district administrators is key to growing and maintaining a successful program. For teachers at the high school level, there may be no more important administrator than your A.D. Depending on the size of your school, A.D. might stand for activities director, athletic director, or arts director, but the job is pretty much the same - and it's not an easy one: to schedule and oversee all of the extracurricular activities in a school. So we sit down with Keith Badger, the Activities and Athletics Director at Farmington High School, learn about his philosophy and background. In turn, he explains how someone with a PE/Coaching background is working to learn more about - and advocate for - music and the arts. IN ADDITION, Erin and Brad talk a bit about books. Why? Who knows!?!? But they talk discuss a mutual love for the novel “Where the Crawdads Sing” - and how Brad is really into in William Kent Krueger right now!