History in black & white Minnesota on display

Turner Publishing Co. has seen a lot of success in recent years with its steady stream of historic photo books. And why not? They're nice books, big and heavy, with sharp reproductions of old photos that have been locked away for decades in libraries and historical society vaults. In the past few years Turner has published photo books about most major cities (including, diplomatically, separate books on Minneapolis and St. Paul) as well as about people and events (Chicago crime, Ernest Hemingway, various Civil War battles).

"Historic Photos of Minnesota" has just been published (205 pages, $39.95), a heavy, square book like the others, fat with black-and-white pictures from the Library of Congress, the Minnesota Historical Society, and various Twin Cities newspapers. It was compiled and written by Susan Marks, a Minneapolis writer, who will be at Har Mar Barnes & Noble in Roseville at 7 p.m. Thursday to sign books.

Also ...

• The finalists for the Great Lakes Book Awards have been announced, and they include Spike Carlsen of Stillwater for "A Splintered History of Wood," David Wroblewski for "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle," and Wisconsin's Michael Perry for "Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs and Parenting." To qualify, books must have been published between June 2008 and May 2009. Nominations are limited to writers who live around the Great Lakes or set their books there. Winners will be announced in August.

• Cork O'Connor fans, listen up: "Heaven's Keep," by William Kent Krueger, is coming out in September with Atria Books. Will Krueger kill off Cork's wife, Jo? Hmmm. ... The jacket copy seems to imply so, but ...

• Former Twin Citian Jessica Hopper (now of Chicago) is the author of "Girls' Guide to Rocking: How to Start a Band, Book Gigs and Get Rolling to Rock Stardom," published by Workman Publishing. She'll be at Magers & Quinn in Uptown Minneapolis at 7:30 p.m. Thursday to sign books. She'll be introduced by Laurie Lindeen from the band Zuzu's Petals. Lindeen is the author of a memoir, "Petal Pusher," out last fall in paperback.

• Publication of Kate DiCamillo's sixth Mercy Watson book ("Mercy Watson: Something Wonky This Way Comes") will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Red Balloon Bookstore in St. Paul. Bring, or buy, a book and get it autographed by DiCamillo. Mercy Watson, of course, is a spirited and ebullient pig who looovvvves butter, and while she won't be at the party, Mudonna, mascot of the St. Paul Saints, will be.