Recent content from Laurie Hertzel
Do you like to share beloved books with strangers?
BOOKMARK: There are so many ways to give books. You can be mysterious, leaving books where strangers might find them.
Lack of diverse lineup leads to cancellation of Mpls. writing conference
21 of the 22 speakers booked to discuss writing for children were white. "We made a mistake," says Loft Literary Center leader.
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Imbolo Mbue, who is coming to the Twin Cities, talks about her novel and about being an Oprah author
Imbolo Mbue’s debut novel “Behold the Dreamers” looks at the American dream from the points of view of two couples — a wealthy New York…
BOOKMARK: A new subset of memoir – the memoir of dying – brings news from the abyss
Over the past 25 years or so, memoir writers have plumbed nearly every facet of life: traumatic childhood, coming of age, parenthood, divorce, parents’ demise,…
REVIEW: 'The Misfortune of Marion Palm,' by Emily Culliton
FICTION: A mother of two leaves her family behind after embezzling thousands of dollars in this comic novel reminiscent of the works of Maria Semple.
More beloved kids' books to love, recommended by readers
Readers weigh in on their favorite books from childhood.
Review: 'Morningstar: Growing Up With Books,' by Ann Hood
NONFICTION: Ann Hood details how she grew up bookish in an un-bookish family — and how reading changed her life.
Talking Volumes' fall lineup includes Sherman Alexie and Amy Tan
Memoir, history, fiction and spies: There's something for everyone at this book club.
BOOKMARK: We asked readers if they keep a book journal: Here's what they said
Do you keep a journal of the books you read? Here's what some folks do to track their books, with ratings from "blah" to "excellent."
These new picture books have a unique Minnesota twist
A new crop of kids' books celebrates adventure, family and, like any good Minnesota book, summer.
Celebrating a world before Kindle
Dublin abounds in museums and libraries. Here are three that are custom-made for lovers of the printed page.
So many books, so little time: 10 tips on how to get more reading done
What do you mean, you're busy? Help is on the way.
Review: 'The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83¼ Years Old,' translated from the Dutch by Hester Velmans
FICTION: An elderly man begins keeping a journal to keep up his spirits in this dark, funny and true-to-life novel by an anonymous Dutch author.
Review: 'F. Scott Fitzgerald in Minnesota: The Writer and His Friends at Home,' by Dave Page with photographs by Jeff Krueger
NONFICTION: This big, lavish book explores the St. Paul streets that F. Scott Fitzgerald called home.
Bookmark: Writers and musicians organize to raise environmental awareness
Back in the 1960s, Minnesota poet Robert Bly and his friend David Ray, also a poet, formed a group called American Writers Against the Vietnam…
Unplanned teenage gig in Duluth library fosters love for children's books
When I was 13, I got a job shelving books at the public library in Duluth, the most stultifying job ever held by anybody on…
Fargo goes beyond the 'Ya, you betcha' and offers big surprises
The neon lights glow bright along downtown Fargo's Broadway strip.
Your ultimate guide to 45 books to read this summer
Our summer books guide highlights books of fiction, mystery and young-adult fiction.
Review: 'Theft by Finding: Diaries 1977-2002,' by David Sedaris
NONFICTION: The first volume of the humorist's diaries, in which he traces his early years of struggle, the death of his mother and his rise to fame, is wildly entertaining but should be taken with a grain of salt.
Do you keep a journal of the books you read?
Every New Year’s Day, I vow to keep a record of every book I read over the next 12 months. I have a special notebook…
Reviews: 'Everything Is Flammable,' by Gabrielle Bell and 'Imagine Wanting Only This,' by Kristen Radtke
NONFICTION: Two memoirs told in graphic-novel form tell powerful — but very different — stories of destruction and rebirth.
'American Gods' — first the novel, then the TV series, now a coloring book
“American Gods,” the novel-turned-TV show that Neil Gaiman said could only have been written in the Midwest is now also a coloring book. Of…
Readers recommend the best books for reading aloud
The secret is out — you love reading aloud, and you love being read to. I knew it! And I am delighted. Last month I…
Minn. prof deemed funniest person in America debuts adult coloring book
Julie Schumacher's new coloring book (yes, you read that right) skewers the world of academe.
Review: 'A $500 House in Detroit,' by Drew Philp
NONFICTION: A young man bought an abandoned house in Detroit to rehab it — and became part of a community.
St. Paul writer Caitlin Bailey wins Lindquist & Vennum Prize for Poetry
The author will receive $10,000 and a publishing contract with Milkweed Editions.
Debut book catapults Minnesota author to literary stardom
Before it was even published, Twin Cities writer Lesley Nneka Arimah's first book was all the buzz.
Review: 'Killers of the Flower Moon,' by David Grann
NONFICTION: New Yorker writer David Grann delves into mysterious killings on the oil-rich Osage reservation in Oklahoma in the 1920s.
Minnesota Book Award winners include Kao Kalia Yang, Sun Yung Shin, Peter Geye, Shawn Otto
Surprises abound as newbie winners nudge venerable writers in several categories.
Young love, second chances and revolution: 7 books that feel like spring
In literature, spring isn’t just a time, it’s a symbol — of renewal and fresh starts, of surviving hardship, of budding love, of longing,…
Author James McBride finds humor in pain and pain in humor
The bestselling author doesn't find everything funny. Humor, he notes, depends on context. He will speak Wednesday night at the University of Minnesota.
National Book Critics award speeches are inspiring, filled with gratitude
The best thing about the National Book Critics Circle Awards ceremony in New York last month wasn’t the speeches, though they were great: It was…
Registration open now for F. Scott Fitzgerald conference in St. Paul
The annual international F. Scott Fitzgerald Society Conference will take place this summer in the writer's hometown for only the second time in its history.
Bookmark: Books to spark joy when read out loud
If we were lucky, we were read to when we were young. If we didn’t have parents or siblings to read to us (and I…
NBCC awards: The culmination of a long year of reading
I am still reading, kind of frantically, but I think by the time I head out to New York I will be ready. I am…
Minneapolis and St. Paul bookstores will hand out pocket-sized poems
Twin Cities bookstores will hand out pocket-size poems in March and April on the theme of migration.
Yaa Gyasi, author of bestselling "Homegoing," coming to the Twin Cities in March and May
Yaa Gyasi's family saga will spark a community conversation in Eden Prairie.
Two books tell the story of Russia – of now, and of then
It has been many years since I have been to Russia, but my interest in that fascinating country has never dimmed. When I visited in…
REVIEW: 'The Stranger in the Woods,' by Michael Finkel
NONFICTION: Michael Finkel's fine exploration of the mysterious life of a hermit fails to answer the key question: Why?
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Readers suggest big, thick books as winter drags on
It's still February, and we're still looking for "bloated books" to while away the dark evenings.
St. Paul's Penumbra Theatre founder Lou Bellamy wins 2017 Kay Sexton Award
Award honors those who have devoted a lifetime to literature and books.
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You could be 'writer in residence' for the Mall of America
The Mall of America is looking for a writer to spend five days writing about the mall.
The dubious art of 'decorating' with books
The beauty of books comes from the fact that the writers come in different shapes, sizes and colors — as well as mind-sets, points of view, background and attitude.
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Read, discuss, act: New Little Free Library book club inspires community action
When you think about it, there’s not much of a leap from reading a good book to doing a good deed. People who like to…
What books should President Donald Trump read? From Cormac McCarthy to Dr. Seuss, readers have suggestions
Last week, the New York Times reported on a typical day in the White House for Donald Trump. “Mr. Trump,” the story noted, “who does…
Review: 'The War Within: Diaries From the Siege of Leningrad,' by Alexis Peri
NONFICTION: A riveting work draws on diaries of Leningrad residents during the city's World War II siege.
12 books to read for understanding, community building, resistance and action
The country has inaugurated a new president, a man who ran on a platform of deporting immigrants, registering Muslims, draining the “swamp” of politics and…
Louise Erdrich leads finalists for Minnesota Book Awards
The Minnesota Historical Society Press and the University of Minnesota Press each have four finalists.
Mpls. author Barnhill wins Newbery Award, children's literature's highest honor
Kelly Barnhill was sound asleep Monday when her cellphone rang at 5 a.m., blasting the theme from the TV show "Wonder Woman" and jolting her…
Big fat books to help winter go fast
By this time of year, polar vortex or El Niño, it doesn’t matter: It feels like winter will never end. The up side, of course,…
Review: 'Krazy,' by Michael Tisserand
NONFICTION: A fascinating biography of George Herriman, the creator of the comic strip "Krazy Kat," and a man who slipped past the color line.
What's the best response to book contract for internet troll Milo Yiannopoulos?
There's been a lot of outrage in the past week over the Breitbart News editor's recent book deal.
Review: 'Birds Art Life,' by Kyo Maclear
NONFICTION: A profound, charming memoir of art, books, life — and birds.
Bookmark: Turning the page to 2017
Many years ago, one of my colleagues went to Ireland and came back with a sticker, which he gave to me. It’s green, white and…
Review: 'War Diaries,' by Astrid Lindgren
NONFICTION: In empathetic entries, writer Astrid Lindgren guides readers through a Scandinavian view of WWII.
Roxane Gay, Elizabeth Strout, George Saunders, and more: Books to watch for in early 2017
So 2016 is slithering to a close. It’s been a year, eh? Let’s look ahead. Here are some books coming up in the first half…
Reviews: 'Dogs on Instagram,' and 'Cats on Instagram'
NONFICTION: The dogs and cats of Instagram are hamming it up in two new books of mostly pictures.
What's the best book you ever got as a gift? Readers share stories
"The Pickwick Papers" and "The Tawny Scrawny Lion" were among the favorites.
Memoirs that captivate, from Regina McBride, Danielle Flood and Decca Aitkenhead
It’s the voyeur in me, maybe. Or the years spent as a newspaper reporter. But for whatever reason, I am fascinated by the lives of…
Review: 'Shakespeare and Company: A History of the Rag and Bone Shop of the Heart,' edited by Krista Halverson
NONFICTION: An affectionate, gossipy history of the legendary Parisian bookstore Shakespeare and Co.
10 websites for lovers of the written word
It is probably a bad idea to write this, because we already spend way too much time on the web. But as I sit at…
The 50 best books for holiday giving
Our annual holiday books guide highlights a dozen novels and a dozen books of nonfiction, as well as a liberal sprinkling of glowing picture books; important young-adult fiction; bold, gorgeous graphic novels, and regional books steeped in sense of place.
Review: 'Black Elk: The Life of an American Visionary,' by Joe Jackson
NONFICTION: This sweeping biography of the visionary Black Elk is also a history of the destruction of an ancient culture.
How do you choose your next book? Readers reveal their secrets
Can't decide on a book? Read reviews, turn to page 69, or just let your cat pick.
Colson Whitehead, Rep. John Lewis win National Book Awards
The annual awards ceremony was infused with politics and the 2016 presidential election. Finalists with Minnesota ties missed out.
Review: 'Footnotes From the World's Greatest Bookstores,' by Bob Eckstein and Garrison Keillor
NONFICTION: Illustrated anecdotes from 75 indie shops — most living, a few sadly dead.
Review: 'Schoolhouse,' by Marc Nieson
NONFICTION: A New York City writer heads to Iowa to escape a tortured romance and finds his true self in the countryside.
As libraries change, we lose little pieces of history, like card catalogs
Everything about a library opened doors, let in light, told you more than you had ever expected to know. Perhaps best was the card catalog which was filled with history and possibility.
Bookmark: Scary books to read for Halloween
I don’t like being scared. The older I get, the more susceptible I am to “ghoulies and ghosties/And long-leggedy beasties/And things that go bump in…
Best-selling author Ann Patchett gets up close and personal
The novelist broke a longtime vow, drawing on her own life for her latest book.
How poet Elizabeth Alexander turned sorrow into a celebration of love
In her acclaimed memoir, author Elizabeth Alexander writes about the excruciating loss of her husband – but also of their joyous life together.
Elizabeth Alexander, Colson Whitehead and others lined up for Talking Volumes
Funny and serious, fiction and nonfiction, the book club's 16th season has something for everyone.
Meet Marlon James, other top writers at Twin Cities Book Festival
Meet favorite authors and pick up some books at the annual Twin Cities Book Festival.
Review: 'The Trespasser,' by Tana French
FICTION: A beautiful woman is killed, and everyone around her has a different story.
Bookmark: Contest with major award announced for Midwestern fiction writers
It's a well-known fact that right after I moved away from Duluth, the town became hip. Brewpubs and galleries opened; food became artisan and locavore;…
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