The big year-long 100th birthday celebration of writer Frederick Manfred continues this month with a reading in Luverne, his chosen home town, by poet Robert Bly, his good, good friend. Bly will be accompanied by his wife, Ruth, and by sitarist David Whetstone.

 

Manfred, born in Iowa, lived in southwestern Minnesota most of his life. He was the author of 34 books, including "Lord Grizzly," most of which were set in a place he called Siouxland--the place where Minnesota, South Dakota and Iowa come together. He died in 1994 at age 82.

 

Robert Bly's latest collection is "Talking into the Ear of a Donkey."  He'll read from that (and likely from all kinds of other things, including books and poems by other people) at 7 p.m. Aug. 25 at Blue Mounds State Park.