BOOKS /topics/books BOOKS en-US Tue, 01 Jul 2025 23:54:04 GMT Bemidji Public Library book sale rescheduled to July 14-17 /news/local/bemidji-public-library-book-sale-rescheduled-to-july-14-17 Sarah Suchoski BEMIDJI PUBLIC LIBRARY,KITCHIGAMI PUBLIC LIBRARY,BOOKS,THINGS TO DO,BEMIDJI,FUNDRAISERS The Bemidji Public Library’s annual book sale, originally set for June 23-26, has been rescheduled to July 14-17, at the Evangelical Free Church, 115 Carr Lake Rd. SW. <![CDATA[<p>BEMIDJI — The <a href="/government/bemidji-public-library">Bemidji Public Library&#8217;s</a> annual book sale, originally set for June 23-26, has been rescheduled to July 14-17, at the Evangelical Free Church, 115 Carr Lake Rd. SW.</p> <br> <br> <p>After a successful fundraiser last year, the library, in partnership with Friends of the Library, has estimated that about another 15,000 books will be available for purchase at the sale this year.</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;It&#8217;s really a book sale for all,&rdquo; said Sandi Marshall, secretary of the library board. &ldquo;We get a lot of people who come in for a variety of reasons. There are a lot of children&#8217;s books, homeschoolers come in, teachers, parents, and kids pick out their own books.&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <p>Here&#8217;s a look at the schedule for the week:</p> <br> <br> On Monday, July 14, the book sale will be open to Friends of Bemidji Public Library from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. If you are interested in becoming a member, there will be sign-ups at the event and it will cost $5 per person. On June 15 and 16, the book sale will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On July 17, the book sale will have Bag Day, which is $2 per bag of books. Bags will be provided at the event.<br> <p>After the event, if there are any books left, nonprofit organizations and the jail will have the opportunity to take leftover books before they are brought to the landfill or destroyed.</p> <br> <br> <p>All the money raised at the event will be put back into the library, whether that is improvements within the library or programs held there. In the past, the library has used the funds for a puppet station and book browsing stations for the children&#8217;s area, book repair machine, and bringing authors in to talk about their books.</p> <br> <br> <p>Credit cards will not be accepted at the sale, cash or checks only.</p> <br> <br> <p>For more information about future library events, contact the <a href="https://krls.org/bemidji-public-library/" target="_blank">Bemidji Public Library</a> at <a href="tel: (218) 751-3963" target="_blank">(218) 751-3963.</a></p>]]> Tue, 01 Jul 2025 23:54:04 GMT Sarah Suchoski /news/local/bemidji-public-library-book-sale-rescheduled-to-july-14-17 Retired Bemidji-area hospice nurse shares stories from his career /community/retired-bemidji-area-hospice-nurse-shares-stories-from-his-career Dennis Doeden BEMIDJI PUBLIC LIBRARY,BOOKS,BEMIDJI,THINGS TO DO Ken Smith's 117-page paperback book deals with the most frequently asked question of hospice: How much time do we have left? <![CDATA[<p>BEMIDJI — Death is not the enemy.</p> <br> <br> <p>That is a credo that helped Ken Smith navigate a 21-year career as a hospice nurse in the Bemidji area. Now retired, Smith has written a book about that career.</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;We Walked Through the Valley, Reflections on a Career as a Hospice Nurse&rdquo; is available for purchase at Sunrise Foods, Bemidji Woolen Mills and the Sanford Bemidji Medical Center gift shop, and online at Amazon.</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;Most other disciplines in the medical world are all focused on life-saving, life-improving, life-altering,&rdquo; said Smith, 68. &ldquo;That is the goal — to save, preserve, improve, enhance life. When a person gets to the point where there is no more ability to sustain life, then hospice can be elected.&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <p>He said he focused on three things: Comfort, safety and dignity at the end of life.</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;We&#8217;re not focusing on the death as such, but making the remaining life as comfortable, safe and dignified as is possible. Death is coming, and we're not fighting that, but we're trying to improve the life that remains and have that be as meaningful as possible.&rdquo;</p> <br> <figure> <img src="https://cdn.forumcomm.com/dims4/default/89d22a9/2147483647/resize/800x/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforum-communications-production-web.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F04%2F7c%2F8278cd0e4293b039ec964df5c269%2Fsmith-book-cover.jpg"> </figure> <p>The 117-page paperback book also deals with the most frequently asked question of hospice: How much time do we have left?</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;I can't think of any family or patient that I interacted with that did not ask that question,&rdquo; Smith said. &ldquo;We literally had people pass away during our intake process, and others live all the way up to two years. It took me a lot of my career to figure out how to talk to people about that. We can see the signs, we can see the changes and &mldr; the best we could do is look at a trajectory.&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <p>Smith did not become a nurse until he was 40 years old. He grew up in rural Laporte and went to Central Lakes College in Brainerd to study landscape architecture. He worked in that field as a landscape designer and foreman, then took a job at Bemidji Town and Country Club as assistant groundskeeper.</p> <br> <br> <p>Smith&#8217;s mechanical background served him well in those years, but he longed for something new. He was inspired by his neighbor, the late Gloria Murphy, who was a hospice nurse.</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;One day I just said to my wife, &#8216;Maybe I should be a nurse,&#8217;&rdquo; Smith recalled.</p> <br> <br> <p>So one day after working on machines in the shop at the golf course, he went to check out the nursing program at Northwest Technical College.</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;It was in January, and I was still wearing my working clothes,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;A kind lady looked me up and down and asked, &#8216;Can I help you?&#8217;&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <p>Smith was informed there were no openings in the certified nursing assistant program. But when he went to the registration desk, he learned that two people had just dropped out.</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;I started two weeks later,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I went from wearing working man clothes and being outdoors to working with people indoors. I put on a scrub and said, &#8216;Here we are, in a different world.&#8217;&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <p>Smith went through the three steps to become a registered nurse. &ldquo;There was a lot of good fortune, blessings, miracles, and some unexpected financial help,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Classwork was far more difficult than I imagined. But I was able to make it.&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <p>The <a href="/government/bemidji-public-library">Bemidji Public Library</a> will host a discussion of Smith's book at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 28, at the library, 509 America Ave.</p>]]> Sun, 22 Jun 2025 15:00:00 GMT Dennis Doeden /community/retired-bemidji-area-hospice-nurse-shares-stories-from-his-career Front Row Seat: 10 things you didn't know about North Shore landmarks /lifestyle/arts-and-entertainment/front-row-seat-10-things-you-didnt-know-about-north-shore-landmarks Jay Gabler NORTH SHORE,DNT SOCIAL MEDIA,THINGS TO DO,BOOKS,SUMMER FUN,SUMMER FUN - OTHER "The Scenic Route: Building Minnesota's North Shore" is a new book full of fascinating facts about everything from Glensheen to Grand Portage. <![CDATA[<p>DULUTH — While Desert Southwest tourists get their kicks on Route 66, Northland travelers have been taking it down Minnesota Highway 61 for nearly a century. Before that, the North Shore route had names including Minnesota Highway 1 and the Lake Superior International Highway.</p> <br> <br> <p>Arnold R. Alanen is the author of a new history of the North Shore, from Duluth to Grand Portage — and everything along the way. "The Scenic Route: Building Minnesota's North Shore" is available now from the University of Minnesota Press, and Alanen is making <a href="https://www.upress.umn.edu/events/" target="_blank">three Northland appearances</a> to present the book.</p> <br> <br> <p>From his home in Madison, Wisconsin, Alanen spoke with me about some of the revelations that may surprise even North Shore know-it-alls.</p> <br> Chester Congdon did much more for North Shore than build Glensheen <figure> <img src="https://cdn.forumcomm.com/dims4/default/3738f0b/2147483647/resize/800x/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffcc-cue-exports-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fduluthnewstribune%2Fbinary%2Fglensheen_binary_7083081.jpg"> </figure> <br> <p>Duluth's historic mansion is a highlight of the city's lake shore, but Chester Congdon, who built Glensheen for his family, thought even bigger. "He was one of the original sponsors," said Alanen, "of the so-called Lake Superior International Highway."</p> <br> <br> <p>A 1910 diagram appearing in the book depicts architects' plan for a landscaped boulevard providing separate lanes for cars, carriages, horseback riders and pedestrians. Congdon favored that plan and donated much of the land that became today's Congdon Boulevard — which is attractive, if not quite as elaborately landscaped as once imagined.</p> <br> New Scenic Cafe used to have 'American Graffiti' vibe <figure> <img src="https://cdn.forumcomm.com/dims4/default/9f0f166/2147483647/resize/800x/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforum-communications-production-web.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc2%2F4e%2F448b186e46bf9612a2084f695f7e%2F05aug15-0752.jpg"> </figure> <br> <p>If you were a teenager in 1950s Duluth and you wanted to take advantage of your night out with the family car, where would you go? You might well cruise up the shore to Johnson's Drive-In, which offered the classic complement of mid-century hot-rod attractions: burgers, carhops, jukebox. "It was a famous and most favored teenage hangout," said Alanen.</p> <br> <br> <p>A succession of ownership changes starting in 1972 saw the business move away from a teenage clientele in favor of North Shore tourists. The biggest changes, though, have come in the 21st century as chef/owner Scott Graden has turned the restaurant now known as the New Scenic Cafe into one of the region's top foodie destinations.</p> <br> Tom's Logging Camp remnant of roadside America <figure> <img src="https://cdn.forumcomm.com/dims4/default/d484664/2147483647/resize/800x/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforum-communications-production-web.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc7%2F8e%2F641159a14e0f8cfee71c92198600%2Fump-alanen-fig0646-stoney-pt-toms-logging-camp.jpg"> </figure> <br> <p>While the former Johnson's Drive-In has been dramatically transformed, Tom's Logging Camp remains an example of the kind of splashy tourist attraction that used to be more common along Highway 61. Owners Lauren and Steve Weckman don't just teach visitors about the region's logging heyday, but aim to maintain the retro feel the attraction has had for decades.</p> <br> <p>Some of the changes elsewhere along the North Shore are due to developments in technology. Gone are the days of coin-operated telescope viewers. Other changes are due to bygone practices that few, least of all the local fauna, would want to revive.</p> <br> <br> <p>"The North Shore had at least two places where they would have bears chained to a post," noted Alanen, "and daring but, maybe, foolhardy tourists would then buy some marshmallows and bring them along and feed the bruins."</p> <br> Russ Kendall's used to do a lot more than sell fish <figure> <img src="https://cdn.forumcomm.com/dims4/default/17871e5/2147483647/resize/800x/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffcc-cue-exports-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fduluthnewstribune%2Fbinary%2Fcopy%2F78%2F71%2F5621511eb68d24f11e13b866914c%2F924577-kingkendall0621c3-binary-1587616.jpg"> </figure> <br> <p>Russ Kendall's Smoke House dates back over a century, and is still famed for tasty fish. Back in its early decades, though, the business offered a range of boat charters as well as boasting a tavern and dance hall. In the 1950s, you could even go to Kendall's to watch live "grapplers," competitors akin to pro wrestlers.</p> <br> <br> <p>The grapplers would go at it in a tiny bar. "It must have really been tight and hot, even for the North Shore, to have those sweaty guys fighting in there," mused Alanen.</p> <br> Pierre the Voyageur spoke <p>Pierre the Voyageur is the 20-foot stalwart who stands alongside Highway 61 in Two Harbors. Also known as "Pierre the Pantsless Voyageur" due to having a much heavier clothing layer up top than down below, the statue was built in 1960 to promote the Voyageur Motel and was moved to its current home in 2011.</p> <br> <br> <p>The voyageur is now immobile, but that wasn't always the case. Originally, Pierre's head moved —&nbsp;and he even spoke. "The big man talked via speaker and a worker hidden in a booth," the Lake County News-Chronicle <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/1135789832/" target="_blank">reported</a> in 2010. Pierre's gaze became fixed in about 1980, when the motor that rotated his head wore out.</p> <br> <br> <p>Like Elton John, though, the voyageur is still standing. "When <a href="https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/high-winds-damage-two-harbors-landmark-pierre-the-voyageur">(a) storm of March 2017</a> came in and blew off its paddle and one arm, they made repairs," said Alanen. "Pierre is there still to greet motorists when they travel along the expressway."</p> <br> Two Harbors Lighthouse oldest still functioning in Minnesota <figure> <img src="https://cdn.forumcomm.com/dims4/default/e69bb6b/2147483647/resize/800x/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffcc-cue-exports-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fduluthnewstribune%2Fbinary%2Fcopy%2F07%2F70%2Fa6584a758cc4a4582dcd1917fadb%2F3364620-0b7jun9e4yztjrgx0qlbbeujouda-binary-1691222.jpg"> </figure> <p>Having never been to the Two Harbors shoreline at night, I didn't even realize the Lighthouse Bed &amp; Breakfast remains a <a href="https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/two-harbors-light-station-shines-again">working light station. </a>"They don't need a lightkeeper anymore because everything is so automated," explained Alanen.</p> <br> <br> <p>The light station has been active since 1892 — almost two decades before Split Rock Lighthouse became operational. It was electrified in 1921 and automated in 1981. Since 2001, the Lake County Historical Society has operated the light as a "private aid to navigation," according to the <a href="https://lakecountyhistoricalsociety.org/lighthouse/" target="_blank">society's website.</a></p> <br> Silver Creek cliff used to be deadman's curve <figure> <img src="https://cdn.forumcomm.com/dims4/default/761548f/2147483647/resize/800x/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforum-communications-production-web.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fd0%2Fe6%2F5a5f5d79427d9da9b4a83abf0401%2F121322.N.DNT.SilverCreekCliffWeather.C01.jpg"> </figure> <p>The Silver Creek Cliff Tunnel was completed in 1994 to promise safe passage along what was once a seriously sketchy stretch of highway.</p> <br> <br> <p>In the 1920s, some 60,000 tons of rock were dynamited to create a cliffside stretch of Minnesota Highway 1, which sported on its Lake Superior side a 125-foot drop that was so sheer, it was said you could toss a cigarette butt right into the water from your passing car.</p> <br> <br> <p>"Now," said Alanen, "people go by and they don't even realize what a challenge it used to be to drive there, especially on snowy nights or when it was very dark and foggy." Incidents on the road included a fatal crash in 1957, when a car broke through the guardrail and landed in the lake.</p> <br> <br> <p>Now, the Gitchi-Gami State Trail allows hikers to follow the former highway right of way — at a much slower speed.</p> <br> Silver Bay has taconite baptismal font <figure> <img src="https://cdn.forumcomm.com/dims4/default/5183a40/2147483647/resize/800x/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforum-communications-production-web.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F09%2Fd1%2F7a5e07b34c939fc9389e0569ceb9%2Fump-alanen-fig0799-sb-st-marys-font-2018.jpg"> </figure> <br> <p>There is no more hardcore way for a Northland Catholic baby to enter the community of believers than to be baptized at a font made of taconite. At St. Mary's Catholic Church in Silver Bay, 5 tons of Babbitt ore were turned into a church altar and baptismal font in 1958. "That is really quite a fascinating feature," said Alanen.</p> <br> Space-age Tofte roof approved by undergrad <figure> <img src="https://cdn.forumcomm.com/dims4/default/5e10de2/2147483647/resize/800x/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforum-communications-production-web.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F58%2Fab%2F9350d3e34a4fb22e8988692e6bc7%2Fump-alanen-fig0818-tofte-googie-tif.jpg"> </figure> <p>Maureen Olson was a University of Minnesota Duluth math major in the early 1960s when her dad and uncle decided to build a motel office in the Googie style that was then trendy. Contractors Kenneth (Maureen's father) and Dale Olson had previously built the hyperbolic paraboloid roof for Zoar Lutheran Church, and decided to put their skills to the test by building another parabolic roof.</p> <br> <br> <p>"They certainly had to work with the architect on the church, but built this one very much on their own," explained Alanen. Asked to review and approve the design, Maureen signed off — and obviously knew her stuff. The Tofte building is still standing to this day, home to Superior Massage Therapists.</p> <br> <br> <p>"It's a tribute to her, too," said Alanen.</p>]]> Thu, 19 Jun 2025 10:28:00 GMT Jay Gabler /lifestyle/arts-and-entertainment/front-row-seat-10-things-you-didnt-know-about-north-shore-landmarks Four Pines Bookstore to host Karen Babine June 20 /news/local/four-pines-bookstore-to-host-karen-babine-june-20 Pioneer Staff Report THINGS TO DO,BOOKS,BOOKSTORES,EVENTS Four Pines Bookstore will host Minnesota author Karen Babine at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 20, at the bookstore, 102 Third St. NW in Bemidji. <![CDATA[<p>BEMIDJI — Four Pines Bookstore will host Minnesota author Karen Babine at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 20, at the bookstore, 102 Third St. NW in Bemidji.</p> <br> <br> <p>Babine will discuss her book <a href="https://fourpinesbookstore.com/item/YoqefBrscwlgddrM_7LEBg" target="_blank">"The Allure of Elsewhere."</a></p> <br> <br> <p>In "The Allure of Elsewhere," Babine, accompanied by her two cats, Galway and Maeve, takes a journey in her Scamp camper from her home in Minnesota to Nova Scotia to explore the place and the stories of where her French-Acadian ancestors settled, a release said.</p> <br> <br> <p>"Capturing the joy, freedom, and powerful pull of the open road, "The Allure of Elsewhere" is about the stories we're told, the stories we tell, and the way those stories make us who we are, often in surprising ways," a release said. "Intimate, curious, and candid, written with wry wit and warmth, this is a courageous and inspiring memoir."</p> <br> <br> <p>This is a ticketed event. Buying a copy of the book counts as the ticket.</p> <br> <br> <p>Pember's book can be purchased in-store or online at <a href="https://www.fourpinesbookstore.com/events/44056" target="_blank">www.fourpinesbookstore.com.</a></p>]]> Fri, 13 Jun 2025 19:00:00 GMT Pioneer Staff Report /news/local/four-pines-bookstore-to-host-karen-babine-june-20 Parks and Rec to kick off nature book club June 18 /news/local/parks-and-rec-to-kick-off-nature-book-club-june-18 Pioneer Staff Report BEMIDJI PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT,THINGS TO DO,BOOKS The city of Bemidji Parks and Recreation Department will offer a nature book club from 6 to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays starting June 18, at the Historic Carnegie Library, 426 Bemidji Ave. N. <![CDATA[<p>BEMIDJI — The city of <a href="https://www.ci.bemidji.mn.us/" target="_blank">Bemidji Parks and Recreation Department</a> will offer a nature book club from 6 to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays starting June 18, at the Historic Carnegie Library, 426 Bemidji Ave. N.</p> <br> <br> <p>The group will meet to discuss "Lab Girl" by Hope Jahren. Beverages will be provided.</p> <br> <br> <p>The cost is $5 per participant if they provide their own copy of the book or $25 if they would like Parks and Rec to order them a copy.</p> <br> <br> <p>Register online at <a href="https://secure.rec1.com/MN/bemidji-mn/catalog" target="_blank">ci.bemidji.mn.us. </a>For more information, contact <a href="tel:(218) 333-1862" target="_blank">(218) 333-1862.</a></p>]]> Mon, 09 Jun 2025 18:35:00 GMT Pioneer Staff Report /news/local/parks-and-rec-to-kick-off-nature-book-club-june-18 Bagley Public Library to host local children's book author, illustrator /news/local/bagley-public-library-to-host-local-childrens-book-author-illustrator Pioneer Staff Report EVENTS,THINGS TO DO,LAKES SUMMER FUN,SUMMER FUN - OTHER,BOOKS Author and illustrator team Juleigh Prosser and Nikki Besser will share about their new children's book at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 11, at the Bagley Public Library, 79 Spencer Ave. SW. <![CDATA[<p>BAGLEY — Author and illustrator team Juleigh Prosser and Nikki Besser will share about their new children's book at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 11, at the Bagley Public Library, 79 Spencer Ave. SW.</p> <br> <br> <p>The book features the adventures of a chicken named Tic, a release said.</p> <br> <br> <p>This program is part of several free events for youth offered as part of Lake Agassiz Regional Library's jungle-themed Summer Reading Program, running through July 31.</p> <br> <br> <p>Participants can read to win prizes as well as attend educational and entertaining programs at their local library or library LINK Site.</p> <br> <br> <p>Kids age 12 and under will receive a prize for every 20 days of reading logged. Kids ages 13-17 will earn a prize for every four books they read.</p> <br> <br> <p>Those interested in participating are encouraged to stop by their local library or LINK Site to pick up a reading log.</p> <br> <br> <p>Information about the program and summer events is available at <a href="http://larl.org/explore" target="_blank">larl.org/explore.</a></p>]]> Thu, 05 Jun 2025 16:45:00 GMT Pioneer Staff Report /news/local/bagley-public-library-to-host-local-childrens-book-author-illustrator Bemidji Public Library to host concert with Project: Constellation /news/local/bemidji-public-library-to-host-concert-with-project-constellation Pioneer Staff Report EVENTS,BEMIDJI PUBLIC LIBRARY,THINGS TO DO,BOOKS The Bemidji Public Library is set to host a free concert with Project: Constellation at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 12, at the library, 509 America Ave. NW. <![CDATA[<p>BEMIDJI — The <a href="/government/bemidji-public-library">Bemidji Public Library</a> is set to host a free concert with Project: Constellation at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 12, at the library, 509 America Ave. NW.</p> <br> <br> <p>"Hailing from Grand Forks, North Dakota, the husband-and-wife acoustic duo features guitarist Santiago Silva, who grew up in Stockholm, Sweden, and violinist Christina Silva," a release said. "Learn about traditional and contemporary Scandinavian folk music and culture and get a chance to break out your dancing shoes."</p> <br> <br> <p>Contact Kate Egelhof at the library with any questions at <a href="mailto:egelhofk@krls.org" target="_blank">egelhofk@krls.org</a> or <a href="tel:(218) 751-3963" target="_blank">(218) 751-3963.</a></p>]]> Thu, 05 Jun 2025 13:00:00 GMT Pioneer Staff Report /news/local/bemidji-public-library-to-host-concert-with-project-constellation Minnesota mother, daughter publish children’s books /lifestyle/minnesota-mother-daughter-publish-childrens-books Theresa Bourke BRAINERD,MERRIFIELD,BOOKS,EVERYDAY PEOPLE,PEOPLE Jill Bauer and 5-year-old daughter, Lexi, teamed up on "The Adventures of Bob and Jim" series, which details the Minnesota adventures of two horses. <![CDATA[<p>BRAINERD — Jill Bauer&#8217;s daily drives past a horse farm with her daughter Lexi turned into a storytelling adventure that would result in a series of children&#8217;s books.</p> <br> <br> <p>The two horses they saw inside a fence near the road were typically either standing peacefully in their pasture or perhaps eating a meal.</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;So we decided that these horses needed to have a little more fun than just eating or standing,&rdquo; Bauer said during an interview May 19. &ldquo;... So we started making up the adventures of these two horses.&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <p>Lexi, now 5 years old, decided the horses needed names and dubbed them Bob &amp; Jim. They&#8217;re now the protagonists of two books titled &ldquo;The Adventures of Bob &amp; Jim,&rdquo; which detail the two breaking away from the farm for a day of exploring the great state of Minnesota.</p> <br> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;They get all excited to go explore and try all these people adventures, whether it&#8217;s going to a bounce house, the Kentucky Derby, the Home Depot or a summer day at the lake,&rdquo; Bauer said. &ldquo;They try to do all these things that people do, and then at the end they realize there&#8217;s no place like home. That&#8217;s kind of the underlying story.&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <p>The dynamic duo always ends up grateful for being horses and enjoying a life of standing around, eating grass and watching cars go by.</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;But they definitely have fun along the journey, which is another life message we want kids to hear — get out and enjoy life,&rdquo; Bauer said.</p> <br> <br> <p>Those messages are conveyed through vibrant pinks, blues, purples and other bright colors, designed to grab kids&#8217; attention and keep them engaged with the stories, all of which take place around Minnesota.</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;We just wanted to create something that would be funny but heartwarming,&rdquo; Bauer said. &ldquo;And I spent a lot of time designing these characters and illustrations to get horses that we thought would be kind of loveable, charming and kids would hopefully fall in love with them and be excited for more adventures.&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <p>The two books released so far chronicle Bob &amp; Jim&#8217;s adventures at a winter festival and a lake in the summertime. Fall and spring are on the way, and Bauer envisions holiday festivities and various trips as the subjects of subsequent books.</p> <br> <br> <p>While Bauer has designed all the art herself — with Lexi&#8217;s input, of course — the end of each book contains artwork from the 5-year-old&#8217;s perspective, as Lexi puts marker to paper and illustrates what&#8217;s going on in each book in her mind.</p> <br> <br> <br> <figure> <img src="https://cdn.forumcomm.com/dims4/default/fada389/2147483647/resize/800x/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforum-communications-production-web.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F53%2F14%2Fb6e521694733b4e5d4073fd3792d%2F20250529-173956.jpg"> </figure> <br> <p>Another unique element of the artwork are the little hidden images of Eddie, the Bauers&#8217; real-life Bernedoodle. An idea of Lexi&#8217;s, Eddie is lurking in the background on a few pages, watching the mischief from afar.</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;We hope eventually kids will kind of catch on and realize there&#8217;s a little hidden Bernedoodle in some of the pages, and they have to find it,&rdquo; Bauer said. &ldquo;That&#8217;s part of the adventure.&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <p>Lexi also contributes to the editing process for each book.</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;We always do multiple reviews, and she&#8217;ll come and look at the pages, and she&#8217;ll say, &#8216;He needs to have a face mask on,&#8217; or, &#8216;He should be eating a popsicle,&#8217;&rdquo; Bauer said. &ldquo;If she likes it, maybe other kids will find it funny and like it, too.&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <p>It wasn&#8217;t until after publishing that Bauer learned from a family member the names Lexi inadvertently chose for the horses actually had significance. Bauer&#8217;s great-grandpa happened to have to farm horses named Bob &amp; Jim. How Lexi came to pick those two names is both a mystery and a fun coincidence.</p> <br> <br> <p>After spending years in the business world and traveling on her own adventures, Bauer is happy to have found a passion in writing and one she can do together with her daughter.</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;I want kids to be able to find joy in the journey and go on these adventures with the horses,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;And my ultimate goal, I would say, is to make kids laugh. You know, life can be so sad and bad and scary. &mldr; And if kids can find these things funny and giggle and laugh and want more joy in their lives, that would mean the world to me.&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <p>She wants kids to explore their sense of adventure but ultimately be thankful for who they are and where they come from. Bauer hopes to donate copies of her books to children&#8217;s hospitals, in hopes of brightening the days of kids who might be going through some tough times.</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;I think books are such a great way to just bring some happiness,&rdquo; she said.</p> <br> <br> <p>Bauer&#8217;s books are available online through Amazon and IngramSpark and locally at Simply Minnesota, Copper Creek and Madden&#8217;s on Gull Lake. Bauer will be at Madden&#8217;s for an author signing from 4-8 p.m. on July 17.</p> <br> <br> <br> <figure> <img src="https://cdn.forumcomm.com/dims4/default/6a2e2b5/2147483647/resize/800x/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforum-communications-production-web.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fcb%2Fc2%2Fdccafb8947acacea8f26dc947bc8%2Fthe-adventures-of-bob-and-jim-3.jpg"> </figure> <br> <br> <div class="raw-html"> Text Example <style> div.container { background-color: #ffffff; } div.container p { font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; } </style> <div class="container"> <p>THERESA BOURKE may be reached at theresa.bourke@brainerddispatch.com or 218-855-5860. Follow her on Twitter at https://x.com/DispatchTheresa.</p> </div> </div>]]> Sun, 01 Jun 2025 17:24:00 GMT Theresa Bourke /lifestyle/minnesota-mother-daughter-publish-childrens-books Bemidji Public Library to host author Michael Meuers June 5 /community/bemidji-public-library-to-host-author-michael-meuers-june-5 Pioneer Staff Report EVENTS,THINGS TO DO,KITCHIGAMI PUBLIC LIBRARY,BOOKS Michael Meuers, author of "Road to Ponemah: the Teachings of Larry Stillday," will speak at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 5, at the Bemidji Public Library, 509 America Ave. NW. <![CDATA[<p>BEMIDJI — Michael Meuers, author of "Road to Ponemah: the Teachings of Larry Stillday," will speak at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 5, at the <a href="/government/bemidji-public-library">Bemidji Public Library,</a> 509 America Ave. NW.</p> <br> <br> <p>Stillday, who passed in 2014, was a well-known spiritual leader, healer and teacher from Red Lake Nation who touched many Ojibwe people in northern Minnesota, a release said.</p> <br> <br> <p>"His words and teachings not only impacted the Native population, but people from all walks of life," added the release. "He inspired thousands with his teachings about living in harmony, not only with each other, but also with nature."</p> <br> <br> <p>Meuers worked in public relations for Red Lake Nation for more than 20 years, and during this time he spearheaded the Ojibwe language project in Bemidji.</p> <br> <br> <p>This project was recently recognized by National Geographic for "support in sustaining and enhancing the unique geographic character of the region," the release said.</p> <br> <br> <p>Contact Kate Egelhof at the library with any questions at <a href="mailto:egelhofk@krls.org" target="_blank">egelhofk@krls.org</a> or <a href="tel:(218) 751-3963" target="_blank">(218) 751-3963.</a></p>]]> Thu, 29 May 2025 13:00:00 GMT Pioneer Staff Report /community/bemidji-public-library-to-host-author-michael-meuers-june-5 Kent Nerburn's latest novel 'Lone Dog Road' inspired by poignant photograph https://www.echopress.com/lifestyle/arts-and-entertainment/kent-nerburns-latest-novel-lone-dog-road-inspired-by-poignant-photograph Dennis Doeden BEMIDJI,INDIGENOUS IMPACTS,BOOKS,THINGS TO DO,LAKES SUMMER FUN,SUMMER FUN - ARTS Author Kent Nerburn will embark on a 12-stop book tour throughout Minnesota next week, including stops in Red Lake, Bemidji and Park Rapids. <![CDATA[<p>It was a photograph that punched Kent Nerburn in the gut. And years later, it inspired the author&#8217;s latest novel, &ldquo;Lone Dog Road,&rdquo; a gripping story of determination, honor and hope.</p> <br> <br> <p>Some 35 years ago, Nerburn founded Project Preserve, a program that taught history to kids on the Red Lake Nation. Instead of traditional classroom work, he decided to have the students interview tribal elders for an oral history project. They also collected photographs, one of which was the inspiration for &ldquo;Lone Dog Road,&rdquo; which was released this week.</p> <br> <figure> <img src="https://cdn.forumcomm.com/dims4/default/bdc6da5/2147483647/resize/800x/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforum-communications-production-web.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fe7%2F87%2F9866b71942e79c4f8c7a30b0a906%2Flone-dog-road-book-cover.jpeg"> </figure> <p>The book is about two Lakota boys who are fleeing from a government agent intent on enrolling them in boarding school. They make their way through the stifling South Dakota heat to the pipestone quarries of western Minnesota to replace their great-grandfather&#8217;s sacred pipe that was broken by the government agent. Along the way, the boys connect with both Native and non-Native American characters who help guide them.</p> <br> <br> <p>Nerburn, 78, will embark on a 12-stop book tour throughout the state next week. He will be at Red Lake Nation College at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 3; at Four Pines Bookstore in Bemidji at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 4; and at Beagle and Wolf Books in Park Rapids at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 5.</p> <br> <br> <p>The book is also available for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lone-Dog-Road-Kent-Nerburn/dp/1608689948" target="_blank">purchase on Amazon. </a></p> <br> Finding inspiration <p>Back to that photograph. In one of the photos Nerburn&#8217;s Project Preserve class found, a young Native American boy from a boarding school is sitting in a rocking chair with a stern look on his face.</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;It's just haunting,&rdquo; Nerburn said. &ldquo;He's looking at the camera &mldr; and it was almost a challenge to me, saying, &#8216;I'm looking at you. What are you going to do about it?&#8217;&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <p>Nerburn did nothing about it at that time. But he tucked it away and kept it for more than three decades, even keeping it after he and his wife, Louise Mengelkoch, moved from the Bemidji area to Oregon.</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;That photo lurked in the back of my mind,&rdquo; Nerburn said. &ldquo;It was just one of those residual images that you always carry with you. And it sort of touched a real chord in me from what I'd heard from the various elders about going to boarding schools and how hard it had been for them.&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <br> <p>When the Covid pandemic hit in 2020, Nerburn finally found a way to answer the question posed by the boy in the photograph. He was living in Oregon, stuck at home.</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;I thought, OK, now what am I going to do?&rdquo; he recalled. &ldquo;Well, the book I've wanted to write for years that I've always put off, I'm going to try to write.&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <p>The boy in that photograph became Levi, the 11-year-old in &ldquo;Lone Dog Road,&rdquo; who led his 6-year-old brother Rueben on their treacherous journey.</p> <br> <br> <p>Each chapter is narrated by one of the book&#8217;s characters, a style of writing that is new to Nerburn, who now lives in St. Paul. He has authored 15 other books, including two Minnesota Book Award winners. One of his novels, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Neither-Wolf-nor-Dog-Forgotten/dp/1577312333" target="_blank">&ldquo;Neither Wolf Nor Dog,&rdquo; </a>was <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3951908/" target="_blank">adapted into a feature film of the same name.</a></p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;I've always been more interested in what other people have to say than in what I have to say,&rdquo; Nerburn shared. &ldquo;In most of my other books &mldr; I say, &#8216;Come along with me and let's look at something, and I'll tell you what I see.&#8217; But (for this one) I said, &#8216;What if I just pulled myself out completely? What if instead I let those people step up and speak?&#8217;&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <p>Nerburn, who holds a doctorate in theology and art from the University of California-Berkeley, was able to incorporate a prayer he wrote decades ago into the book. It is displayed in the barn of Karl-Martin Steinbach, a farmer who feeds and shelters the boys along the way.</p> <br> <br> <p>Titled &ldquo;A Psalm Before Sunrise,&rdquo; the prayer begins:</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;And what will be more blessed than this day?</p> <br> <p>Will tomorrow&#8217;s sunrise be more beautiful than this dawn?</p> <br> <p>Will a child&#8217;s touch be more precious?</p> <br> <p>The Earth more filled with love?&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;This was a prayer that I actually had written years ago,&rdquo; Nerburn said, &ldquo;and I just had it in a drawer somewhere. I didn't know what I was going to do with it. And since each of the characters in the book are some portion of me, Karl-Martin was someone who represented a good part of my own spiritual background in his way of seeing the world. So I just took that prayer that I had written down somewhere and dropped it in there.&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <p>Fellow Minnesota author William Kent Krueger calls the book &ldquo;breathtaking in its beauty, and heartwarming in its humanity. Nerburn is a storyteller to be celebrated, and &#8216;Lone Dog Road&#8217; is a story to be treasured.&rdquo;</p> <br> <br> <p>&ldquo;I&#8217;m proud of the book,&rdquo; Nerburn said, &ldquo;but more than that, I&#8217;m relieved. To me, if it doesn't communicate, then it's not a successful book. Because ultimately, at heart, I look at myself as a teacher. And if the book doesn't communicate to someone, it means it's not teaching what it has to teach.&rdquo;</p>]]> Sat, 24 May 2025 12:30:00 GMT Dennis Doeden https://www.echopress.com/lifestyle/arts-and-entertainment/kent-nerburns-latest-novel-lone-dog-road-inspired-by-poignant-photograph