Lester Literary Update: All-state book club, virus stories, local podcasts
Hello Everyone,
We’re trying to keep these short and topical, since we’re locked down for the foreseeable future. We hope you’re still working and/or making progress on long-neglected projects.
Also, summer is coming.
Meanwhile, here are a few bits to fill your day.
Take care,
Lester
News:
In lieu of the The Minnesota Book Awards, here’s a video:
Laurie Hertzel reports: Minnesotans start all-state book club. First up? Mpls. writer Kate DiCamillo's first book
Looking for an activity? Why not update your Minnesota Writers Directory bio. Update form here.
Some links sent out by the State Arts Board. (Also, Star Tribune story on the status of SAB grants: Shift in state funding worries Minnesota artists hit by the coronavirus crisis):
Coronavirus Resources for Artists, Creative Workers & Organizations
HELPFUL COVID-19 GRANTS + RESOURCES FOR ARTISTS AND ARTS NONPROFITS IN MN
The COVID-19 Impact Survey for Artists and Creative Workers
The Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Arts and Cultural Organizations
Stories:
Here are a few virus-related (and non) stories by writers around here. Please end others if you know of them!
Emily Sohn: How the COVID Tracking Project fills the public health data gap (Columbia Journalism Review)
Maggie Koerth: Science Has No Clear Answers On The Coronavirus. Face Masks Are No Exception (538). Will Coronavirus Happen Every Year Like The Flu? (538)
Frank Bures: Life Without Toilet Paper Is Better (Vice)
Mara Hvistendal: The friendly Mr Wu: The weakest link in America’s national security may not be foreign (1843)
Mackenzie Havey: The American Birkebeiner: A Legacy of Skinny Skis, Stamina and Spandex (REI)
Not sure where this comes from, but hat tip to Bill Souder:
Local Podcasts:
If you're looking for something to listen to, here are a few local podcasts:
With Friends Like These: Ana Marie Cox hosts a podcast about what divides us and what doesn’t.
Djibouti Jones COVID19 Diary, by Rachel Jones
Wine and Crime (Nice story about it here by Rachel Hutton)
On Being: Big conversations to moments of discovery (various podcasts)
Long Lost: An Investigative History Series
Heavyweight: Jonathan Goldstein goes back to the moment everything changed.
Episode on MSP writer Steve Marsh here. Steve Marsh story on Jonathan Goldstein here.