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A good read
The history of the state of Minnesota is an example of how our nation grew and built its character.This history summary focuses on the high points of the story and leaves one in a position to identify which parts demand more study

history of minnesota
Since I came to Minnesota three years ago, I have been searching for a comprehensive overview of its history. Not too detailed, just giving a good overview. I found it in this book, and really anjoyed reading it

The Best and Most-Enjoyable History of Minnesota
Outstanding! I reviewed several histories of Minnesota, and I came to the conclusion that this book is the best general history of Minnesota for most readers. It's very readable, concise, and enjoyable storytelling. The most important and most interesting Minnesota stories are told well. The basics of American history are also woven into the story, so this is the story of Minnesota's journey within the context of American history. A useful map with the most important and interesting historical sites to visit is included as a helpful guide. Useful lists by category of important things you can see are also included throughout the book as the story unfolds.

Other history books, unfortunately, are ruined by boring academic facts and poor story-telling, but not this book. I recommend this book for a quick and enjoyable read on Minnesota. Highest recommendation.

On the back cover are these positive reviews:

"Norman Risjord recounts Minnesota's past with the studied approach of an accomplished historian and the engaging style of a crowd-pleasing storyteller. If only all state histories were this enjoyable to read."
-Dave Kenney, author of "Northern Lights: The Stories of Minnesota's Past" and "Minnesota Goes to War: The Home Front During World War II." [Northern Lights is used in Minnesota Schools]

"'A Popular History of Minnesota' captures in one volume the thing that makes the state unique. It is, and always has been, a playground. But not as we've been led to believe. We learn here that Minnesota was not only the field of play for Dakota and Ojibwe, but for J.P. Morgan and John D. Rockefeller. It is a vast and fascinating history. Norman K. Risjord has found a way to put it in a finely written, single book."
-Don Shelby, WCCO 4 News anchor and reporter ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

All around Great!
Great to be able to get an out of print book at a good price and prompt turn around.Product exactly as described.Thank you!

Who knew a canoe trip could be so interesting?
This book is an account of Olson's canoe journey down long stretches of the Churchill and Sturgeon Weir rivers in Saskatchewan.Olson was a leading popularizer of the notion of wilderness, associated with the North Country of Minnesota and Canada.

The story of someone else's canoe journey risks being mind-numbingly boring: "we paddled, portaged falls, and then paddled some more."Olson's story isn't any different than that basic narrative, but he manages to make the journey more lyrical.Observations about the empty land they traverse, the comraderie of the company of six, reminiscences of the voyageurs of old, and occasional encounters with other people leaven the basic narrative.

It's a great read, and I literally didn't put it down (I was stuck on a transatlantic flight, but even so).Heartily recommended.

Rediscovery
I first obtained this book in my youth through the old Outdoor Life Book Club (which also introduced me to other classics such as John J. Rowlands' Cache Lake Country). I'm not sure I read The Lonely Land all the way throughat that first encounter, but I recently rediscovered it when cleaning out a family home. I picked it up out of nostalgia, but I soon found that I couldn't put it down.

Apart from the inherent interest of its subject matter -- the majestic wilderness of central Canada's Churchill River drainage -- I was quickly taken by the immediacy of Olson's account. The wind, the waves, the thunder of approaching rapids all spill off the page in vivid detail, as do the detailed descriptions of each night's camp and its routines. As compelling is the exuberance of Olson and his five companions as they explore pristine lakes, shoot the Churchill's wild water, and find refuge time and again on the solid, reassuring outcrops of the Canadian Shield.

Finally, at each stage of the journey, Olson quotes from the journals of those who came before him, the "bourgeois" who led the brigades of voyageurs into the heart of the Lonely Land in search of furs. Men like Alexander MacKenzie, George Simpson, and David Thompson, who worked for the Hudson's bay Company or its competitors: the record of their observations informs Olson's account with vivid descriptions of the land as well as a sense both of how much and how little had changed over the one hundred and fifty years since they had last paddled, poled, and lined their way up the same great river system.

I know that Olson has many well-regarded books to his credit, but a new reader could do worse than enter this world of woods and water by way of The Lonely Land.

The Lonely Land
It's a great book. I haven't paddled the Churchhill River yet, but rivers closeby, and you still find the wilderness and the loneliness that Sig Olson describes. After reading this book and others by Sig Olson I just want to go out paddling and enjoy the wilderness.

One of the best books I have ever read
I was looking on information on old canoe routes of the voyageurs and I came upon this book. It tells the experiences of Olson, a famous naturalist of the 50's and 60's, and 5 of his friends, as they paddle three wood andcanvas canoes down 500 miles of the Churchhill River in Saskatchewan in1960. Olson describes the setting and experience so completely, includingdiary entries of famous fur trappers who traveled the same route, that Ihave thought of nothing else but going to see the country he describes, theCanadian Shield of Northern Saskatchewan. It is a different place now thanit was 40 years ago, less lonely I imagine, but still something I must do.I would recommend this book to anyone who longs to experience this land,North America, before it became overpopulated. ... Read more

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Historical Smiles
This is a wonderful guide into Minnesota's past.Letters and articles accompany photos that bring you to places that you've been and acquaint you with it's character.Truly a terrific book for those that love the warmth and charm of the characters and life that make Minnesota home!

A pleasant visit to the history of my home state.
Bring Warm Clothes : Letters and Photos from Minnesota's Past was written by a former columnist for the Minnesota Star and Tribune,Peg Meier.It is a great treat, both as a peek into the past and as a well "written" work of history. The author includes pictures, diary entries, newspaper articles, letters, and government documents to create her biography of the state.

The book is heavily illustrated.Among the visual works arepaintings of Minnesota from its exploration years, mostly by Seth Eastman and Karl Bodmer, which capture the rustic and wild character of a land yet untrammeled by the fences, industrial complexes and housing developments with which most of us are familiar. For those who like to see photographic reality, there are photos of Minnesota's early pre- and post-statehood years during the 19th Century and ofthe 20th Century up to World War II.The former include pictures of the Civil War in which the volunteers of the First Minnesota Regiment participated.In all some 25,000 men from the state fought in battles like Bull Run, Antietam, and Gettysburg, losing some 2,500 men, almost one out of every ten. Other photos show the old homes, city and town streets, early industry, sod homes, and family and other groups that bring to life a time past.

Particularly enjoyable were the letters from the early settlement of Saint Paul and Minneapolis as presented in the merry correspondence of the Fuller family, and the witty press releases of Jane Grey Swisshelm in her paper the St Cloud Visiter, later the St. Cloud Democrat.The letters of Harriet Griswold reveal the fact that boom and bust economy is not new to our era, when her correspondence goes from exuberence and big plans in October of 1856 to bearly hanging on in September of 1858.The Civil War diaries of Sam Bloomer and Isaac Taylor and the World War I letters of Philip Longyear, an ambulance driver at the French front, bring those conflicts to a more vivid reality.The plight of the Native Americans and the fear and reactionism that the Indian Wars generated is also covered.

The author has, wisely in my opinion, allowed the primary sources speak for themselves. She adds very little interpretive material of her own and then only to clarify where necessary or to provide follow up information.

One of the principle points of note is the fact that most of these people had many of the same problems we have, and that they bring some of the same perspectives, same blind spots, and same sense of humor that we bring to our own daily lives. They lived one day at a time, facing an unknown future with the same uncertainty that we do.Some stories came out with a happy ending, some did not.It makes one wonder what some future writer of Minnesota history will say and think of our own times.

Will Keep you Warm
An excellent collection of diaries and letters from Minnesota territory days thru early in her statehood. Accompanied by many great photo's depicting the times.A great fireplace companion!

Will Keep you Warm
An excellent collection of diaries and letters from Minnesota territory days thru early in her statehood. Accompanied by many great photo's depicting the times.A great fireplace companion! ... Read more

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Progressivism, one of the most important political and social trends of the early twentieth century, focused the nation's attention on attempts to reform its political and economic systems. Against this backdrop of national and international events, historian Carl H Chrislock records the rise and decline of the movement in Minnesota, where Progressivism had many links with earlier Granger, Farmers Alliance, and Populist traditions. Clearly written and thought provoking, this book also tells the stories of the Bull Moose campaign of 1912, strikes on the Mesabi Range, and the painful divisions of loyalty before and during World War I. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Spectacular 3D
I really love this book. The viewer is built into the front cover, so you hold that up while you turn the pages. You have to relax your eyes and then all of a sudden they kick in and you are seeing wonderful 3D images of the past. I went through the whole book right away but I know it is one that I will be getting out every so often to see the pictures again. I also have the other 5 of these books and have enjoyed all of them. I highly recommend this book if you want to see wonderful 3D images.

Living history for an excellent price
All of the books in this series are great. As a stereocard maker and enthusiast, I was excited about the release of these books.
Good points: Excellent price! Excellent construction with the fold out viewer in the cover and excellent graphics giving it an 'antique' feel. Some very rare views are presented that would cost a fortune to purchase. The descriptions originally printed on the card's verso are reproduced here on the preceding page to each image so that they can be viewed and read all at once... And, did I mention the excellent price?
Weak points: Some cards which already suffered from poor image quality are made 'grainy' by the halftone printing. A few of the images are not in 3D. A few images have the left and right images reversed. While the original cards may have been this way, the least they could have done was correct them or note the error in the descriptions.
Still, these few and minor weaknesses do not detract from the overall quality of the books. Nothing can really describe seeing historical moments and people in 3D.These books should be in classrooms. I look forward to the next 2 releases in the series.

cool book, lots of 3D pictures
I really like the old time 3D pictures, and this book is full of them.Clever idea.I found it easy to see the 3D, but some people have difficulty with it.There is no "divider" to hide the left picture from the right eye, and vice versa.But even those that have difficulty, a little practice and they can figure it out. ... Read more

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Genealogy rating
Creating Minnesota has over two chapters about the Campbell Family.It also contains genealogy information on many of the mixed blood families in Minnesota in the early 1800s.For those who descend from Minnesota and those who do not this book is a goldmine.Creating Minnesota: A History from the Inside Out

The Best in Minnesota History
I have read many Minnesota history books from the seminal state histories by William E. Lass and Theodore C. Blegen to works recently published for the state's sesquicentennial. But nothing can equal the incite and creativity offered by Annette Atkins in Creating Minnesota. I first discovered Atkins's work in Minnesota, Real & Imagined: Essays on the State and Its Culture where she provided an essay entitled "Facing Minnesota" and so I was very excited to read her new book on Minnesota history.

Atkins's approach is that of a seasoned historian who approaches her topic with sensitivity and intelligence. She is aware of her own limits as a historian and the ways her identification as a white, female, South Dakotan can affect her narrative. Furthermore, she does not shy away from the existential questions that any good historian must ask: Why do we study history? Who are we studying when we study history and how do we decide that they are the ones worth studying? How does our position in the narrative affect how we look at history?

But Atkins is not all academic theorizing, however valuable such theorizing may be. Her writing is readable, smart, and often funny. She plays with format in this book by telling the story of Minnesota by turns in broad strokes, with specific case studies, and in the form of a one-act play (an experiment that sometimes works and sometimes doesn't). What is most striking about her work is the humanity that comes forth when reading her stories. Glancing over the section of pictures, I am struck by the faces of the individuals who once called Minnesota home. Their stories are the ones that Atkins strives to tell in one way or another and, in my opinion, she exceeds all expectations.

Review of Minnesota history book
I bought it for Christmas for my husband because it was on his list. He says he thinks that it is going to be "good", but he hasn't gotten into it much yet.

Is an entertaining a read as it is informed and informative.
"Creating Minnesota: A History From The Inside Out" by Annette Atkins (Professor of History at Saint John's University and the College of Saint Benedict) is a superbly written history of how Minnesota evolved from a wilderness territory into a modern American state. In a model of accessible scholarship, Professor Atkins lays out Minnesota's achievement of statehood amidst the competing interests of indigenous natives, traders, farmers, townsmen, and politicians. There are illustrative and fascinating stories such as the family in St. Paul who managed to celebrate Christmas in 1898 with fruit that originated some 1,500 miles from their home. Professor Atkins also includes a photo essay of Minnesota communities as recorded by the cameras of local and itinerant photographers; the role of the railroads; even such culinary traditions as pan-fried walleye and walleye quesadillas. Very strongly recommended for personal, school, and community library American History collections in general, and Minnesota History shelves in particular, "Creating Minnesota" is an entertaining a read as it is informed and informative.

Lyrical essays on the land and the people.
Annette Atkins can write the heck out of a story.Her lyrical history of Minnesota is thematic, personal, and a bit quirky. There are chapters in this book that soar, and there are chapters that touch on the mundanity of Minnesota history.I would read an essay by this author, on any topic that touches her heart or mind, in a minute.This book contains several such.My only mild critical comment is that this book would have been even better with more Annette, and a tiny bit less Minnesota, if that is even possible. ... Read more

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In 1865, the nation's largest iron ore deposits were discovered in northern Minnesota, and life in the area was irrevocably altered as an economic boom transformed the region. In the 1880s and 1890s, two railroads, the Duluth and Iron Range Rail Road and the Duluth, Missabe and Northern Railway (which later merged), moved massive shipments of ore to the docks on Lake Superior.

The Missabe Road tells the complete story of the DM&IR: its construction, early operation, line extensions, passenger service, rolling stock, steam locomotives, and today's modern diesels. Frank King examines underground and open pit mining operations, modern-day taconite mining, the handling and transportation of ore to the docks, and the loading of boats.

"It's quite delightful to journey through the tracks of time, where one finds the development of northeastern Minnesota and its renowned iron ore mines through the fascinating history of the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway." Duluth Herald

"King's book takes the story of the Missabe Road down to the present day. But those early depots, the single tracks, the crews on the ore trains, and the pictures of the hard rock miners are the ones that arouse admiration for these adventures." St. Paul Pioneer Press

Frank A. King (1923-1985) worked for the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway for his entire career, retiring as senior industrial engineer. His articles and photographs appeared in Trains Magazine, Railroad Magazine, and other publications. ... Read more

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Missabe Road
An author who knows his subject.Very accurate information of the planning, development, implementation of a very unique rail system to deliver raw iron ore from the mines to the loading dock where ships waited for cargo to fuel the steel demands of our growing United States.
Frank is very frank about his candid writing.Great photos, drawings, of how the entire system was built over rough terrain and difficult weather elements.
Again a must have for Great lakes shipping enthusist!
... Read more

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Minnesota County Fairs
Minnesota County FairsKids, Cows, Carnies, and Chow is a fun look at the county fairs throughout Minnesota in pictures that highlights the fun of the fair.

Minnesota County Fairs Kids, Cows, Carnies, and Chow is a picture book with photographs by Susan Lambert Miller with a forward by Shannon Olson. The book highlights several years of the county fairs throughout Minnesota with a fun look at fairs from behind the camera.

4-H is a youth organization that stresses youth running the groups with adults backing them up and supporting them were needed. 4-H has a great history that has been going strong for over a hundred years with no real start point, just a sort of beginning with colleges discovering that youth were the future of farming.

4-H has been going strong with their foundation in universities across the county and led by dedicated adults and youth willing to devote their time and hearts to an idea that together they can make things happen in their own future. The 4-H Pledge exemplifies this standard of youth giving what they can so that the organization can help all that want or need the help in areas such as agriculture, business, science and technology.

The 4-H Pledge:

"I Pledge my Head to clearer thinking,
my Heart to greater loyalty,
my Hands to larger service,
and my Health to better living,
for my club, my community, my country, and my world."

4-H has been evolving along with current education to include computers, rocketry and digital photography to name a few of the newer project areas. 4-H is not only about agriculture or farming, they are now stressing modern science and technology as technology becomes a standard in today's society.

The state fair is a culmination of the projects that youth work on throughout the year to show off their knowledge and expertise in areas they choose. Youth are encouraged to pick and work on projects they want and choose any area they wish to learn more about and at the fair they show off what they have learned. A project can be anything they would like such a display, an animal they have raised or a work of art that they have created and will show to judges and describe their project.

The judges give ribbons according to not only the display or project but their knowledge and what they have learned so that the judging is more about what the youth have learned and less about a final project. The final projects are judged then displayed and shown for all to see at the county fair and the best of the projects in each area are chosen to go to the state fair.

The county fairs are a great way to see what local kids have come up with for projects and the broad range of talent and skill they have. Minnesota County Fairs celebrates this talent at county fairs as well as the fun rides, great food on a stick in many cases and fun times shared with friends and family.

The picture book Minnesota County Fairs Kids, Cows Carnies, and Chow highlights these fun times in a 114 page book filled with great pictures showing the authors view of the fair. From kids showing off their prized pets to talent shows and even the fun food images abound of the fair from one end of Minnesota to the other.

Susan Miller is a nationally recognized photographer that spent weekends going to numerous fairs to capture as many as she could in pictures for this book. Minnesota County Fairs is a great way to see a quick glimpse of those fairs and the great times people have along with the fun things that happen at fairs you may not be able to get to.

Minnesota County Fairs Kids, Cows, Carnies, and Chow is a great peek at most of the county fairs across the state of Minnesota by Susan Miller with a great introduction by Shannon Olson. ... Read more

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A solid history of the Minnesota statehouse
This reprint of Thompson's history of the Minnesota State Capitol should interest any Gopher State resident, or someone curious about the Progressive-era politics of statehouse architecture.It is thoroughly well illustrated and admirably narrates the story of the need for a new capitol and constructing the grand Cass Gilbert building.Unfortunately, the author closes his book when the structure is completed, and does not take the building's history beyond construction.Did nothing happen to or in the building in the twentieth century?It would be made a better work with an interpretation of the building's use over the years, not just the narrative of its construction.Nonetheless, Thompson's work is a solid narrative of interest to historians both in Minnesota and the republic at large. ... Read more

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The Minnesota History Center in St. Paul -- headquarters of the Minnesota Historical Society -- is an extraordinary example of public support for preserving and learning about the past. The largest public support for preserving and learning about the past. The largest public building constructed in Minnesota since the 1905 State Capitol, it houses vast collections, innovating exhibits, and exciting programmes that connect people together with people in the past. This souvenir booklet takes you on a visual tour of the History Center and tells you a bit about the Society, an institution older that the state itself. Here you will view the center's stunning public spaces and discover dramatic artworks commissioned for the building. You will also go behind-the-scenes to visit the History Center's conservation labs and huge underground storage areas rarely open to the public ... Read more

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The best non-fiction book ever written about the Midwest
I discovered this book when I was living in San Francisco, and it convinced me to move back home to the Midwest.Le Sueur is an earthy, populist writer.This is a history of Minnesota, but its doesn't troubleitself with governors and generals.Le Sueur writes about Indians,farmers, cornhuskers, pioneers, the ordinary people who built the Midwest. And her descriptions of nature and weather are beautiful.She lovedpeople, she loved her native country.If you're from the Midwest, buy thisbook.You'll either get homesick, or you'll be glad you never left home. ... Read more

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This is a virtual romp through the state's dining spots, from early health resorts to Prohibition-era speakeasies to A&W drive-ins, illustrated with nearly one thousand photographs, postcards, menus, matchbooks, and collectible dishes. Kathryn Strand Koutsky and Linda Koutsky narrate the history of dining in the North Star State, highlighting innovative foods, inspired restaurant architecture, and cutting-edge graphic design, along with anecdotes about beloved restaurants remembered through the decades.Accompanying this rich history is a priceless collection of recipes for dishes made famous through the years, like the pioneers' Indian Pudding and old favourites from Eibner's Bakery in New Ulm or Ruttger's Resort in Brainerd. Eleanor Ostman revised these recipes for preparation in modern kitchens. Embellished with photographs of historic restaurants, collectible tableware, and restaurant ephemera, the recipes invite today's readers to re-create cherished food memories.This is a one-of-a-kind venture into the state's history which serves up over a century of fine and fun Minnesota dining. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great Recipes
This is a wonderful book.As a former resident of MN, it was a great insight into the history of many of the establishments we visited when we lived in the Metro area. Plus the recipes that I have tried are very good.

Wonderful--If Sad--Reminder of When Restaurants Actually Served FOOD!
What a wonderful review of the restaurants I, as a child born in 1955 in Minneapolis, enjoyed with my parents! How I miss The Heidelburg (potato pancakes!); Harry's (lunches with my mother and her friends in their crinoline slip-lined dresses, white gloves, and hats); The Nankin (the egg foo yung and chop suey combo plate with egg roll); The Lincoln Del (incomparable puffy omlettes); and so many other fantastic restaurants. I was even able to finally see what The Covered Wagon in Minneapolis looked like (my parents held their engagement party there in 1941). How sad that the younger generation will largely remember eating at (forgettable) chains.

Great Pictures, Warm Memories
I'm not old enough to recognize all of the places featured here, but it is interesting to see all of the restaurants.Here you'll find everything from haute cuisine to roadside diners. A wonderful collection of memories that captures the spirit of eras gone by.

Wonderful and colorful nostalgia!
Fellow Minnesota oldsters and yuppies alike will have a ball browsing through this lovely coffee table book of the historic eateries in our home state. I was delighted to find a photo of the menu for my Dad's Minneapolis restaurant, the 620 Club, which he owned and operated with partners Max & Henry Winter from 1935 to 1965. (Max and Dad had been among the partners in the Minneapolis Lakers basketball team, and Max went on to found the Minnesota Vikings.) And then there was Charlie's Cafe Exceptionale. Ohhhh, how I miss Charlie's! Chuck Saunders' chef, Russian emigre Harry Walkowitz, also headed up the 620's kitchen for a number of years both before and after his stint at Charlie's. No wonder the food was so good at both places. Harry's secret: "I use lots of booouuter." ... Read more

Product Description
The Story of Minnesota's Past embraces the broad sweep ofchange over this land now called Minnesota from glacial ages to the1980s.This richly illustrated book was first published as a textbookfor Minnesota middle-school students.A paperback edition wasproduced to serve as a readable and authoritative history fornewcomers, old-timers, and all those in the general reading audiencewho want to know more about the state's past.

"This book...strives to represent fairly the men, women, and childrenof all groups and cultures who have been part of Minnesota's past.And I hope that in touching on a few of their personal stories itconveys some sense of the dreams, sorrows, conflicts, and complexitiesof the human journey." (from the Preface) ... Read more

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Loved the book
The book is quotes from local people telling about their experiences & lives in Minnesota.It is well written, but tells it as it is.Service from Amazon was excellent, as always.jfsquillace ... Read more

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Good Perspective
I enjoyed this book.It documents the CCC camps throughout Minnesota.It profiles men involved in the camps.Also, it was interesting learning about the projects the CCC sponsored.It is a great bit of Minnesota history.I bought the book for my mother, but enjoyed a read of it first.

Very good book about CCC in Minnesota
I enjoyed reading this book that described the CCC in terms of its operation within Minnesota.The camp summary in the Appendices allowed me to understand better where my father served in the early days of the CCC.There are a number of references in this book that should allow me to learn more about my father's experiences.

This book also has the most information I've found so far on how Native and African Americans served in the CCC.

Great local history CCC in Minnesota
A wonderful book on the history of the Civilian Conservation Corps in Minnesota.Many people don't realize the great work done by the young men of the CCC in the 1930s.Hard Work and a Good Deal is a history of the camps and work in Minnesota and supplements the text with a host of photos.Not all the CCC workers in Minnesota were Minnesotans but came from many other states.The author also reveals how the CCC bureaucracy dealt with race issues by sending many northern black youngsters to camps in the South rather than keeping them in Northern camps.Top notch history!Also recommend that you read Stories in Log and Stone in conjunction with this book. ... Read more