Talk of the Stacks: Night Train and Other Ojibwe Stories: A celebration of Writing and Sisterhood with the Erdrichs

Summary: Sisters Lise, Heid, and Louise Erdrich grew up together in Wahpeton, ND (where their parents taught at the Bureau of Indian Affairs school) and each of them became accomplished writers. Coming together for a rare public appearance in celebration of Lise's debut story collection, Night Train, the three sisters will discuss their craft, life, and Native American writing. Lise is the author of several children's books, including Sacagawea and Bears Make Rock Soup: And Other Stories. Her debut story collection, Night Train, is hot off the press from Coffee House. A sharp-humored collection set in the small towns and reservations of Northwestern Minnesota and North Dakota, Night Train was described by Sherman Alexie as "beautiful and rowdy, this book challenged, entertained, thrilled and scared me." Heid is the author of three collections of poetry, National Monuments (forthcoming), The Mother's Tongue, Fishing for Myth, as well as co-editor of Sister Nations: Native American Women on Community. Her books have each been nominated for the Minnesota Book Awards and she has received numerous grants and honors. She co-founded the Turtle Mountain Writing Workshop with her sister Louise. Louise is the author of eight novels, including the National Book Critics Circle Award-winning Love Medicine and the National Book Award Finalist The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse, as well as poetry, children's books, and a memoir of early motherhood, The Bluejay's Dance. She owns a small independent bookstore, BirchBark Books, in Minneapolis. The Talk of the Stacks is presented by The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library and US Trust. Recorded live on February 12, 2008.