Subtext Books at the University Club, St. Paul
What a wonderful start. An evening reading at the University Club of St. Paul — a stately, century-old members-only European style social club situated on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi river valley in an oak and stone mansion designed by the same architect who designed New York’s grand central station.
In its earlier days you could imagine horse drawn carriages and butlers with waistcoats and lawn bowling in white suits — a Jay Gatsby reality sketched by F. Scott Fitzgerald, whose home is just a few blocks away on this tree-lined boulevard of gracious homes with porte cocheres and servants’ quarters.
But on this night it was the site of the two Kents — Kent Nerburn and William Kent Krueger — sitting on high stools in front of about 100 people, engaged in casual conversation about writing and Lone Dog Road.
Kent Krueger and I really like each other and neither of us takes ourself too seriously, so it was relaxed and fun for all. As well as being one of America’s most beloved contemporary authors, Kent Krueger is a truly nice man, and I was honored to have him help me bring Lone Dog Road into the public for the first time.
The event was put on by Subtext books, a sweet bookshop in downtown St. Paul that is fiercely committed not only to the selling of books but to serving as a sanctuary and cultural anchor to a city whose downtown struggles to keep its grip on amenity and civility, just as do the downtowns of almost all big American cities these days. The contrast between the mission of Subtext and the setting of the reading was a breathtaking snapshot of America’s struggles and dreams in this crazy time, and it was a perfect send-off for a book that tries to speak in different voices of the struggles and aspirations of solid American folks of different races, classes, and backgrounds.
I went home buoyed by the evening and filled with hopes for the tour.
A quick night of sleep, a sloppy job of packing (when you are car-tripping sloppy packing is easily forgiven), and it is off to Duluth, a hundred and twenty miles north, where Louise and I had hoped to settle when we returned from our ten magical years in Oregon. But that’s another story.
So, here we go into our beloved north country, where the greatest of the Great Lakes looms and groans, and shapes the character of the town and the people. I can’t wait to be there.
Kent, good day. I was at this launching of your new book, “Lone Dog Road” at the University Club on May 29th. I introduced myself, and mentioned I had actually attended a seminar you had put on years ago about aesthetics in art, before you began writing. I was an art teacher for 39 years. I said I had tried to contact you through your sister awhile back, to get your aid in having indigenous languages count as the language requirements in Minnesota high schools. I also told you a little about MKP (Man Kind Project) & how they had partnered with the Lakota in S.D. for trainings of indigenous men, to bring them back into integrity with their families. You’d mention that I should send you an email, and we could get together after you were done with your book tour. I hope you are well, your book tour is going great, and we will be able to get together in the near future.
Blessing,
Richard Lemanczykafka