Meet Buffalo Man, the Paul Bunyan of the Minnesota River and Minnesota Territory - Joseph Amato (14 programs)
Author Joseph Amato, Professor Emeritus of History and Rural and Regional Studies, Southwest Minnesota State University, presents his program, "Meet Buffalo Man, the Paul Bunyan of the Minnesota River and Minnesota Territory", based on his work of historical fiction, "Buffalo Man, Giant of the Waters and Winds". Through the telling of "Gar" (aka Buffalo Man, Amato shows how much Minnesota, by life, discover and trade, belonged to rivers and river valleys.
235 participated
Participants will gain a sense of how the author works and melds history with fiction, how fictional exploration of the past is different from nonfiction biographical, economic, technological and political approaches. They will learn about how historical literature fleshes out the lives, ways, technologies, economies, minds and beliefs of peoples and cultures past. They will discover the importance of Minnesota Territorial life including the people, places and importance of geography in making us who we are as Minnesotans. Participant evaluations and anecdotal responses will be collected.
There was a renewed interest in regional and local history and geography as a result of this program. Patrons grew interested in the subject and asked about getting materials from several libraries. Community members were able to hear a historian speak about the local legends and history that led the author to write his book, "Buffalo Man". "Very interesting to get to meet an author and learn how he became a writer." One of the libraries invited in some elementary students and following the program they drew and colored what they thought the Buffalo Man would look like. "It was great to inside the mind of a writer." "I learned about local explorer Joseph LaFramboise and a good it on how to spin a story."
Daily Globe, KWOA Radio, Center for Active Living Venue, Ivanhoe Community Center, Star Herald/Announcer, Luverne Chamber, Lakefield, Nobles, Slayton, Tracy, Morgan, Ivanhoe, Siverson, Tyler, Meinders, Cottonwood, Minneota, Rock County, Lake Benton, Marshall Lyon Libraries [2