A Popular History of Minnesota

by Norman K. Risjord

What do Paul Bunyan, Charles Lindbergh, and Jesse Ventura have in common? Minnesota, of course! In A Popular History of Minnesota, historian Norman K. Risjord offers a grand tour of the state's remarkable history. This highly readable volume details everything from the glacial formation of the land to the arrival of the Dakota and the Ojibwe people, from Minnesota's contributions to the Northern cause during the Civil War to the key players in reform politics who helped sculpt the identity the state retains today.

A Popular History of Minnesota highlights the historical significance of Minnesota's natural resources—the bountiful north woods, the treasured iron ranges, the impressive Mississippi waterfall on which the Mill City was built. It details the powerful marks left on the state by such luminous figures as Oliver H. Kelley, founder of the national Grange movement, Hubert H. Humphrey, champion of civil rights, and Betty Crocker, aid to homemakers everywhere. Lively side trips outline noteworthy subjects, from the Kensington runestone to the devastating forest fires of the 1890s and 1920s, from the rise of the Mayo Clinic to the preservation of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Handy travelers' guides highlight historic destinations for readers who enjoy seeing where history happened.

Fast-paced and informative, with generous illustrations, A Popular History of Minnesota is a must-read for newcomers and established Minnesotans alike.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2004

About the author

AKA Norman Kurt Risjord;
University: BA, College of William and Mary (1953)
University: PhD, University of Virginia (1960)
Professor: History, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Reviews

[Derek Duran]

I know a bit more about Minnesota now, nice.

[Janna]

This book is best read in fits and spurts. It's a rich history and includes nice maps too! However, trying to read it straight through was a bit like trying to read a textbook. I ended up shelving it several times.

[H. Dilworth]

Fun and informative

This is a quick engaging overview of Minnesota history. This is a fun read. A real strength are the great resources for further exploration through additional books (with frank critiques) as well as specific sites to visit.

[CTEP]

This book is about just what the title implies: a history of MN from the first peoples who lived here all the way up through modern times.

The aspect of this book which I found related to my experience in MN is learning about MN political, moral and social liberalism. MN's generous social programs have made it a unique state-- and these social programs have done nothing but help our state. We have the highest life expectancy of any state except Hawaii, we always place near the top in test scores and etc. Other areas of MN exceptionalism are things like the Mayo Clinic, our art and music and our state parks (including the Boundary Waters).

MN has become a home for more and more immigrant groups because of MN social programs, including as we all know, large Hmong and Somali groups as well as many South and Central American immigrants.

While I have been aware for some time now what an awesome state MN is, it was great to read about it in a book. It also made me think about the CTEP program in general and how it's part of a larger system in MN, and a larger tradition, of trying to make our communities better places to live. MN has always gone about betterment in smart, effective and unique ways and I think CTEP is very Minnesotan in that way. It responds to a large need within the community and allows members to directly work at fixing the problem through education and sharing of resources. It does well in the Twin Cities because there are already so many great organizations to partner with.

[David Christensen]

I joined a new library system in Hennepin County and decided to become a student of history of my own home state. So I selected a book similar to what I would pick in my travels elsewhere, and learned more about the state I had lived in for over 70 years. The author does a good job, the story telling makes it light and fanciful, I felt it was accurate. It gave me a good homespun feeling about the state I call home. I wish I would’ve read something like this 50 years ago.

[Brian Maskell Maskell]

MINNESOTA HISTORY

I found the history book of Minnesota a wonderful read. I came across the book by happenstance on my iPad and I spent 2 days mostly reading “A Popular History of Minnesota”. I travel a great deal with my work, and I have visited Minnesota several times, and this book makes me want to visit again very soon.

[The Squirrel]

A good introduction to the history of Minnesota. I am guessing the reason why some people find it dense is because the author is trying to cram the entire history of Minnesota in one book and that is a difficult task.

[Rita]

Well written and very informative.

[Scott]

Easy to read , brief summary of Minnesota ' s history with recommendations for more in depth reading .

[EA]

It's a good, easy to read, fast look at the state's history. Not in-depth by any means, but if you're looking for a quick insight into Minnesota's history, this is a great start.

[J.M. Hushour]

Project Read-a-History-of-Every-State-in-Order-of-Statehood #32

[E.]

Needed to brush up on the history of the my new state. A good, easy, informative, entertaining read.

[Eli]

Great book about a great state

[Marilyn Ostermiller]

Gave it three stars for the limited audience it will likely attract. I came across it in a gift store in Bemidji, MN where I was attending a family reunion. It has useful information for the children's historical novel I'm writing set in northern Minnesota on the brink of the Great Depression. It is an easy read filled with a cornucopia of facts about how the state evolved from the first settlers to today.

[sarah]

My mom gave this to me as a Christmas stocking-stuffer when I first moved to Minnesota...I guess I should finally read it, now that it's two years later.

Edit: Pretty thin, but not uninteresting.

[Kevin Zwiefelhofer]

This was a brief & broad text about popular history. Not a bad read but little depth or anything I haven't seen in other books.

[Kim]

A very general overview of MN history. Good for an introduction to the State's history. Has a small excerpt on the Cloquet Fires.