Contest

It’s Moose Madness this weekend in Grand Marais, MN (Oct 16-18), and there are tons of fun moose-related events going on all three days.

For the bookish, we recommend the poetry contest. Pick up an entry form in person at Moose Central (a.k.a. Grand Marais/Gunflint Trail Visitor Information Center at  13 North Broadway) and compose your very own moose haiku or limerick.

If you feel a need to get some constructive criticism on your work, you can read it at the Mocha Moose Cafe and Poetry Salon (right next door to the visitor center) at 9 PM on Saturday. All entries are due by noon on Sunday at Moose Central.

If you are unable to travel to Grand Marais this weekend, we would be happy to post (after reviewing–we are family friendly) your moose haikus in the comments.

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So, this week, everyone’s a Twins fan, but how well do you really know Minnesota baseball?

The first five people to answer the following questions correctly will win a free copy of our book Baseball in Minnesota: The Definitive History by Stew Thornley!

Send your answers to info-mhspress@mnhs.org. We will write you for a mailing address if you are one of the lucky winners.

Here we go:

1. What year did Kirby Puckett join the Twins?

2. On what date did Harmon Killebrew hit his first homerun for the Twins and how far did the ball go (estimate)?

3. In the spring of 1965, there was a lot of flooding. For the home opener, 4 members of the Twins were marooned on the wrong side of the swollen Minnesota River. They had to be flown to the game by helicopter. Name them.

Good luck all!

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We have winners from last week’s quiz. All winners will receive a copy of either Minnesota County Fairs or State Fair. The correct answer, as winner Jean put it, is ” The winning numbers are chosen where the rooster does his business.” That is absolutely right. Gross, but right.  Other winners include Penny from New Ulm, Daphne from Minneapolis, Duke from Red Wing, and Mr. Loman from St. Paul. Thanks to everyone for playing and congratulations!

Now, for this week’s quiz question. Again, send in your answer to info-mhspress@mnhs.org and we will draw a winner out of a hat next Wednesday. Your e-mail will not be used for any purpose other than to contact you if you win. Winners will be announced right here at 10000books.org next Wednesday, 8/26. Good luck!

 The quiz question is: What is wrong with this picture? 

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Minnesota Reads is one of our favorite book blogs. They have interesting, thoughtful reviews of a wide range of books, and they are also good followers of the regional literary scene.

In honor of their first anniversary, they have listed their favorite five books by Minnesotans along with the chance to win them! The list includes our very own Tales of the Road by the fabulous Cathy Wurzer. Here is the complete list: German for Travelers by Norah Labiner, Turtle Catcher by Nicole Helget (also an MHS Press author), The Song Is You by Arthur Phillips, and Mudville by Kurtis Scaletta. Congrats all, and happy anniversary, Minnesota Reads!

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Okay, last week I put forth three quiz questions for a free Minnesota County Fairs or  State Fair book. Entrants were to e-mail me the correct answers, and I was going to draw five winners out of a hat.

Well, only one person wrote in with the correct answers (congratulations Bill in St. Paul!), so I am going to make it easier this week. There is only one quiz question. E-mail me the correct answer at info-mhspress@mnhs.org by Tuesday, 8/18, and I will put all of the correct answers into a hat and draw out five winners. Winners will be contacted by e-mail and announced on Wednesday 8/19. Three people will receive a free copy of Susan Lambert’s Miller’s Minnesota County Fairs and two will receive a copy of her book State Fair: The Great Minnesota Get-Together.

Here we go!

The one and only question:

How are the bingo numbers determined in Rooster Bingo?

Again, e-mail your response to info-mhspress@mnhs.org.

Also, if you are chomping at the bit waiting for the Minnesota State Fair, check out the Dakota County Fair this week!

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The Minnesota State Fair is starting in about three weeks on August 27th. In honor of our time-honored tradition, we will be giving away three copies of Susan Lambert Miller’s new book Minnesota County Fairs: Kids, Cows, Carnies and Chow and two copies of State Fair: The Great Minnesota Get-Together for the next three weeks–starting today.

But, of course, there is a catch. You must answer three county fair questions corrrectly. If you answer correctly, your name will be thrown into a hat next Wednesday, and we will draw for our five winners winners of the week. We will have more quiz questions the next two Wednesdays (August 12 and 19th) as well. Your answers need to be e-mailed to info-mhspress@mnhs.org by 8:00 AM Wednesday, August 12. Please put “Fairs” in the subject line.

Here we go!

#1. What is the name of this event?

#2 Identify the owner of these feet.

#3 What is the purpose of the knobs?

Good luck!

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From October through December of this year, Coffee House Press, Milkweed Press, Graywolf Press, and the Loft Literary Center are hosting an event called Around the Literary Twin Cities in (Almost) Eighty Days.

Every week, they will release a literary trivia question; the answers will be presented by a local literary venue. The Grand Prize include tickets to Talking Volumes, membership to the Loft Literary Center, and every book published by each of the three participating presses in 2009. That’s a lotta books.

But that is not until October. Right now, however, the group is asking for potential triva questions to be used in the contest. Submit your ideas here.

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We have our five winners—Jennifer from Minneapolis, Jed from St. Paul, Owen from St. Paul, Thomas from Cedar Lake, IN, and John from Minneapolis. Your free books are on their way

Here are the answers, in case you were wondering: Flower 1 is Purple Pea (Lathyrus venosus); Flower 2 is Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis); Flower 3 is Broad-Leaved Arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia).

Thanks to everyone for playing!

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Well, the Wildflower Challenge has been exactly that—challenging. So far, we have only one winner (Jennifer from Minneapolis—Yay!).

So, to help you along, I am going to give you some hints from our books Wildflowers of the Boundary Waters:

Flower #1: “As you might expect, its seedpod resembles the pea pods you’ve picked from your garden or purchased in the grocery store, but in miniature.”

 Flower #2: “Its oil has proved promising in the treatment of asthma, migraines, arthritis, acne, weight loss, and other maladies.”

  Flower #3: American Indians sliced and dried the tubers to fill a major portion of their food supply.”

Again, you may email me your answers at mary.poggione@mnhs.org with “Wildflower Challenge” in the subject header. the first people four to get them all right wins a free book.

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In honor of the new MHS Press book Wildflowers of the Boundary Waters: Hiking Through the Seasons, by the wonderful Betty Vos Hemstad, we would like to offer a free book to the first five people who can identify the following flowers. E-mail your answers to me at mary.poggione@mnhs.org and put Wildflower Challenge in the subject line. We will accept the common use name for the flower. Ready?

For more information about Betty and her new book, check out this great article in Edina Magazine.

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