Wurzer explores the 440 mile route of highway 61 as it snakes through Minnesota from La Crescent to the Canadian border in her book Tales of the Road: Highway 61. In this companion book to the Twin Cities Public Television documentary, Wurzer travels into the past to spotlight the famous, fascinating and forgotten locations along the way. From tourist cabins, lodges and supper clubs, to historic industries, Wurzer unearths stories about each delivering an illustrated tale with historic and current views to show how much—or how little—Highway 61 has changed.

Wurzer will sign copies of her book following the discussion.

Meet best-selling author Linda Olsson on Wednesday, March 25 at 4:00 p.m.

Olsson captures poignantly the pain of loss and the universal longing to uncover the past as a composer, grieving the recent loss of his young daughter, embarks on a journey to learn about his family. Traveling from New Zealand to Krakow, Poland he meets an elderly Jewish man who teaches him about his family. Through their meetings, he decides to seek the mother of his daughter and love of his life, to whom he hasn’t spoken in twenty years. Sonata for Miriam explores the unexpected consequences of impossible choices and the significance of understanding the past in order to fully live.

Olsson will sign copies of her book following the discussion.

Zerby delivers an engaging rumination of 1950’s America and our involvement in the Korean War. This coming-of-age novel, set in the Midwest, including the University of Minnesota campus, perfectly captures the social and political tensions of the day. Follow the story as he agonizes over relationships, attempts to survive service in the Korean War, and remains haunted by the ghosts stemming from his decision to stand up to racial injustices.

Zerby will sign copies of his book following the discussion.

From the front line of some of the most exciting developments in physics research, Kaku explores the fundamentals—and limits—of the laws of physics as we know them today. He examines the impossible technologies abandoned by scientists and relegated to science fiction. Physics of the Impossible is a fascinating and wildly entertaining exploration of force fields, time travel, precognition, parallel universes and much more from one of contemporary physics’ most brilliant minds.

Kaku is a professor of Theoretical Physics at the City University of New York. He is the author of Visions, Beyond Einstein, Hyperspace and Parallel Worlds. He is the cofounder of string field theory and hosts a nationally syndicated radio science program and the largest science web site on the Internet at www.mkaku.org.

Kaku will sign copies of his book following the discussion.

Dregni delivers a cross-cultural memoir that tells the hair-raising, hilarious and sometimes poignant stories of his family’s yearlong Norwegian experiment. Dregni and his expectant wife returned to the land that his great-grandfather fled in 1893 to spend a year immersed in all aspect of Scandinavian culture. In Cod We Trust is Dregni’s account of this adventure that included eating herring cakes, experiencing a generous health care system, trying to say warm in a remote grass-roofed hut, and surviving a dinner of fermented fish as they experienced the land of the midnight sun.

Dregni will sign copies of his book following the discussion.

Purge recounts John’s three-month treatment program at an eating-disorder facility after years of restricting and purging. Through her engaging and honest writing, readers experience the treatment center and the women who call themselves the Sisterhood of the Starving. Johns creates a vivid truth about living with and recovering from an eating disorder, including the lingering effects of psychiatric records and hospital bills.

Johns will sign copies of her book following the discussion.

Perry, author of the critically acclaimed memoir Population 485, and Truck, is back with an insightful memoir based on his experiences in a rickety Wisconsin farmhouse, with thirty-seven acres of overgrown farmland, a handful of chickens, and a baby due to be born in the upstairs bedroom. Perry reflects on his unorthodox farm kid past for clues to navigate the future with rural reflection and roughneck humor as he experiences events that cause him to revisit his lost faith.

Perry will sign copies of his book following the discussion

In illuminating detail, Simon Winchester brings to life the extraordinary story of Joseph Needham, the brilliant Cambridge scientist who was determined to reestablish the ancient nation’s rightful preeminence in the history of science. Needham’s love for his mistress lead him to a fascination with China and series of extraordinary expeditions to the farthest frontiers of the ancient world. His dedication to this quest led him to single-handedly produce seventeen immense volumes on Chinese civilization making him the greatest one-man encylopedist ever, and the subject of Winchester’s work. Even Needham’s political missteps and colorful lapses of moral judgment could not derail his extraordinary scholarly efforts. Through extensive travel and exclusive access to Needham’s archives, Winchester delivers a work that is both epic and intimate. This is an unforgettable tale of what makes men, nations, and mankind itself, great.

Winchester will sign copies of his book following the discussion.

Frederick shows how to overcome the fear of our feelings, and the consequences of expressing them to others in Living Like You Mean It. Using cutting edge science, his experience as a psychotherapist, and personal experience, Frederick shows how understanding and expressing our broad range of emotions can help our search for fulfillment. Frederick presents a proven four-step process for tapping into the hidden power of our emotions in this wise and compassionate guide to lasting change at work, home and within.

Frederick will sign copies of his book following the discussion.