On today’s show…
The 23rd annual South Dakota Festival of Books kicks off next week in Spearfish. We’re bringing you a preview of some of the presenting authors you can look forward to.
First, we hear from Marcella Remund, current president of the South Dakota State Poetry Society. She’s the author of four poetry collections, including “Hysterian”, which was just released this month. We talk about the role of poetry in capturing both personal and collective histories, and what inspires her latest work (1:10-31:11).
Environmental author Peter Carrels has written “Cascades of the Big Sioux River”, a book that tells the natural and cultural history of what many of us know today as Falls Park in downtown Sioux Falls (31:12-49:40).
The book dives into the natural forces that shaped the falls, the human forces that desecrated it, and the turning point when activist Hazel O’Connor joined forces with a visionary mayor and city planner. Together, they began the transformation of a polluted dumping ground into one of the state’s most beloved natural spaces.
It’s a conversation about poetry, persistence, and the power of stories to transform communities.