Heavy snow and difficult travel expected again, heaviest snow in southern Minnesota

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

It was a celebration at St. Paul’s Fitzgerald Theater Tuesday night, as the 25th season of Talking Volumes launched with Haitian-born writer 

She joined host Kerri Miller on stage to talk about the vulnerability inherent in her new book of essays, “

.” They also talked about the challenges facing the Haitian-American community at this moment and how Danticat’s own family — who moved to American when she was 12 — faced the immigrant journey. 

the violent threats facing the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio

, Danticat said: “It reminds me of a collective fragility, right? One of the things that is very precarious for immigrants, especially new arrived immigrants, is this idea that we don’t always get to decide where we call home. … And it can go generations, where you think, ‘Oh I thought I was home, but this person who has more power thinks this is not my home, and they have the mechanisms to disavow me of that notion.’”

There was plenty of laughter too, including Danticat’s surprising confession about the weirdest thing she’s brought with her on book tour, how she navigates being an author on social media and what it means to her to be a “witnessing writer.” Plus, there was evocative music from Minneapolis musician 

 for the rest of the 25th season of Talking Volumes, which will feature Alice Hoffman, Louise Erdrich and Kate DiCamillo.

Arts and Culture

The Thread® - Books and Literary News

Talking Volumes

Shows

Big Books & Bold Ideas with Kerri Miller

On Air

Host

Author

The 25th season of Talking Volumes kicked off with Haitian-born writer Edwidge Danticat, who joined host Kerri Miller on the stage of the Fitzgerald Theater to talk about her new book of essays, “We’re Alone.”

Talking Volumes: Edwidge Danticat on ‘We’re Alone’

Go Deeper.

Like this?