Minnesota Independent Scholars Forum

Board Meeting
2019-06-20 16:00 - 17:30, 2019-09-18 16:00 - 17:30, 2020-01-15 16:30 - 17:30 UTC | Highland Park Library, 1974 Ford Pkwy, St Paul, MN 55116
MISF Members welcome!

Scholars without Walls: How our book came to be and why
2019-06-22 10:00 - 11:30 | Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
We will introduce our new book, Scholars without Walls: The History of the Minnesota Independent Scholars’ Forum. The book, which will be available for purchase at this event, tells how a group of unemployed academics became a current-day organization with monthly meetings, study groups, a regular newsletter, and fiscal agency assistance. In addition to a history of the organization, this new book includes examples of writing by independent scholars—on subjects from health insurance to history.
Authors Lucy Brusic, Evelyn Klein and Mike Woolsey will introduce the book. We will talk about what inspired us to write the book and what we hope to accomplish by publishing it. Copies of the book will be available for sale.
Lucy Brusic is a writer and editor; Evelyn Klein is a writer and editor; Mike Woolsey is an independent scholar and grant writer.

History Study Group
2019-06-25 19:00 - 21:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
We will discuss Part III – the last part – of John Adams by David McCullough.
We will celebrate finishing the book by evaluating Mr Adam’s life, comparing it to our own, and feeling guilty.

Philosophy Study Group
2019-06-29 19:00 - 21:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
We will continue our discussion of modern Stoicism by reading the rest of chapter five and chapter six in A New Stoicism by Lawrence Becker. Chapter five completes his discussion of norms and motivations, while chapter six covers virtue.
This should motivate you to do the virtuous thing: show up at our meeting on the 15th and let everyone know what you think.

Philosophy Study Group
2019-07-15 19:00 - 21:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
We are in the process of reading A New Stoicism by Lawrence Becker. He is continuing his arguments that virtue is the only good, at least for psychologically healthy people. Alas, there’s always a catch.

MIA Book Tour (**date changed**)
2019-07-19 19:00 - 20:00 | Minneapolis Institute of Art, 2400 3rd Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55404
One of the most popular gallery walks at the Minneapolis Institute of Art is called a Book Tour. That is, a book of fiction or social commentary is selected for consideration. The docent highlights brief aspects of the book and proceeds to fashion a creative link between the reading and a work of art. The book selected for this year’s MISF gallery walk will be Scholars Without Walls: A History of the Minnesota Independent Scholars’ Forum (see Bulletin Board).
Brief selections from the book will be read by the author and the docent will imaginatively relate the excerpt to a work of art from the museum’s collection. Bob and Lucy Brusic will be guides for the evening’s BookTour. All are welcome, especially those who have not yet had a chance to read the book.

History Study Group
2019-07-23 19:00 - 21:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
We are going to read the book The Second Coming of the KKK: The Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s and the American Political Tradition (2017) by Linda Gordon. This book is available in paperback for around $17 and as an ebook for $11. Since this is a relatively short book, we’ve decided to cover the whole book in one session.
This book was selected as one of the top 20 history books of 2018 by the Amazon book review editor. If they had selected the top History Study Groups, I’m sure we would have come out on top.

Philosophy Study Group
2019-08-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
We will conclude our reading of A New Stoicism by Lawrence Becker. This includes chapter 7, “Happiness,” and a couple of appendices. We are especially interested in having people come who consider themselves happy. Then the author can demonstrate that since they aren’t stoically happy, they aren’t as happy as they think they are, or as they could be, or that it isn’t the right kind of happiness. If everyone leaves unhappy at the end of the evening, we’ll have succeeded.

MISF Annual Picnic!
2019-08-24 11:30 - 14:00 | Cherokee Park Picnic Shelter, Chippewa and Winona St., St. Paul
Come join us at the small picnic shelter in Cherokee Park in St. Paul’s West Side neighborhood for our annual picnic. We will start gathering at 11:30 with serving beginning at 12:00. MISF will provide the plasticware, plates, drinks, grills, and electricity. You provide a dish to share and, optionally, any games you might like. Bring a friend and some good topics of conversation.

Philosophy Study Group
2019-09-04 19:00 - 21:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
We are turning to a classic book this time: The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus. This is a book that should have lots of used copies floating around, or you can get it new for $10 – $15. An ebook is about the same. You may even already have one in your own library. For this meeting we will discuss the first part, “An Absurd Reasoning.” There will be nothing absurd about our meeting on the 4th, however. Well, maybe a little. At least it won’t be a myth.

History Study Group
2019-09-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
We will finish reading The Sea Wolves: A History of the Vikings by Lars Brownworth. If the author has done his research properly, this book should end somewhere near Alexandria, Minnesota.

Philosophy Study Group
2019-09-23 19:00 - 21:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
We are finishing the book The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus. While Pollyanna and Dr Pangloss might have some problem understanding Camus’ point of view, they – and anyone who feels the same way as they do – are certainly welcome to come and mix with those who feel desperate and anguished and who see the universe as absurd. It should make for an interesting evening.

The Woodcut Art of Wolfgang Klein
2019-09-28 10:00 - 11:30 | Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
The program will introduce the topic with a brief description of the history of creating woodcuts. It will then focus on Wolfgang Klein’s art of creating woodcuts from their inception to their completion, including materials and tools needed in the process. The presenter will have actual art samples on view and take her audience on a journey of the artist’s life and creativity by means of a slide show of works by this Wisconsin artist.
Evelyn Klein, Author, Speaker, Artist, is the daughter of Wolfgang Klein. She has a B.S. in Secondary Education and an M.S. in English. She is, currently, editor of The Minnesota Scholar and her newsletter, The Write Connection. A prize-winning poet, she is the author of three books of poetry, essays, and art. Her first book,From Here Across the Bridge, a memoir in verse, contains woodcut illustrations by her father, Wolfgang Klein, winning a cover award. Her books, Once upon a Neighborhood and Seasons of Desire, are theme books with poetry and essays and her own illustrations. Both books are now found in the Minnesota Historical Society’s permanent library collection.

Philosophy Study Group
2019-10-14 19:00 - 21:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
We will be tackling a book by the contemporary Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Žižek,The Parallax View (2006), which he calls his magnus opus. It can be found new in paperback for about $17 and as an ebook for $10. We will do chapter 1 for the 14th.
According to Wikipedia Žižek has been referred to as “the Elvis of cultural theory.” While Professor Žižek is a popular philosopher – and probably a better one than Elvis – it’s doubtful that he has any blue suede shoes or even a houn’ dog. How all shook up he is depends on one’s viewpoint, though I advise that, however you see things, you don’t be cruel to him, or at least you can refrain from to love him tender. Are you lonesome tonight? Then start reading, and if you don’t like it you can take it and return to sender, although then not being able to participate in our group will make you feel really bad, like a teddy bear all alone in a heartbreak hotel. At any rate Žižek, unlike Elvis, is at least still alive. Although…

History Study Group
2019-10-16 00:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
The new book we are beginning is King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa (1999) by Adam Hochschild. This was a prize-winning and popular book from twenty years ago; it is still a good read. For the 16th we will read through Part I (or as much of Part I as you are able). This is one of those history books that can be rather disquieting. Fortunately, our group is so congenial that we make it easy to live with personal distress.
A new paperback costs $12-15, and an ebook is around $10. However, used copies are readily available and, I am told, even new copies can be found for only a few dollars.

Minneapolis and Tangletown Neighborhood Landmarks
2019-10-26 10:00 - 11:30 | Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
What is a neighborhood and how does change make it better, lessen it, or make it a different world? Step into the past with a presentation illustrated by maps and photographs of historical interest. The maps show what most of south Minneapolis looked like prior to urban development. The photos are of early downtown Minneapolis and the Mississippi River, as well as historical and current-day images of Tangletown. These maps and photos provide a sense of place, identity, and pride in the city where we live.
Tom Balcom grew up in Minneapolis, majored in Geography/Urban and Regional Planning at the U of M, and worked in planning and environmental protection programs at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. In retirement, Tom enjoys doing historical research and writing, as well as giving bus, bike, and walking tours of the city and south Minneapolis neighborhoods”.

Philosophy Study Group
2019-11-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
We will discuss the rest of Part I of The Parallax View by Slavoj Žižek. Admittedly, this book can be a challenge. However, for the MISF Philosophy Study Group, challenge is our name. Or maybe our middle initial, anyway. But we can do this.

Oaxaca: Mexican Discoveries
2019-11-16 10:00 - 11:30 | Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
Oaxaca is a city and state in southern Mexico that today is a popular destination for foreign and domestic tourists and those wishing to spend the winter months in a warm, sunny climate. Oaxaca has been populated for thousands of years and there is still a large indigenous population that carry on traditions and customs from years past. It is known for its cuisine, its festivals, its archeological sites and its artisans and crafts including weaving, textiles, pottery (green, red, black), alebrijes and mezcal. Charlie Roger has spent a few winters in Oaxaca and would like to share his experiences from there.
Charlie Roger is now retired after years of working for hospitals in respiratory therapy and data management. He enjoys reading, teaching English with the Minnesota Literacy Council, studying Spanish and travel.

History Study Group
2019-11-20 19:00 - 21:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
We will conclude our discussion of the book we are currently reading, King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa, by Adam Hochschild. I hope that you have not become inured or negatively affected by the outrageous abuses which were committed by European colonists in the Congo. And I hope you will be coming to our last meeting on this book. If not, we have ways of persuading you.

Philosophy Study Group
2019-12-02 19:00 - 21:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
We will continue discussing The Parallax View by Slavoj Žižek, this time covering Part II. In this part Žižek applies his parallax metaphor to science. Reviewers, in general, think that Žižek does his best job in Part II where he contributes new insights for Continental Philosophy. Notably, these reviewers – including those who are Žižek enthusiasts ‒ also generally agree that chapter1 is really tough going. So if you got through that, the rest is smooth sailing.
Well…smoother, anyway. But what’s really smooth sailing is coming to our meeting and basking in the friendly philosophical banter of our members.

History Study Group
2019-12-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
The book we will begin discussing at that time is Four Princes: Henry VIII, Francis I, Charles V, Suleiman the Magnificent, and the Obsessions that Forged Modern Europe (2018) by John Julius Norwich. This book can be had new in paperback for between $11 and $18, and as an ebook for $10 to $12. For the 18th we’ll read the first four chapters. And when you come to the MISF History Study Group meeting remember, everyone here is a prince (or a princess).

Philosophy Study Group
2020-01-08 19:00 - 21:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
We will conclude our discussion of The Parallax View by Slavoj Žižek. This involves reading Part III in which Žižek covers how his philosophy works with politics. Žižek is one of the leading contemporary philosophers of Continental Philosophy (as contrasted with Analytic Philosophy). As a matter of fact, in one place he says that his goal is to resurrect German Idealism. He, like most Continental Philosophers, can also sometimes be difficult to read; but this is one reason we have these discussions: to share our insights into what the author is trying to say.
Since the different schools of Continental Philosophy are a wide-ranging and important part of contemporary philosophy and should be at least broadly understood by anyone who asserts that they are interested in philosophy, and that, furthermore, we have given you a whole month to read as much as the book (or other works by or about Žižek) as you are able, therefore, we are making it a requirement that everyone attend this meeting. We expect full compliance.

History Study Group
2020-01-22 19:00 - 21:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
We are reading the book Four Princes: Henry VIII, Francis I, Charles V, Suleiman the Magnificent, and the Obsessions that Forged Modern Europe by John Julius Norwich. Join us as we finish the story of these four lovable characters as they cavort around Europe and environs, squabbling over land and religious doctrine, signing treaties, breaking treaties, pledging to and undercutting each other, fighting their little wars, marrying off daughters still in diapers, and interacting in other amusing ways.
But yet they somehow laid out paths future generations have had to deal with. You won’t want to miss this.

Minnesota Swedes Raising Cane
2020-01-25 10:00 - 12:00 | Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
In the early years of the 20th century, a Swedish-American doctor invested in a large tract of land in eastern Cuba. Using his doctor’s office on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis as a headquarters, he promoted the sale of land parcels to his fellow Swedish-Americans. In his promotional pamphlets, written in Swedish, Dr. Lind promised cheap land, a warm healthful climate and the opportunity to harvest crops year round. A number of farm families from the Upper Midwest decided to participate in this adventure, becoming part of a Swedish-American settlement in Cuba. However, because of turbulent political and economic times, by 1920 most of the Swedish-American-Cubans had returned to the U.S. Their experiences, as recorded in reminiscences, stories and photos. gathered from their dedcendants, illustrate the drama, romance, intrigue and adventure of the Swedes Raising Cane in Cuba.
Marilyn is a local historian who began researching the topic of the Swedish settlement in Cuba when she served as the director of the Isanti County Historical Society during the 1980s. While living in the Cambridge area, she researched many topics relating to Swedish immigration and cultural traditions. Her research found its way into public presentations, several books and portrayals of local historical characters (whom she says, “stepped out of the archives”). For 15 years she also published an annual history/tourism-related newspaper called The Isanti County Traveler. Then in 2016 she published her one and only novel that she calls “a local history mystery.” The title is Caught in the Lye and it features lutefisk, of course. Now, living in the Twin Cities, she is currently assisting with the publication of a pictorial history of Saint Paul’s Swede Hollow. “But,” she says, “I can’t seem to get away from the Cuba story.” Two recent trips to Cuba and new contacts that often appear “out of the blue” continue to add additional dimensions to the story. She is hopeful that a musical called Sugar, based on the story, will one day find its way to the stage. Meanwhile, she perseveres in playing the nyckelharpa, a Swedish folk instrument, and in perfecting her pie-baking skills.

Philosophy Study Group (Rescheduled!)
2020-02-12 19:00 - 21:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
For this meeting we have chosen to read a philosophical novel rather than our usual diet of books and articles by philosophers. The Confidence-Man: His Masquerade (1857) was the last novel written by Herman Melville. A paperback copy of the book can be found for $6 – $14 new and less if used. An ebook costs only a few dollars. But best of all, it is available on the Gutenberg Project for free.
The story is ostensibly about a con man who takes a steamboat down the Mississippi, interacting with his marks; but, of course, it is much more than that. Just what else it is about is to be discovered at our next meeting. So be prepared to be enlightened, challenged, inspired, amused, and perhaps…fooled? Bring money.

History Study Group
2020-02-19 19:00 - 21:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
We will start talking about the book, The Swerve (2012), by Stephen Greenblatt. You can find this book new in paperback for $12 – $17 and as an ebook for $10 – $12. For the 19th, we will read through chapter five. The book is not without controversy. While it has been heaped with praise, it has also been called simplistic, lacking in historical rigor, anti-religious, and even unethical. Despite this, it won both a Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, and it was on numerous lists of the year’s best books for some serious book review publications.
However you may end up feeling about the book, it should be a good read. And however you may feel about other members of the MISF History Study Group, they really produce some good discussions.

Minnesota Women: First in the Nation to Vote in 1920
2020-02-22 10:00 - 11:30 | Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
At 6 a.m. on the morning of August 27, 1920, the City of South St. Paul held the very first election conducted on the day following ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granting women the right to vote. The identity of the first woman to cast a ballot will be discussed as will the history of suffrage across the nation and in Minnesota for the seventy-plus years leading up to passage of the 19th Amendment. Lois Glewwe is from South St. Paul and believes that her own grandmother and three aunts voted on that important day.
Lois Glewwe is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and received her Master’s Degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of the published histories of South St. Paul, West St. Paul and Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, and is a contributing author in Minnesota’s Trail of Tears: The Beginning of the Dakota Exile in Minnesota. She has written several additional published works including A Brief History of South St. Paul, published in 2015 by The History Press in South Carolina. Her stories of the first white and Dakota women in Minnesota are available online at DakotaSoulSisters.com where she has profiled approximately 20 women in Minnesota from 1835-1862. Lois is also an oral history transcriptionist for Barbara Sommer, Kim Heikkila, and the Minnesota Historical Society. She is currently under contract for a new book on Images of America: South St. Paul in Photos, by Arcadia Press, which will be out in December of 2021.

Philosophy Study Group
2020-03-04 19:00 - 21:00 | Curran’s Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in Minneapolis
Because this is an election year, we have decided to read what many say is the first modern political treatise: The Prince, written in the early 16th century by Niccolò Machiavelli. Being a classic, this book is readily available just about anywhere at a reasonable cost, and may even be in your own library.
A downloadable copy can be found on Gutenberg.org. There is nothing Machiavellian about the MISF Philosophy Study Group. However, anyone even thinking about attempting some kind of power move is not treated kindly.
