Discover Modena, Italy, the birthplace of balsamic vinegar, Ferrari and Luciano Pavarotti, in Eric Dregni’s classic American abroad tale Never Trust a Thin Cook and Other Lessons from Italy’s Culinary Capital. Filled with adventures, awkward social moments and lots of very good food, Dregni recounts his experience of living in Italy. Sample an authentic portrait of how Italians live and a hilarious demonstration of how American and Italian cultures differ while learning the secrets of Italian cuisine through Dregni’s observations and wit.

Dregni is also the author of In Cod We Trust, Minnesota Marvels, and Midwest Marvels.

Dregni will sign copies of his book following the discussion.

This inspirational chronicle of Golden Gopher football celebrates the great moments of a storied and historic program that has held a significant place in the hearts of Minnesota fans for over 100 years. Bruton, a former Gopher player, recalls the history, the traditions, the rivalries, the players and coaches, the great games of the past, the national championship teams, the Hall of Famers, the names behind the scenes, and the excitement over the future as Gopher Football returns to campus in the new TCF Bank Stadium. Told from a fan’s perspective, Gopher Glory is a must-have for all Golden Gopher faithful.

Bruton will sign copies of his book following the discussion.

Learn about Minnesota’s best-loved places including the North Shore, Lake Bemidji, the western prairies and grasslands, the Boundary Waters, and the Mesabi Iron Range, from notable writers and conservationists. Drawn from pages of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine, these observations and spirited tales beckon Minnesotans to work, play, and explore in the natural places close to their homes and hearts. Our Neck of the Woods explores themes such as embracing winter, making camp, and finding wildness even amid development as the authors tell of hunting, fishing, birding, canoeing, and other great outdoor activities that help define what it means to be Minnesotan.

Philippon will sign copies of his book following the discussion.

Gonzalez captures the mystery and divinity of our human lives in Faith Run. His poetry creates a new world out of the world we think we know. Through his poems, the personal suddenly becomes the cosmic, the mundane unexpectedly becomes the sublime.

In his newest work, Cool Auditor, Gonzalez creates his own brand of magical realism by bringing pop humor into poetry. Discover how almost every sentence talks about the true (and not so true) lives of rock stars.

Gonzalez will sign copies of his book following the discussion.

Filled with political turmoil, corrupt court officials and religious fanatics, this thrilling historical adventure set in 1207 A.D. France follows the exploits of the French princess Alais Capet, sister to King Philippe Auguste. Healey’s interest in France and medieval history provides a solidly researched and historically accurate glimpse into 13th century France as she delivers a spine-tingling story with messages still relevant for today.

Healey is also the author of The Canterbury Papers.

Healey will sign copies of his book following the discussion.

Mayes explores the political beginning and later expansion of Kwanzaa, from its start as a Black Power holiday to its current place as one of the mainstream black holiday traditions. Learn about the individuals that pushed to make this annual celebration a reality and its role in cultural pride in the African-American community. See how the black freedom struggle was moved to the American calendar.

Mayes will sign copies of his book following the discussion.

Kraack delivers a lovely, haunting tale that stays grounded in the ways of the human heart in her debut novel Minnesota Cold, Not Another Weather Story. The story of Sallie Dodge begins with a simple check at a public health clinic and travels through the complicated culture created by the aggressive merger of big business and government. The journey isn’t easy, the questions difficult and the impact on her family immense.

Kraack has a Masters in Industrial Relations with double emphasis in labor economics and career counseling from the University of Minnesota.

Kraack will sign copies of her book following the discussion.

Zagar refuses to separate Knut Hamsun’s political and cultural ideas from his highly regarded writing in her analysis of this Nobel Prize-winning writer and Nazi sympathizer. Zagar’s work reveals the ways messages of racism and sexism appear in plays, fiction and none-too-subtle nonfiction produced by Hamsun over his long career. By focusing on selected masterpieces, Zagar shows that Hamsun’s support of Nazi political ideals was a natural outgrowth of his reactionary aversion to modernity. Knut Hamsun serves as a corrective to scholarship treating Hamsun’s Nazi ties as unpleasant but peripheral details in a life of literary achievement.

Zagar will sign copies of her book following the discussion.

A Christmas Blizzard is vintage Keillor, a wry, witty look at a contemporary Scrooge that is sure to please. Follow the journey of James and Joyce Sparrow as they struggle with each other, Christmas in general, and their life circumstances. Everything changes when James finds himself snowed-in in a fishing shack during a blizzard where he meets a wolf, the Big Hair Lady, and a Chinese wise man, each attempting to teach him the great mystery of life.

Keillor will sign copies of his book following the discussion.

This event is free and open to the public. Reserved seating and priority signing placement is available for the first 100 customers who purchase A Christmas Blizzard from the University of Minnesota Bookstore or our web site.