Highlights

Over the years, we've collected a series of remarkable moments we'd like to share here with you.

Jim Harrison accepts the Voice of the Heartland award

Legendary Jim Harrison. Just the mention of his name brings a smile to your face, for his remarkable writing, gustatory passion, and charming presence. In 2013, we granted him the Voice of the Heartland award for his significant contributions to the literary Midwest. His acceptance as he received the award is the stuff of legends. Rambling, laugh-out-loud humorous, and surprising, Harrison spoke for just over six minutes and enthralled a room of 250 booksellers and publisher attendees.

Because of his lack of mobility, Harrison spoke from his table, and so our footage of this event was limited and also held captive on an iPhone. Now, two years later, we've been able to extricate his speech, and have included it below for all of our repeated viewing pleasure. Enjoy! Thank you to Judy Hottensen at Grove for hanging in there as we repeatedly tried to crack into her iPhone.

Kate DiCamillo accepts the Voice of the Heartland award

Told with humbling humor and wit, Kate DiCamillo describes moving from Florida to Minneapolis without a job, coat, or winter boots. All she really know is that she wanted to be a writer. Upon seeing a classified ad from The Bookmen, the legendary Twin Cities book warehouse, she swooned and landed a job as picker of children's books. Listen to Kate describe how The Bookmen, Minneapolis, and the Midwest provided the door she stepped through where she discovered herself.

Pat Schmatz gives a rousing keynote about acceptance at the Moveable Feast

We chose Pat Schmatz, author of Bluefish and Lizard Radio, for a keynote spot in 2015 because we just knew she would be have something amazing to say. Please enjoy her hard-earned and inspiring celebration of learning which books were her ballast, how to tell and share the truth, and how we are all part of the changing pipeline that is sharing new and underheard voices with young readers.

Eric Litwin brings down the house at 8:30 am

Eric Litwin, author of Groovy Joe: Ice Cream and Dinosaurs, spoke with booksellers and got the final day of the 2016 Heartland Fall Forum off to a jubilant start.