Northern Lights Books & Gifts

Publication Party: Margi Preus

September 1, 2010 - 3:09pm — Northern Lights...

Join us Thursday, September 9th at 7pm at the Zeitgeist Cafe to meet local author Margi Preus and discuss her knew book Heart of a Samurai.

RSVP by calling 218-722-5267 or 800-868-8904

Margi Preus is a children's book author and playwright. This is her first novel. She came upon the story of Manjiro while researching another subject, and was attracted by the true story of a courageous boy who nurtured friendship and understanding between two previously antagonistic countries. Her research has taken her twice to Japan, including to Manjiro's hometown, where she ate sea bream mixed with rice and astounded everyone with her talented use of hashi (chopsticks). Or so she would like to think. Preus lives in Duluth, Minnesota, where she directs Colder by the Lake Comedy Theatre and teaches children's literature at the College of St. Scholastica.

Heart of a Samurai (Hardcover)

By Margi Preus

$15.95

ISBN-13: 9780810989818
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Harry N. Abrams, 08/01/2010

In 1841, a Japanese fishing vessel sinks. Its crew is forced to swim to a small, unknown island, where they are rescued by a passing American ship. Japan's borders remain closed to all Western nations, so the crew sets off to America, learning English on the way.

Manjiro, a fourteen-year-old boy, is curious and eager to learn everything he can about this new culture. Eventually the captain adopts Manjiro and takes him to his home in New England. The boy lives for some time in New England, and then heads to San Francisco to pan for gold. After many years, he makes it back to Japan, only to be imprisoned as an outsider. With his hard-won knowledge of the West, Manjiro is in a unique position to persuade the shogun to ease open the boundaries around Japan; he may even achieve his unlikely dream of becoming a samurai.

Sheila Packa Duluth's New Poet Laureate!

May 6, 2010 - 9:28am — Northern Lights...

Northern Lights Books & Gifts would like to congratulate Sheila Packa for her appointment as Duluth's 2010-2012 Poet Laureate.

From the Lake Superior Writer's Poet Laureate page:

"Lake Superior Writers established the position of Duluth Poet Laureate in 2006 as a way of honoring area poets and encouraging the enjoyment of poetry.

"Duluth poet Sheila Packa has been selected as the 2010-12 Duluth Poet Laureate, in an open selection process by the Lake Superior Writers' poet laureate committee. For her two year term, Ms. Packa will receive an honorarium of $3,000 and will organize five public events. An inaugural reading will be presented in the Fall, 2010.

"A crowning ceremony will be held on Sunday, May 2nd, 2 pm. at the Harbor City International School in downtown Duluth. Ms. Packa is the first Duluth woman to receive the honor."

Northern Lights Books & Gifts carries Sheila Packa's poetry, please stop by or give us a call or email to order!

Welcome!

December 31, 2010 - 11:59pm — Northern Lights...

Northern Lights Books & Gifts, located on the waterfront, in the heart of historic Canal Park, is everything a full service bookstore should be: an inviting place to browse, with helpful staff ready to suggest a title, take your order, wrap and ship your important gifts.

We offer a diverse line of books for adults and children, featuring a comprehensive collection of regional subjects and authors including Great Lakes Shipping.

307 Canal Park Drive

Duluth, MN 55802

Phone: 218-722-5267

Toll Free: 800-868-8904

Fax: 218-722-5392

Email: