Dr. Paul G. Theobold the Dean, School of Education, Woods Beal Endowed Chair, and chair, Department of Social and Psychological Foundations of Education, Buffalo State College, had his assistant, Ms. Cynthina Anthony, ask whether I would be willing to allow a link from their site, Rural Lit RALLY (Reinvigorating American Life and Learning through the Literature of Yesteryear) to my essay, “Reading Herbert Krause” (see above under the “Other Writings” tab). The Rural Lit folks are apparently trying to catalog and, through the use of their new website (http://rurallitrally.org/) begin an online dialogue about the importance of rural writing, notably the “forgotten” writers of the dust bowl days and before, including my personal favorite, Minnesota native, Herbert Krause. Dr. Theobald and the Rural Lit RALLY folks sum up their mission this way:
There is a saying: “You don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone.”
Out of print for decades, and long-since discarded from all but research university libraries, wonderful works of rurally based literature are disappearing every day. Variously called “farm novels,” “regional novels,” or “local color fiction,” these works portray farm life perceptively and in great depth. To lose them is to lose a piece of our collective history; a piece of who we are, as a people and as a nation.
This Rural Literature Initiative seeks strategies for building demand for rural literature in rural and urban schools such that academic/university presses can put this literature back into print or, short of this, that digitized collections might be created.
As a lover of Krause and the not-as-yet-forgotten Cather and Rolvaag, I welcome Dr. Theobald’s interest in my essay. I hope to participate in the online discussion that takes place regarding Krause’s importance as a regional writer in January on the RALLY site. I’d also urge all my blog readers who enjoy finely wrought prose to give Krause and the other authors featured on the Rural Lit RALLY website a try. Most of the books are out of print but you can find these gems online (at the usual suspects) or in the dusty corners of you local used bookstores. You won’t be sorry for trying these forgotten authors. Old is not to be confused with outdated: the themes in these stories are as relevant and timely today as they were when they were written. Who knows, if you look hard enough, you might even find an autographed copy for a reasonable price! Holding literary history signed by the author is a treasure to be relished and read. And, if after reading Wind Without Rain or some other long forgotten classic, you feel like joining in the online conversation, I’m sure your input would be appreciated by the folks behind RALLY.
Peace.
Mark
