Recent content from Pamela Miller
Review: Afraid of the dark? 'Night Magic' is a book to help us reimagine darkness
Nonfiction: Nature writer Leigh Ann Henion melds science and poetry in an illuminating ode to all that goes bump, or bright, in the night.
Review: 'How it Went,' by Wendell Berry
FICTION: In the novel "How it Went," an American literary legend explores a familiar theme — what is lost when small agrarian communities fade and fold.
Review: 'Demon Copperhead,' by Barbara Kingsolver
FICTION: Barbara Kingsolver's latest, and best, re-creates "David Copperfield" in America's Appalachians.
Review: 'Essentially: Essays,' by: Richard Terrill
NONFICTION: Cranky and wise, Minnesota essayist salutes the things that matter most.
Review: 'Teachers in the Forest,' by Barry Babcock
NONFICTION: Barry Babcock's inspirations include an Ojibwe spiritual leader and wolves.
Review: 'The Dickens Boy,' by Thomas Keneally
At 16, Charles Dickens' son immigrated to Australia. What became of him there will transfix readers in this novel by the author of "Schindler's List."
Review: 'Within These Woods,' by Timothy Goodwin
NONFICTION: Essays celebrate the joy and connections to be found in the deep woods.
Apple Valley man's death was caused by home fireworks, police say
Police received a call just after 10 a.m. Sunday that the man was lying deceased in a back yard on Gavotte Avenue.
Review: 'The Leave-Takers,' by Steven Wingate
FICTION: Amid much death, a troubled couple create a life worth fighting for.
Review: 'Annie and the Wolves,' by Andromeda Romano-Lax
FICTION: A historian's quest to understand Annie Oakley's reference to "wolves" leads to wild adventures, including time travel.
Suspect arrested in serial vandalism to elderly woman's Minneapolis home
Outraged detectives eagerly volunteered to work on the case, a police spokesman said.
Review: 'World of Wonders' by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
NONFICTION; In beautifully illustrated essays, poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil writes of exotic flora and fauna and her family, and why they are all of one piece.
Review: 'American Gospel' by Lin Enger
FICTION: Lin Enger's tale of a prophet, his prodigal son and a runaway actress is set in Minnesota.
Why do Minnesota coyotes howl when trains go by?
Nope, it's not just a coincidence: Coyotes are compelled to let out a wail – and science explains why.
Suspect in Minneapolis hit-run death arrested as he tries to flee country
Said Maye was wanted in the Aug. 24 death of Idris Yussuf, which occurred after a dispute at a Minneapolis bar.
Man charged with hurling trash can lid, injuring Minneapolis police sergeant during riot
The 28-year-old man allegedly hurled a 15-pound trash can lid at the officer, knocking him unconscious.
Review: 'Monogamy,' by Sue Miller
FICTION: A widow struggles with her late husband's secrets.
Review: "The Wolf's Trail," by Thomas D. Peacock
Fiction: An aged wolf's ancient narrative creates a startlingly contemporary map.
Frontenac State Park grows in acreage and beauty
Old bison farm is now public land thanks to Park & Trails Council.
French horn player's forest practice beguiles Minnesota village
Kestrel Wright doesn't want to bother anyone. But his music has captivated passersby.
Tornadoes kill one, leave wide path of damage in west-central Minnesota
Several homes and farmsteads were destroyed or severely damaged by the back-to-back twisters that hit the rural area.
Review: 'Of Bears and Ballots,' by Heather Lende
NONFICTION: Heather Lende weathered a nasty recall fight, advocating for the common good in all its messy glory.
Review: 'Bright Precious Thing,' by Gail Caldwell
NONFICTION: Caldwell's fourth memoir celebrates the complicated, rich journey of a lifelong single woman.
One of four swimmers rescued from Minneapolis lakes dies
Sheriff warns beachgoers to be extra cautious.
Review: 'Night. Sleep. Death. The Stars.' by Joyce Carol Oates
FICTION: In Joyce Carol Oates' latest novel, a family struggles after its patriarch's death.
2 men fatally shot in Minneapolis in separate incidents
Both died of apparent gunshot wounds on Thursday night. One victim's body was found in a car parked near North Memorial Health Hospital.
Minnesota BCA investigating death of suspect who had been held in Maplewood police car
There was no physical altercation between the man and the arresting officer, the BCA said. The suspect told the officer he had ingested drugs.
Despite weekend cold, rain and snow, fire danger high across much of Minnesota
The driest area is from the Twin Cities north to the Canadian border.
Review: 'Where You're All Going' by Joan Frank
FICTION: Characters in four novellas are compelling, but rarely likable.
3 teens arrested in shooting death of St. Paul man
Marcus Rashon Johnson died late Saturday on the city's East Side.
One killed in early-morning fire at St. Paul fourplex
Firefighters were called to the 400 block of Front Avenue, southeast of Como Park, at 2:35 a.m., fire officials said.
Wounded Waseca officer sitting up, but faces more surgery, family says
The outpouring of support continues for Arik Matson, who was shot in the head Jan. 6 while pursuing a suspect.
Review: 'A Long Petal of the Sea,' by Isabel Allende
FICTION: A family's flight from the bloody Spanish Civil War to a new life in Chile forms the arc of this powerful novel.
Old-school forecaster 'Barry ZeVan the Weather Man' dies at 82
The Minnesota forecasting and broadcasting star worked at KSTP and KARE in the 1970s and '80s.
Poetry master who took inspiration from Minnesota winter, Louis Jenkins dies at 77
Often associated with Duluth, Jenkins had worked as a librarian, truck driver and commercial fisherman while publishing.
Minnesota DFL Rep. Diane Loeffler dies of cancer at 66
She had represented northeast Minneapolis in the Legislature since 2004.
Review: 'Wyoming,' by J.P. Gritton
FICTION: This debut novel's genius lies in its humanization of a man with serious flaws.
Seen on the St. Croix: The eagle has landed ... on something big
Dan and Andie Goff of Woodbury had just motored their boat from the Afton Marina when they spotted something startling.
Heavy rain, high wind from storm lash western Wisconsin
The worst damage occurred around Turtle Lake, Wis. No injuries were reported, but trees were downed and roofs were shredded. The St. Croix Casino Turtle Lake complex was evacuated, according to witnesses and the Barron County sheriff.
Minnesota BCA identifies officers who fired at man in fatal Eagan standoff
Isak Aden threatened a woman with a handgun and refused to drop his weapon in a four-hour encounter, the agency said.
Review: 'Late Migrations,' by Margaret Renkl
NONFICTION: Observations from the natural world help a thoughtful writer navigate grief.
Review: 'My Life as a Rat,' by Joyce Carol Oates
FICTION: After telling police that her brothers killed a black teenager, Violet Kerrigan is cast alone into a bewildering life.
Review: 'The Ash Family' by Molly Dektar
Fiction: A young woman finds danger at a commune in North Carolina's mountains.
From drizzle to blizzard: Another Minnesota winter weekend roars in
The metro area is sandwiched in a slightly less dire weather zone between blizzard and winter storm warning zones.
Stillwater officer who fatally shot 22-year-old man won't be charged
Keaton Larson was suicidal and charged the officer with a knife, investigators found.
1-2 winter punch is coming: Up to 8" of snow, then extreme cold
For once, the Twin Cities is right smack in the middle of the winter storm warning zone, starting Sunday afternoon and running into Monday.
Friday's metro high plows through old record of 41 to 47
A January thaw gave Minnesota the strange luster of spring, and the mild weather is expected to continue through the weekend.
Review: 'All the Wild Hungers,' by Karen Babine
NONFICTION: Minnesotan Karen Babine meditates on cancer, cooking and family in this unusual memoir.
Northern Minnesota gets more than foot of snow; metro mostly spared
Rain closes ski resorts, causes crashes, including one that killed 1 and injured 9.
Review: 'Unsheltered,' by Barbara Kingsolver
FICTION: Two families — one modern, one in the 1870s — watch their American dreams crumble.
Second death is linked to Minneapolis homeless encampment
Wade Redmond, 20, had "a family and a home," but was drawn to the camp.
Review: 'Heart Berries,' by Terese Marie Mailhot
NONFICTION: A strange and powerful memoir of abuse and mental illness.
One of 2 victims in Mpls. alley crash is identified
A 40-year-old Minneapolis man has been identified as one of two people killed in a violent two-vehicle crash in a north Minneapolis alley Friday evening.
Review: 'The Art of the Wasted Day,' by Patricia Hampl
NONFICTION: "The job of being human," writes Patricia Hampl, "is not figuring things out, but getting lost in thought."
Closure of popular University of Minnesota child care center postponed
Kaler says it will still close eventually, but that parents' protests have been heard.
REVIEW: 'Mrs. Osmond,' by John Banville
FICTION: Not only does author John Banville resurrect the original's characters, he flawlessly channels the great writer's ornate style.
Hwy. 61 bridge's closure means 27-mile detour on North Shore
Northeastern Minnesota residents and Labor Day weekenders will encounter a major delay and detour along heavily traveled Hwy. 61 northeast of Duluth today — and perhaps longer.
REVIEW: 'My Absolute Darling,' by Gabriel Tallent
FICTION: Gabriel Tallent's debut novel is brilliant and terrifying, told in expansive, wild and bold prose.
REVIEW: 'No One Is Coming to Save Us' by Stephanie Powell Watts
REVIEW: A man who has made his fortune returns to his North Carolina hometown to chase an elusive dream of love. Sound familiar? It is, and isn't.
Delano takes on racism with public event tonight; Dayton, targeted family meet
The community is coming together to express support for a black family whose home was burglarized and vandalized with racist slurs.
Review: 'Flock Together: A Love Affair With Extinct Birds,' by B.J. Hollars
NONFICTION: A birder writes of his fascination with extinct species.
Review: 'A Warrior of the People,' by Joe Starita
NONFICTION: A layered, nuanced portrait of this country's first American Indian doctor.
Review: 'The Turtle's Beating Heart,' by Denise Low
NONFICTION: An American Indian grandfather's melancholy silence hid personal and broader stories.
REVIEW: 'Dog Years,' by Melissa Yancy
FICTION: In "Dog Years," defenses grow high against foreshortened lives and dreams.
Review: 'The Jungle Around Us,' by Anne Raeff
FICTION: This prizewinning collection features stories that are complex and tough.
Albert Hofstede, former mayor of Minneapolis, dies at 75
He served as the city's youngest mayor in the 1970s.
Lake Mille Lacs catch-and-release walleye season will end Sept. 6
Local Ojibwe bands had expressed displeasure with Dayton's decision earlier this month to allow the season to continue even though a quota had been surpassed.
Review: 'After the Parade,' by Lori Ostlund
FICTION: The secrets to almost everything about this intense novel's protagonist lie in his Minnesota origins.
St. Paul man charged in shooting death at house party
Brandon Alexander is accused of killing a 19-year-old man after a fight.
Review: 'Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube,' by Blair Braverman
NONFICTION: A young adventurer finds cold and deprivation easier to bear than misogyny.
Brooklyn Park priest on leave pending Pennsylvania investigation
The Rev. Bradley Baldwin of St. Gerard's questioned, but has not been charged.