Governor Dayton Releases His Budget

Governor Dayton has released his budget plan for the next two years and it is now being considered by the Legislature.

The Governor’s plan for State Services for the Blind (SSB) includes two primary elements: first, in spite of the severe condition of the State’s finances, he does not want to cut financial support for basic services to blind and visually impaired Minnesotans, such as the Communication Center and independent living services; second, he wishes to invest $300K more in state resources to bring an additional $1M of federal dollars to SSB to continue and expand our efforts to help people become employed.

We thank Governor Dayton for his leadership and hope you will too.

 

Books Available Through Faribault

Books broadcast on the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network are available through the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library in Faribault, MN. Their phone is  1-800-722-0550  and hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Their catalog is also online, and you can access it by going to the main website, http://education.state.mn.us, and then clicking on the link. If you live outside of Minnesota, you may obtain copies of books by contacting your own state’s Network Library for the National Library Service.

Listen to the Minnesota Radio Talking Book, either live or archived programs from the last week, on the Internet at www.mnssb.org/rtb. Call the staff at the Radio for your password to the site.

See interesting information about current RTB events on the Facebook site for the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network. Register for Facebook at www.facebook.com.

 

Chautauqua
Tuesday – Saturday, 4 a.m.

A Tear at the Edge of Creation, Nonfiction by Marcelo Gleiser, 2010.  Marcelo Gleiser argues against the Theory of Everything, and says that evidence points instead to a scenario in which everything emerges from fundamental imperfections. Imbalance spurs creation. Read by Jeanne Burns. 12 broadcasts. Began April 5.         

The Mind’s Eye, Nonfiction by Oliver Sacks, 2010. The human brain is extremely complex with great ability to adapt to physical limitations. Sacks asks, “How do we see? How do we think? How important is internal imagery? Why do humans have a universal potential for reading?” Read by Yelva Lynfield.  11 broadcasts. Begins April 21.

 

Past is Prologue
Monday – Friday, 9 a.m.

Citizens of London, Nonfiction by Lynne Olson, 2010.  Three Americans were key to the U.S. wartime alliance with Britain: Edward R. Murrow, Averell Harriman, and John Gilbert Winant. The three formed close ties with Churchill and were drawn into his official and personal circles. Read by Bonnie Smith-Yackel.  22 broadcasts. Began March 14.  

American Dreams, Nonfiction by H.W. Brands, 2010.  For a moment in 1945, America stood at its apex, looking back on victory against Axis powers as well as against the Great Depression, and looking ahead to limitless power and promise. Read by Charlie Boone. 18 broadcasts. Begins April 13.

 

Bookworm
Monday – Friday, 11 a.m.   

The Cookbook Collector, Fiction by Allegra Goodman, 2010. Sisters Emily and Jess are opposites in every way. Where Emily is a CEO, pragmatic, rational, driven, and wealthy, Jess is an environmental activist, grad student, romantic, dreamy, and works in a bookstore. Read by Diane Ladenson. 13 broadcasts. Began April 6. 

The Double Comfort Safari Club, Fiction by Alexander McCall Smith, 2010. Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi have a delicate mission investigating a large amount of money left to a safari guide. Meanwhile, the aunt of Mma Makutsi’s fiancé looks like she is trying to push Mma Makutsi out of the picture. Read by Kristi Sullivan.  8 broadcasts. Begins April 25.

 

Writer’s Voice
Monday – Friday, 2 p.m.

The Reluctant Donor, Nonfiction by Suzanne F. Ruff, 2010. The only sibling with healthy kidneys, Suzanne is ambivalent about donating a kidney to a sister she’s not even sure she likes, but she makes the offer. Then she’s struck with doubt and fear. Read by June Prange. 7 broadcasts. Began April 7. 

Mark Twain’s Other Woman,  Nonfiction by Laura Skandera Trombley, 2010. After Twain’s wife died, he spent the bulk of his last decade in the company of another woman, Isabel Van Kleek Lyon. She nursed him, managed his household, and was his adoring audience. But at the end, he bitterly denounced her. Read by Audray Rees. 13 broadcasts. Begins April 18.

 

Choice Reading
Monday – Friday, 4 p.m.

American Music, Fiction by Jane Mendelsohn, 2010. A weaving of many relationships begins with the story of Milo, wounded in the Iraq War, and his physical therapist, Honor. When she touches his back mysterious images from the past appear to each of them. Read by Hilda O’Hanley. 7 broadcasts. Began April 4.        

House Rules, Fiction by Jodi Picoult, 2010. Jacob and his family just want to fit in but Jacob’s Asperger’s syndrome makes that impossible. His obsession is forensic analysis and he’s brilliant at it. It seems fun until the police think he may have committed murder. Read by Bernadette Flynn.  25 broadcasts. Begins April 13.

 

PM Report
Monday – Friday, 8 p.m.

Still Standing, Nonfiction by John Kriesel, 2010. When SSG Kriesel lost his legs in a roadside explosion, no one expected him to survive. Miracles ripped the young warrior from the grip of death and put him back together. L – Read by Jim Gregorich. 8 Br. Begins April 7.      

It’s Our Turn to Eat, Nonfiction by Michela Wrong, 2009.  John Githongo was made Kenya’s anti-corruption czar and was expected to co-operate with tribal malfeasance. But at great risk, he made evidence public. V –  Read by Barbara Struyk. 14 Br. Begins April 19.

 

Night Journey
Monday – Friday, 9 p.m.

Faithful Place, Fiction by Tana French, 2010. In 1985, Frank and Rosie were going to run away and get married. When she didn’t show up, Frank thought she’d given him the brush-off. Now he’s investigating her murder. L – Read by Mary Hall. 15 Br. Began April 4.

Frozen Tundra, Fiction by Rick Shefchik, 2010. Sam Skarda is hired by the president of the Green Bay Packers to investigate an insider plot designed to sell the publicly-owned Packers to a private buyer. With death, the board is two votes short of a sale. L – Read by James Randall. 11 Br. Begins April 25.

 

Off the Shelf
Monday – Friday, 10 p.m. 

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, Fiction by Stieg Larsson, 2010. Lisbeth Salander is in critical condition, fighting for her life. When she recovers she’ll be standing trial for three murders. She’ll have to prove her innocence, but on her own, she will plot revenge. L – Read by Bert Gardner.  24 broadcasts. Begins April 5.   

 

Potpourri
Monday – Friday, 11 p.m.

At Home, Nonfiction by Bill Bryson, 2010. One day, Bill Bryson began to consider how little he knew about ordinary things found in the home. He decided to write about his house, an English parsonage, from room to room, which would form a history of the world. Read by Leila Poullada.  20 broadcasts. Began April 5.

 

Good Night Owl
Monday – Friday, Midnight

Freedom, Fiction by Jonathan Franzen, 2010. Patty and Walter Berglund were new pioneers of St. Paul, the avant-garde of the Whole foods generation – progressives. But in the new millennium, they have changed and become a mystery. L – Read by Dan Kuechenmeister. 24 Br. Began March 8.   

Conspirata, Fiction by Robert Harris, 2010. The death of a boy sends ripples of fear through Rome. The young slave appears to have been offered as human sacrifice, forbidden in the Roman Republic. Read by John Gunter. 16 broadcasts. Begins April 11.

 

After Midnight
Tuesday– Saturday, 1 a.m.

Super Sad True Love Story, Fiction by Gary Shteyngart, 2010. In an illiterate America, Lenny is a throwback. He loves books and is the author of what may be the world’s last diary. He also loves Eunice, a very modern woman who wants him to be more modern. L,S – Read by Dan Sadoff. 14 broadcasts. Begins April 6.

A Lion Among Men, Fiction by Gregory Maguire, 2009. As Yackle prepares for her death, Brr, the Cowardly Lion, arrives seeking news of the Wicked Witch of the West. L – Read by Joe Sadowski. 11 broadcasts. Begins April 26.

 

Abbreviations: V – violence, L – offensive language, S – sexual situations