Enjoy a presentation from the best-selling author and entertainer, specials from area eateries
Garrison Keillor, acclaimed host of “A Prairie Home Companion” and best-selling author, will speak at Drake University’s Knapp Center on Tuesday, October 25 at 7 p.m., as part of the Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lectureship Series.
Those attending An Evening with Garrison Keillor will be treated to the host’s characteristically Minnesotan sense of humor and matter-of-fact style.
Keillor kicked off “A Prairie Home Companion” to a crowd of about 12 at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn. on July 6, 1974. Since that tepid start, his audience has grown to more than 4.3 million weekly listeners on almost 600 public radio stations across the U.S.
“Nothing you do for children is ever wasted,” Keillor wrote in Leaving Home (Penguin, 1987). “They seem not to notice us, hovering, averting our eyes, and they seldom offer thanks, but what we do for them is never wasted.”
Beyond radio and print, Keillor played himself in the 2006 movie adaptation of his radio show, “A Prairie Home Companion.” The star-studded cast included Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Lindsay Lohan, Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly and Tommy Lee Jones.
Keillor is the recipient of Grammy, ACE and George Foster Peabody awards, and he has been inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His books include Lake Wobegon Days, The Book of Guys, Lake Wobegon Summer 1956, 77 Love Sonnets, Pilgrims: A Wobegon Romance and A Christmas Blizzard.
Keillor is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and was recently presented with a National Humanities Medal by the National Endowment for the Humanities. In 1994, he was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame at Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications.
Keillor’s lecture will build on Drake University’s tradition of bringing engaging, thought-provoking events to the Des Moines community. Previous lecturers include Bob Costas, Jane Goodall, Salman Rushdie, Bill Bryson, Maya Angelou and, most recently, Twyla Tharp.
For more information about Keillor’s lecture, visit drake.edu/bucksbaum or call 515-271-4990.
Savor these Keillor-inspired culinary creations, deals
To whet Des Moines’ appetite for Keillor’s visit, three local restaurants are offering specials in honor of the storyteller. Stop into one of these establishments before the lecture:
• Gusto Pizza Co., 1905 Ingersoll Ave.: Wobegon Hot Dish Pizza (biscuits, tater tots, hamburger, bacon and American cheese with a side of ketchup), Oct. 20–26
• Mars Café, 2318 University Ave.: $3 large spiced apple cider, Oct. 23–25
• Woody’s Smoke Shack, 2511 Cottage Grove Ave.: 10 percent off any meal deal, Oct. 24–28