A Prairie Home Companion 25th Anniversary CD » (Original radio broadcast; 5.5 hours on 5)

First with his performances on Minnesota Public Radio's Prairie Home Companion and later in his books, Garrison Keillor has become a symbol of the small-town Midwest -- its absurdities, its stoutness, and its warmth. His popular, funny stories set in Lake Wobegon manage to evoke nostalgia for a town that never existed.

This anniversary release features highlights from 25 years on the air, including favorite monologues like "Truckstop," "Gospel Birds" and "Pontoon Boat," plus brand-new stories never before available on audio. Also includes a special full-length bonus music cassette/CD featuring 25 toe-tapping tunes with down-home music from long-time show regulars, including Butch Thompson, the Powdermilk Biscuit Band, Greg Brown, the Hopeful Gospel Quartet, Robin and Linda Williams, and many more.

Library Journal

This anthology of material originally presented over the past 25 years on Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion radio show on Minnesota Public Radio is a delight from start to finish. The last cassette alone, which is a compilation of songs from various musical groups who have appeared on the show and the cast of the show, would make this production worth purchasing. But the stories from Lake Wobegon and other reminiscences by Keillor are equally wonderful vignettes of life in the Midwest. If there are natives of the region who may object to the author's often comical characterizations of the denizens of the "town that time forgot," they should just get over it and realize that Keillor is writing about small-town life in Anywhere, U.S.A., and lovingly at that. The stories range from the remarkably moving "Truckstop," about an elderly couple who become separated on a road trip, to the hilarious "Clarence Cleans His Roof," which taps into the hazards of the formidable winter weather of the Midwest. It is clear that careful selection was made of the stories to be included, from the many they could have chosen, to assure not only high quality but also balance in the anthology. Highly recommended.--Mark Pumphrey, Polk Cty. P.L., Columbus, NC Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

O Captain, My Captain

I Will

Tomato Butt

Barnyard Dance

Casey at the Bat

Rhubarb

Life is a Ballgame

Revival Tent

Calling My Children Home

The Perfect Day

The Warm Welcome

Regina

Carl's Dog Story

Vincent

Pontoon Boat

Goin' Home

The Lake Superior Canyon Project

Cotton-Eyed Joe

Emily Dickinson's Birthday Pizza

Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam

Troublesome Ivories

The Little Match Girl

The Elegance of Winter

Answering Machine

A Kohler Thankgiving

Not the Cheapest Kind

Homecoming

You Drive Me Crazy

Six Minute Hamlet

The Living Flag

Stars and Stripes

Pioneer Waltz

Buddy Holly and the Pharaohs of Rhythm

My Life

Cherry Picker

Graduation Day

Julia

Raccoons

Lover's Waltz