Winter's Almost Gone Summer's Coming On -- 99 Dakota Viewpoints
By Elaine Babcock
Elaine Babcock has selected 99 of the columns she wrote for the Aberdeen American News and has published them in her second book.
She writes, "The Dakotas are a land of extremes and contrasts ─ biting cold winters and scorching hot summers; East River rich, flat farmland and West River hill-covered grassland for grazing cattle; small towns and growing cities. Globalization and communication technologies have brought world-wide issues to those who live in the Midwest.
"Midwesterners struggle to find a balance between the old and the new, the past and the future. They treasure their heritage while they embrace a larger world view. They are
actively involved in social and political concerns but when those issues become too hot, the changing seasons are always a safe topic of conversation."
224 pages. Softcover