Humanities Café from the South Dakota Humanities Council

Weekly discussions beginning Aug 7 in preparation for – and celebration of – the upcoming South Dakota Festival of Books, to held in Spearfish, September 26-28. These weekly discussions will feature Festival authors, discussing their work and issues important to South Dakotans. We look forward to having you join us!

August 7  | Mary Annette Pember – Historical Trauma in Indian Country: A Conversation with Mary Annette Pember – Author, journalist, and National Correspondent for Indian Country Today, Mary Annette Pember joins SDHC to talk about her book, “Medicine River,” and the complex and devastating issues brought about by historical trauma in Indian country.

August 14  | Ann Bausum – Talking History and Culture: A Conversation with Ann Bausum – Historian and award-winning author Ann Bausum joins SDHC to talk about her latest book, “White Lies,” as well as her vast body of published work pertaining to vital social, cultural, and historical topics relevant to our times.

August 21 | Hannah Haksgaard – The Rural Lawyer: Incentives and Inspiration – Hannah Haksgaard, attorney and professor at the University of South Dakota, joins SDHC to talk about her new book, entitled, “The Rural Lawyer: How to Incentivize Rural Law Practice and Help Small Communities Thrive”, including a discussion about the importance of South Dakota’s Rural Attorney Recruitment Program.

August 28 | Dr. Barb Boustead –Wilder Weather: What Laura Ingalls Wilder Can Teach Us About Weather, Climate, and Paying Attention – Author, meteorologist, and Master Instructor at the National Weather Service, Dr. Barb Boustead, joins SDHC to talk about her new book, “Wilder Weather,” and how paying attention to the climate and weather around us can have a profound impact on our everyday lives.

Sept 4 | Rebecca Clarren – The Cost of Free Land: A Tangled History – 2025 SD One Book Author Rebecca Clarren joins SDHC to discuss the tangled history – and legacy – of her Jewish immigrant ancestors’ land in South Dakota and the Lakota who were forced off that land, as well as the subsequent consequences of this legacy of violence and dispossession.

September 11 | William Kent Krueger and Kent Nerburn – “You ‘Kent’ Make This Stuff Up: Writing Fiction with Krueger and Nerburn” – Renowned authors Willliam Kent Krueger and Kent Nerburn join SDHC to talk about their latest works and to share their perspectives on writing about the Great Plains (places, people, culture, etc.), highlighting the quirkiness of the population/area without being condescending, and writing about Native culture from a non-Native perspective.

NOTE: SDHC expects program participants to behave respectfully. Any questionable conduct may be considered grounds for removal from program participation.