In Times Like These We Need Art's Place by Michael Fedo -- It Will Make You Smile

When I first began my pursuit of a writing career, I had no idea where it would take me. My inspiration to write initially came from Hemingway's short stories, so I immersed myself in the reading of short fiction by other masters while simultaneously learning the ropes about writing articles for publication. But I've never ceased to be a fan of the short story form, and still make time to spin a few yarns when the muse whispers an idea into my ear.

I first met Michael Fedo at a book signing at Barnes & Noble here in Duluth. I don't recall the book he was promoting, but I do recall the book I purchased: The Lynchings in Duluth. This incident left a powerful stain on Duluth's history (the lynching, not my purchase of his book) and I suspect most people knew little about it because so little had been written about it. I don't even recall hearing it discussed before the Clayton, Jackson, McGhie Memorial was erected in 2003.

I find it interesting how some writers establish a reputation as a certain kind of author that fits into some neat category, and others explore all the various facets of their personalities and interests. Agatha Christie wrote mysteries and Hemingway wrote "serious" fiction (generally) but a good portion of Graham Greene's catalog was a mix. His serious novels brought him international acclaim. Yet, he also wrote a fair number of books that he called "Entertainments." 

All that is a roundabout way of saying that Art's Place is an "entertainment." And indeed, these stories are entertaining. Suitable adjectives for these tales might include words like witty, hilarious, quirky (borrowed from the cover), over-the-top, off-the-wall, out-of-the-ballpark and wacky. Well, maybe wacky is too weird. Bottom line is that the stores are fun.

A quick scan of the titles will give you a feel for what's in store. Here's a sampling.
Quilters Sew Up Olympic Berth: Whistlers Blow It
Gunnar Sundstrom's Sushi Bar
I'm Dead, Now What?
The Ladies of West Rarington Falls Get Down
Mozart in the Mosh Pit

OK, you get the picture. The names are fun, the scenarios hilarious. In his story Poet Relinquishes Language we read about a bard who wishes to create poems that don't require words. In The Musicians' Corner in Purgatory, we find musicians who like to sit around and talk shop. The musicians include Mozart and Beethoven, Elvis and Virgil in a meandering stream that crosses the ages. Then there's Finito, Inc. about the woman who discovered she could not only make a living, but build a business around the theme, "It ain't over till the fat lady sings."

I asked Mr. Fedo to share which stories were his faves, and talk a little how he goes about writing humorous fiction.

Michael Fedo at Op-Ed Workshop

Good morning, Ed. I suppose my three favorites here are, in no particular ranking: Art's Place, The James Boys, and The Wedding Reviewer.  Each amuse me because of their improbability.  They all stemmed from the question, "What if . . . .?"  What if patrons of a blue-collar bar discussed art and literature with the same passion and patois used when talking about sports, or what if the James boys happened to meet, how would that encounter ensue, and what if weddings were reviewed along with films, theater, art, music, etc.  How would these notions evolve?  

When I'm writing humorous/satirical fiction, I look for dialectics--sort of putting opposites together to see what happens.  Writing these stores was great fun for me, and during the decade I was creating them, they came together rather easily, after I involved myself with the What If question.  Of course, there were false starts, and pieces that didn't work also, but most of my efforts were completed and published, and important too--paid for.  

Of the three, I think The James Boys (which received a huge batch of rejections) wasn't snapped up because, while everybody knows about the gangster James brothers, almost no one under 60 knows about William and Henry, and thus would miss all the clues pointing to Frank and Jesse suggesting titles and topics that the erudite brothers would incorporate into their writings.  The piece requires a foreknowledge in order to be appreciated. 

Writing humor is not as easy as you might expect. It is quite rewarding, however, when it works. Getting paid for what you produce is likewise rewarding.

One of the reviewers of this book on Amazon.com had this to say about Art's Place:

It feels like I was the target audience for a lot of these short stories. Page-long riffs on literature, history, and wry "what-if" scenarios are the sorts of things constantly running through my mind, and it was a joy to read.

I concur. 

The book opens with Art's Place, which immediately sets the stage. The James Boys: Summer, 1881 follows. Absurd? Well, if you know Jesse and Frank James, and you're familiar with Henry and William James... put 'em together and what have you got? A good yarn.

Maybe there should be a sequel in which Jesse and Frank go East to get a higher education. Henry and William manage to get them scholarships to an Ivy League school and... well, we can only imagine.

Related Links

Notes from an Op-Ed Writing Workshop

Michael Fedo Talks About Writing and His Book The Lynchings in Duluth

The Lynchings in Duluth (A Review)

Michael Fedo books on Amazon

Recent Readings and a Pew Research Study About Who Does Not Read Books in America

"There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them."
--Ray Bradbury.

This past week I read an article on Medium about reading books and how women are reading more than men now. Not only that, but that more women are enrolled in college than men, which at one time was heavily skewed toward males.

I intended this post to be a list of my recent readings with summaries of the books I'd read, but then I decided instead to begin by drawing attention to some findings from a Pew Research study on who doesn't read books in America. Since there are many studies showing a correlation between reading,  education and wealth generation (or career empowerment), it seems that a primary aim of good parenting should go beyond making sure kids have food, shelter and a safe place to live, but should very definitely include reading, writing and 'rithmetic as basic foundation stones for a successful life, just as it was in grandma's day.  (Good social skills can be added here, too.)

All that to say, here were a few numbers from the Pew study. And again, the interesting feature here is not "who" is reading, but who is not reading.

24% of Americans have not read a book in whole or in part in the past year. In other words, reading books doesn't appear to enter their minds as something having value.

They assessed reading habits by age, income, gender, level of education attained and race. In most cases there were few surprises. More men have not read a book (25%) than women (22%), fewer whites have not read a book as compared to blacks and Hispanics. People in the lowest income bracket (under 30K/year) are three times more likely to not have read a book the previous year.

When compared to a 2016 study regarding libraries, "the same demographic traits that characterize non-book readers also often apply to those who have never been to a library." Sad.

* * * *
My apologies if it sounds like I was ranting. No doubt if you've gotten this far you are a reader, so I'd best move on.

My reading list is always longer than my available ti
me, which is probably the challenge for all avid readers and lovers of books. Here are a handful of books I've completed recently, followed by a few others that I am in the process of reading.

The Cold War's Killing Fields: Rethinking the Long Peace
Paul Thomas Chamberlin

I read the HarperCollins audio version of this book, which was so powerful I bought the hardback and am reading it again. The audiobook is read by Grover Gardner. While reading it I kept feeling like this was the saddest book I'd ever read. My reason for this was two-fold. First, it is heartbreaking how the superpowers (Soviet Union, China, USA) are playing this global power game but the people in power moving armaments and making decisions seem unharmed by any of it while literally millions of innocent civilians are being killed, wounded, displaced. The litany of horrors committed during this "time of peace" after the last world war is mind-boggling. Second, the degree to which our own country (U.S.) was complicit in generating all this human suffering just makes one ashamed.

I strongly recommend the book because it is the first and best book that I've seen or know of that connects on the dots regarding the miscellaneous and seemingly unrelated conflicts in various parts of the world during the Cold War.

We Die Alone
David Howarth

This is another audiobook I read. (See my review of the Untold Story of the History of Talking Books) The story was originally published in 1955. It is literally an amazing story of survival in the most harrowing Arctic circumstances. It is the story of Jan Baalsrud, a Norwegian who ends up in Britain to return as part of the resistance. A boat with 12 men come into the fjords on a mission, but are thwarted by the Nazis. All are captured or killed except Baalsrud, whose toe is shot off. He escapes, and must now survive.

All that (above) occurs in the very beginning of the story The rest is one challenge after another including frostbitten feet, and an assortment of other complications The writing is totally compelling. One reason I wanted to read this is that I also have a compelling survival/escape novella that I have written about a young man with a withered leg who escapes from Estonia as the Red Army is heading West at the end of WW2. 10% of the population of Estonia fled in a single wave, whic should tell you something about life under Stalin from 1940-42. If I can tell Ralph's story (Uprooted) half as well as David Howarth tells Jan Baalsrud's, then I will be happy.

Don't Quit Your Day Job
Michael Fedo

The full title is Don’t Quit Your Day Job: The Adventures of a Midlist Author.  s a memoir recounting the five-decade writing career of Michael Fedo, whose books have not attained best-seller status, despite receiving mostly favorable reviews in publications such as The New York Times, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Library Journal, among others. What follows here are a few excerpts from my review of the book on Amazon.

The book is essentially an overview of Mr. Fedo’s life as a writer, but it’s written in such a way as to provide good lessons all along the way. Each story has a purpose and though it is a book for writers, it would be useful for many other careers in the creative arts.

His first chapter, Authorities and Experts May Be Wrong, is a lesson I learned myself and have written about more than once. “Who Are Your Experts?” is something everyone has to address at various points in a career. We are shaped by those whom we listen to, and sometimes we don’t have enough experience to recognize the difference between good and bad advice.

Though primarily a book for writers, each chapters contains lessons for writers, I think others might enjoy reading about his life in the writing biz. He writes in an easy-going style that would make this book worth reading the most valuable one being to make sure you can pay your bills before you launch into the deep. It's a memoir designed to be both entertaining and instructive.

Read my blog post about his writing workshop and the reading he gave from this book.

The Year of Less
Cait Flanders

Amazon version has livelier cover.

The full title is actually, The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life Is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store.
It's a short book with a promising title, related to several other book I've read about simplifying one's life and reducing clutter. Unfortunately, I didn't care that much for the reader. (The author.) She's a blogger whose primary theme seems to be her self. The book essentially documents her efforts to live on less and the lessons she learns along the way. One reviewer on Amazon (who liked the book) wrote, "This book isn't about minimalism or decluttering (although it will inspire you to pursue those goals!), it's about living with less, consuming less, and ultimately needing less." Another wrote, "To the uninitiated: trust your instinct to "buy less" and pass on this." I almost quit the book two or three times, but plowed through anyways.

My biggest problem was that I was unable to relate to a person who "buys things" to make herself feel better while racking up massive credit card debt. By shopping to make oneself happy, I am referring to replacing all the furniture in the living room, clothes, etc to the tune of $30,000. There were a few good insights early on and I thought there would be more. As a blogger she has built a following who apparently enjoys her transparency and candor. For the wider public, it should have been an article in a magazine.

CURRENTLY READING
I have a number books in mid-stream. Some I will write about in the future, one I already wrote about but need to finish.

The Unexpected Gambler
Robert Asiel

This book and the next are about guys who learned how to win by cheating, as in power or dice games. Asiel went to Las Vegas as a 17-year-old and became a poker dealer at a casino at which time he learned that the casinos were also crooked. (EdNote: It's my understanding that things have changed because the odds already favor the casinos and they do not have to cheat to rake in the dough.) Asiel subtitled his book, A History of Casinos Cheating the Public and One Gambler's Revenge. It sounds like a self-rationalization to me, but most of us spend a lifetime justifying one form of bad behavior or another.

Robert Asiel went to Vegas in the 60s, while the casinos were still mob run. Later in life he was all over the country and did a lot of cruise ship hustling as gambling opened up everywhere. In the end he was wanted by the FBI, but not before he'd lived a life of adventure. Like Fast Jack (below) he did finally get nailed and spent time in the pen. The book will likely surprise you at the games people play.

Fast Jack: The Last Hustler
John Farrell

One of the more interesting places to hear good stories is from the cab drivers in Las Vegas. On my first trip the Las Vegas our cabby told about how far downhill Vegas had gone since the corporates took over and the mob no longer ran the casinos. We asked for an explanation and he said in the old days you lose all your money at the gaming tables and the casino would put you up for the night and pay for your ticket to get home. "Not any more," he said You lose all your money and the send you packing.

Fast Jack was born in 1937 so he came of age in the Fifties. He learned all the tricks of the hustler's trade and then took them to another level. As a card and dice mechanic is also learned the risks involved, including being beat up, shot at and doing time. He wrote his memoir because the world has changed. In the old days most gambling was a private matter. The hustlers knew where the action was. Nowadays, casinos, riverboats and cruise ships are everywhere.
At age 80, Jack's dice moves are still astonishing. Here's a video with no special effects showing off some Fast Jack dice mechanics.
Here's a podcast of Fast Jack being interviewed on Maria Konnikova's show Grift.

An End to Upside Down Thinking
Mark Gober

The subtitle of this book is Dispelling the Myth That the Brain Produces Consciousness, and the Implications for Everyday Life.  Gober's book is essentially an assault on the arrogant assumptions of science, specifically as it pertains to materialism. The notion that consciousness could evolve from matter did not make sense and he began to explore this problem in greater detail. He learned that this area of science is one of the biggest stumbling blocks and is still not yet resolved.

Though I'd not finished the book yet, I wrote a review earlier this month and interviewed the author afterward.

* * * *

Aren't books amazing? There are so many varieties of books, and so many stories still to be told.

What have you been reading lately? I hope it's good.

Notes from an Op-Ed Writing Workshop with Author Michael Fedo

It's hard to believe four years have already passed since I interviewed Michael Fedo about writing and his powerful account of the 1920 lynchings in Duluth.

Sunday afternoon Mr. Fedo made a presentation in the August Fitger Room on the topic of Op-Ed Writing. I took a special interest in the talk for a trio of reasons. First, of the 450 articles I've published I don't believe I've ever managed to get an op-ed piece into print. I suspect that a number of my 4000+ blog posts might be suitably converted into publishable pieces going forward though. Armed with my notes from the presentation, I feel a new surge of interest in tackling the form.

A second reason for attending was simply to meet some of our other local authors, since one never knows where a chance meeting will lead. I did see a number of familiar faces.

Although I was intrigued by the title of his new book which he was also up here to promote, titled Don't Quit Your Day Job, my third reason for attending was simply to get first-hand experience regarding how to conduct a writing workshop-book signing event. I learned a lot.

As for his advice to not quit my day job, it comes a bit late for me. I quit my day job this past December. Retirement has been good so far. I continue writing, blogging and have a little more time for painting (making art) and fixing things around the house.

The Op-Ed Writing Workshop

Michael Fedo

Jim Perlman, of Holy Cow! Press, Fedo's publisher, was a co-sponsor of the event. Evidently this was one of the projects Jim had been working on when I inquired as regards one of my own book concepts a year ago. He said he was overbooked, had five other projects in the works. Mr Fedo's was evidently one of these.

Felicia Schneiderhan of Lake Superior Writers welcomed us to the 90-minute workshop and introduced Michael Fedo.

Mr. Fedo, began be defining for us what an op-ed is. Essentially they are editorials submitted by freelance writers. The challenge for all of us lesser known lights is that we are in competition with the likes of George Will, Thomas Friedman and other syndicated writers of national renown. So the first item of note was double-underlined. If you write about same things, you will be less likely to get published over these other writers.
Their pieces will get picked up instead of yours simply because their names sell more papers, even if your piece is better written. So we are at a disadvantage, unless we write about other topics than what these writers are addressing.

Michael Fedo said he has published a dozen such pieces, none of them addressing the major issues of the day. "Once in a while an editor will accept something whimsical or even humorous," he said. And despite the serious, non-whimsical story of the lynchings in Duluth, by the end of the workshop it was clear that his bailiwick is more lighthearted fare.

If you were in attendance you would have received a pair of handouts. The first handout was a list of 100 places where you can submit Op-ed pieces, many of which pay real money when you are published.

This past 10 years, though, a change has been taking place. Newsrooms are shrinking. Editors and staff are over-worked. As a result they have less time than in the past. Also, many no longer pay for op-ed. Typical pay, however, is $50-200 for regional and national op-eds pay even more, though these are likely to squeeze you for exclusives. So be it. Who doesn't want a New York Times byline?

He then noted that most publications post their submission requirements and you should familiarize yourself with these. Some publications may have different requirements on weekends, which I did not know.

HOW DO WE BEGIN?

Reading an example of his work.

1. To increase odds of acceptance, have a topic that you believe only you can write. Personal experience is a good place to look for these kinds of stories.
2. Most things are not written in first person unless you are offering an anecdote to make a point.
3. Think of your piece as a story. Everybody loves stories. The best essays are stories. Op-ed pieces should also tell something of a story. He cited a few examples, such as lessons you may have learned while raising a child with disabilities. If you can find a subject within your experience you will have an edge.
4. He noted that "hot" news stories can be a challenge because of their timeliness. Three days is too long to put together a story in response to an event of major timeliness. The stories you write should have “legs.” In the vernacular of blogging, you want "Evergreen Content” that is as relevant two years from now as last weekend.
5. Mr. Fedo said that this may be a cliché but it's borne itself out in real life: “An expert or authority is someone who lives 100 miles or more out of town.”

At this point he read one of his own published op-ed pieces titled "Can Capidulance Be the Next Yadda-Yadda-Yadda?" in which he lightheartedly addressed the issue of who gets to create new words.

More advice followed...
6. Pay attention to Word Counts. 400-800
7. If you are publishing with regularity you would be wise to Google yourself.
8. The Key to getting published is to write things only You can write.

Example: Where the Ear and the Anecdotes Play

9. I found this item interesting because it reinforces some thoughts I've been noodling for a future blog post. The difference between British and American writers is this: Brits interested in their Art; Americans are interested in being Stars.
10. Poignant Xmas stories, Mothers Day, a picnic gone awry, Commemorative days can often find a home in print but may require longer lead times.

Example: A Folksinger Remembers 22 November 1963

THE SECOND HANDOUT
Distinguishing Characteristics of the Op-Ed
1. Length.
2. See what they are looking for.
3. Requirements: check website
4. Research readers.
5. What is your objective?
6. What is the point?
7. Begin with a Hook.
8. Is your voice distinctive?
9. If you are an authority or have a special background, identify yourself.
10. No query necessary. Just send the piece.
11. Op-Ed editors are swamped. Do not expect to receive a rejection letter.
12. Send your piece to multiple markets. Indicate on your submission that you are selling One Time Rights.
13. Your cover letter email should mention 2 or 3 credits if you have been published elsewhere.

As workshop attendees, we were invited to submit an op-ed sample to Mr. Fedo which he would edit for us. Two of us were invited to read the pieces we submitted. I read, "Seven Reasons To Be Careful About Physician-Assisted-Dying." Anne Moore read her entertaining piece about Florida titled, "Steppin’ in High Cotton." Mine was somewhat serious, and hers was seriously fun.

* * * *
DON’T QUIT YOUR DAY JOB

After a short break Michael Fedo read to us from his 10th book. Everybody’s story is different, he said. "This one is mine."

He first read from first chapter: Authorities and Experts May Be Wrong, which I re-read last night for my "bedtime read." Sometimes you have to be careful who you listen to.

Much of his writing has been humor writing, so chapter two is called "Finding the Funny." He explained that there writing funny means making reader believe “this could almost really happen.”

His third reading was an excerpt from chapter nine, "Three Incarnations of a Book," dealing with matters related to his book about the lynchings in Duluth, which almost became a movie.

He next read from chapter 10, "About Garrison Keillor." The author had been given an assignment to do a book on the public radio's biggest name, but Mr. Keillor preferred to place roadblocks in the project rather than assist.

It's a memoir designed to be both entertaining and instructive. Like his workshop I am confident it will be successful at both.

It was nice to see all the writers here yesterday. I can't wait to see what we publish next.

* * * *

You can find Michael Fedo's book here on Amazon.com.

Michael Fedo Talks About Writing and His Book The Lynchings In Duluth

This year marks the 94th anniversary of that tragedy that ended the lives of Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson and Isaac McGhie, three young African American men who were falsely accused, taken by a mob from the old Duluth jail on East Superior Street, and lynched at the intersection where the CJM Memorial now stands. Monday June 16 will be a special Day of Remembrance. This is the 11th year since the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial’s dedication.

Michael Fedo, cousin of Duluth’s former mayor, is a lifelong writer and the author of 9 books including a short novel. His book The Lynchings In Duluth, has received recognition for its significant contribution to understanding the events of what many consider the Northland’s darkest day. His most recent book Zenith City is getting attention as well for its honesty and his storytelling skills.

EN: What was your career path from youth to career author?

Michael Fedo: I was not an English major, but did minor in it, taking a few writing courses but made only average grades in those classes. I really do blame this on the professors, whose paradigms on good writing, or at least writing for the general population were extremely limited. I wrote a piece about this several years back for the old Loft magazine, but I think it's archived at MinnPost.com under the title "You Were Wrong, Prof. Colllins." Again, I became something of an accidental writer.

EN: What prompted you to take up the story of the lynchings in Duluth?

MF: I never intended to write the lynching story. Back in 1970 or thereabouts, I attempted to write a novel set in post-World War 1 northern Minnesota. I remembered my mother telling me when I was 9 or 10 that some black men had been lynched in Duluth about a mile from where she grew up. I don't recall a context for her telling me this, but I thought I'd include the incident as a chapter in my novel, my main character being a witness to it. To be accurate in my depiction of the lynchings, I sought the book I assumed had been written about it 50 years earlier, but discovered there was no such book. Nor was there much information on the topic in Duluth at all. Collective amnesia was the norm in the city. However, I found court transcripts and newspaper coverage in the State Historical Society archives. After filling a spiral notebook with data over two Saturdays spent in the archives, I abandoned the novel and documented the lynching story instead.

EN: What surprised you most as you wrote this story?

MF: What mostly surprised me about this story was learning that a former employer of mine during my undergraduate days at UMD had been arrested for participating in the crime. Charges were dismissed, but when I called him for an interview he declined and hoped I'd be like most good Duluth citizens, and forget about it. We never communicated again.

EN: What was the hardest part about researching this project?

MF: Researching the subject was difficult only in Duluth, where I was stonewalled, and where files didn't exist. In St. Paul I read papers and court records, and was able to interview folks from Duluth who were knowledgeable because they either knew or were related to people who witnessed the lynchings.

EN: Which do you prefer, fiction or non-fiction and why?

MF: In present day literature I prefer nonfiction because much contemporary so-called mainstream fiction isn't about anything. I can't read a 300 page novel in which we're exposed to what a middle-aged woman (for example) is feeling on a spring day in Albuquerque, or where ever. Back when I was in elementary school and we were made to stand in front of class and give book reports, we had no literary sophistication, so what we told the class was what the story was about--a boy who wanted to become a jockey, and how he loved horses and his struggles in finally winning the blue ribbon at the state fair, or some such. In much contemporary novels, one would be hard pressed to tell anybody what the story was about, or to say something that would elicit interest. This is why the perennially popular novels are genre works--detective, espionage, romance, sci-fi, etc. Genre writers still write stories that are about something beyond thoughts and feelings. Not that I'm a big fan of genre fiction, but stories are inevitable in those formats. T'ain't necessarily so in the mainstream market.

EN: Of your other books do you have a personal favorite?

MF: Until publishing the new book, Zenith City: Stories from Duluth, my favorite of my books was One Shining Season, the story about 11 major league baseball's one-year wonders. Great fun to do; the ballplayers were storytellers and I got to put those stories on the page. My wife's favorite is my short novel, Indians in the Arborvitae, though for her, too, it's now replaced by Zenith City.

EN: Any advice you would give to young people who wish to become writers?

MF: First of all, most of us in this trade can't not write; it's like breathing. I don't know any writers who are not compulsive and disciplined. The old cliche says that everyone has a book deep within. This is probably true, and some people do record and publish memoirs or their account of a famous war battle, but they aren't in for the long haul. The most important thing for aspiring writers is to be a reader, and more than that, read everything, including what you think is beneath you. Read it all. You'll develop not only taste, but discernment so you can self-edit. Next to reading, write. Write daily if possible. Set word or page limits and try to adhere to that. I have taught writing at the Loft and at workshops and have encountered students whose talents exceeded my own. Few of them ever published though, because they either didn't need to, or felt the process required too much effort. I publish because I'm serious about the work and stay with it.

 # # # #

Final resting place for Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson and Isaac McGhie

The Lynchings In Duluth by Michael Fedo

"They're selling postcards of the hanging..." ~ Bob Dylan, Desolation Row

From the postcard of the hanging.

For a compelling read I strongly recommend The Lynchings in Duluth by Michael Fedo. The book is an eye-opening account of one of the darkest moments in Duluth history, well-researched and well-written. Even though its subject matter is close to home -- it happened right downtown -- the insights one can garner from its pages are universal in terms of giving a broader understanding of race relations in America.

The events were real. In mid-June 1920 a travelling circus was in town. A young white couple had gone out to the part of town where the circus was and an incident occurred. When the woman said she was raped, rumors spread and events were set in motion that resulted in outrageous events, culminating initially in the lynching of three black circus workers and later the sentencing of a fourth to thirty years in prison. The harrowing night of that lynching and its aftermath is what this book about.

When I think about the lynchings that took place here I am reminded of Walter Van Tilburg Clark's The Ox-Bow Incident, which Hollywood later made into a film starring Henry Fonda and Anthony Quinn. It's a story about a mob that is spurred to action after drawing conclusions based on erroneous information. Noble intentions (a desire for justice) often have ignoble ends.

What makes Fedo's book so compelling is the manner in which the story is told, recounting hour-by-hour the spreading of the rumor, the response by various parts of the city, the responses by police and those in authority, the growing clamor in the streets and the ultimate battle between the mob and the deputies. It must have been a night of terror for the incarcerated black workers as well as for the policemen striving to defend them, putting their lives on the line.

The story doesn't end with the events of that night of violence. There were men brought to trial. First, the white folk who incited the riots were tried. Nineteen men had been arrested on charges of inciting to riot to first degree murder. All were released on bail. The blacks who had been arrested earlier had not even been arraigned. Two of these men would remain in jail for more than five months before going to trial on rape charges.

The trial of the whites did result in a few convictions but, as Fedo notes, "Duluthians found themselves uneasy about convicting men who carried out their own sympathies, and felt the issue would best be forgotten." In other words, in the minds of the public the girl was raped and the victims of the lynchings probably got what they deserved.

The Claywon-Jacvkson-McGhie Memorial in Duluth.

What makes the book masterful is the manner in which the author lays out the facts, the details as they were known, the improbability of what was being claimed and impossibility of the rest of it. Fedo does this carefully because the descendants still live among us. Out of respect for privacy he changed the names of the young woman and her boyfriend in this re-telling, but the evidence is fairly clear that their story was fabricated.

One piece of evidence used to prove that the girl was raped was that she had contracted gonorrhea from one of the circus workers who raped her. Nineteen black men were tested and only one test came back positive, that of Max Mason who said he did indeed have gonorrhea a year previous but was clean now. An inept defense in court resulted in Mason being charged and convicted for rape, and sentenced to 30 years. Fedo shows readers how impossible this was as well, that the girl had an advanced gonorrhea, and that Mason never received any treatment while in jail.... because he didn't need it.

All too often we think of lynchings as something remote and distant. We say to ourselves, "It can't happen here," but it did happen here. Billie Holiday's Strange Fruit gave us a glimpse of the hauntedness that festers beneath the surface when these kinds of things happen. Fedo showed us the unhealthy impact our lynching here had on the black community in Duluth, and the broader community's soul.

The Lynchings in Duluth is available at Barnes & Noble locally, and can also be found at Amazon.