Saturday, March 22, 2008

Jon Hassler

One of Minnesota's most beloved authors, Jon Hassler, passed away on March 20th from Parkinson disease. He was 74.

I loved Jon Hassler's writing because he got the particulars of not only Minnesota, but small town life. I read "Staggerford" in high school and though I, as an 18 year old Lutheran girl had nothing in common with a single, catholic English teacher, I was entranced by the world of Miles Pruitt and Agatha McGhee.
When I read "Grand Opening" a story inspired by Hassler's growing up years in Plainview, Minnesota, I felt a little closer to my own grandfather who had also grown up in Southern Minnesota, the son of a grocer.

Jon wrote many, many books and touched the hearts and minds of people worldwide. Have you read his work? What was your favorite?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Do you happen to know if there is an audio version of Hassler's book "Grand Opening"?

Thanks.

Rita McGill Vondracek