Skrief brings 'Stone Poems' to Birchbark

Douglas Skrief's book "Stone Poems" has been published by Starhaven in London. Skrief, who grew up in International Falls, Minn., and studied at Harvard and Oxford, will be at Birchbark Books in Minneapolis on Thursday at 7 p.m. His poems are grounded along northern Minnesota's Rainy Lake and have been published in the Paris Review and broadcast on the BBC. Several of his poems recently were chosen as the "poem of the week" by the Guardian. You can read them here: tinyurl.com/yfkxlkv.

Also ...

•Twin Cities poet Mike Finley's book-length poem titled "The Orchard" has been published in a limited edition by Supersession Press. The book was designed and printed by book artist Richard Stephens at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts. The poem tells of Finley's Ohio childhood, living in an old apple orchard.

•Brian Fogarty's book "Fascism: Why Not Here?" has been published by Potomac Books. Fogarty, who lives in St. Paul, is a professor of sociology at St. Catherine University.

•"The Wild Garden: A Journey of Loss and Renewal," by forester Peter P. Bundy, has been published by North Star Press of St. Cloud. The collection of essays about illness and change is set in northern Minnesota and is illustrated by Mary Sandburg.

•Voyageur Press has published "Minnesota in 3D: A Look Back in Time," a photo book with special glasses to view the pictures in three dimensions.

•"B is for Bufflehead," by Steve Hutchcraft, -- an alphabet book of birds (including several photographed in Minnesota) -- has been published by PhotoHutch Books. The book is available at Wild Birds Unlimited and at Barnes & Noble stores.

•Don Stolz's memoir, "The Old Log Theater & Me," has been published by Beaver's Pond Press. Stolz -- actor, producer, director -- has owned the popular theater since 1946. He will sign books at 7 p.m. Friday at the Bookcase, 607 E. Lake St., Wayzata.

•Two books of poetry by Ray Gonzalez have recently been published. "Faith Run" (University of Arizona Press) contains lyrical, stanza poems and "Cool Auditor" (BOA Editions) is a collection of prose poetry. His poem "Canto" has won the Editors Prize from the journal Fifth Wednesday. Gonzalez is director of the MFA program in creative writing at the University of Minnesota.

This week's Literary Scavenger Hunt question: This Twin Cities novelist, poet, and professor is known for teaching a course on the "Poetry of Rap." Nationally, his talents are more notably recognized for his work alongside Steven Spielberg for the movie "Amistad." And this week's bookstores: The Red Balloon, 891 Grand Av., St. Paul, and Walker Art Center Shop, 1750 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls. For more information: http://twincities lit.wordpress.com.