It's difficult to imagine Duluth, MN, as the latest "best" place to live, and Sutter (My Father's War, LJ 5/15/91) would prefer to keep it to himself. Sutter's lifelong affinity for Duluth and the Arrowhead region of Minnesota permeates this collection of essays. Despite winters at 40 below, ferocious summer insects, and a failing economy, Sutter makes Duluth and its environs sound positively seductive. Sutter's observations are entertaining enough to share with a wider audience. Whether re-creating childhood memories, sharing a creekside walk, or ice-skating on Lake Superior, Sutter takes us along on the gentlest of journeys--he is contentedly at home in a place where "bears wander the streets every fall like country cousins come to town to see the sights."

A collection of essays by Bart Sutter, a guy from Duluth. My brother gave this to me, but didn't tell me anything about it to prepare me.

I laughed out loud at least once during every essay, all of which are about three pages long: easily enjoyed over a cup of hot, hot coffee during a cold Minnesota winter (or over a beer, on a cool new England summer night, for that matter). ( )