How to Talk Minnesotan: A Visitor's Guide

How to talk Minnesotan : a visitor's guide was written by Howard Mohr, a regular on the radio show, "A prairie home companion." In 26 easy lessons, he gives you all you need to know about Minnesota. From the use of "you bet" in every other sentence to Minnesotan body language to how to behave as a tourist in Minnesota, Mohr gives you what's needed to succeed. If that's not enough, he includes advice from other folks including a foreword by his mechanic, a preface by the chair of the department of Minnesota English at Prairie Gate College, to the Minnesota Pageant Council's listing of events. Books and poems by Minnesota authors are also covered along with lots of other stuff.

The section on food is especially valuable, allowing you to show more tell the difference between lunch and a little lunch, dinner and supper. Recipes for hot dish and salad are given. And he warns of never mistaking the jello salad for a dessert. Then there's a whole chapter devoted to lutefisk. If the 26 lessons aren't enough, there are ads extolling Minnesota businesses like Bob Humde and Raw Bits cereal.

Be prepared to laugh and learn about how to behave in Minnesota! show less

Fans of the Minnesota-set movie Fargo will love this uproarious culture guide to all-things Minnesotan. With his dry wit and distinctive voice, Howard Mohr won millions of fans across the country on Garrison Keillor’s radio show A Prairie Home Companion. His popular commercials and ad spots, including one for “Minnesota Language Systems,” became the best of the best of Minnesota humor. Now, Mohr has updated his classic guide, How to Talk Minnesotan, to advise visitors on the use of Twitter and Facebook, cell phone etiquette, and more while in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Well-written in the gently wry accents of "A Prairie Home Companion" - from whence it came. Witty, funny, and very true, if my experience is any guide.

People in Nebraska talk this way sometimes, too.

I bought this book shortly before I left for my first year of college in Waconia, Minnesota. I had only been to Minnesota a couple of times before, but this was to be my first time actually living there (coming from Colorado). The book was great, and I was amazed that while I was living there, how much of this book was actually true! It’s still a fun read several years later.