Prairie Journal

Amy Brady tells the cool story of an American staple in her new book, Ice: From Mixed Drinks to Skating Rinks, A Cool History of a Hot Commodity.

On this episode of KPR Presents, we preview the Kansas Book Festival with director Tim Bascom. The Festival takes place Saturday, September 16th, at Washburn University.

"Winfield's Walnut Valley Festival" celebrates 50 years of this beloved event, from its creation to its continued success, with lots of great stories along the way.

As our 70th anniversary year draws to a close, we look back at the rich tradition of folk and Americana music on KANU.

As our 70th anniversary year draws to a close, it's a trip down KANU's Memory Lane in this second of a two-part series.

As our 70th anniversary year draws to a close, we look back at the early days of KANU in the first of a two-part series.

Former NPR president and Kansas native Delano Lewis passed this month at the age of 84. This week's KPR Presents features remarks Lewis made at the Kauffman Foundation Conference Center in Kansas City in 2016.

Kevin Merida is the editor of the Los Angeles Times and winner of the 2023 William Allen White National Citation.

From ancient Greece to modern day Ukraine and Kansas, the oversized role of wheat in shaping world history.

Gay Paris, perfume, Nazis, intrigue — join us for a conversation with Timothy Schaffert, author of The Perfume Thief.

We'll preview the Dole Institute of Politics' upcoming "Landmark Celebration," marking the 100th anniversary of Bob Dole's birth and the 20th anniversary of the Institute itself.

Two of Senator Bob Dole's longtime colleagues — Trent Lott and Tom Daschle — talk about their time in the Senate and politics today in the annual Dole Lecture.

Lucas Bessire explores the Ogallala Aquifer and our role in water depletion in Running Out: In Search of Water on the High Plains.

We remember baseball great Buck O'Neil with children's book author Kristy Nersheimer.

You may think of many adjectives to describe former President Richard Nixon...but "liberal?" Former White House aide John Roy Price makes that argument in his memoir, "The Last Liberal Republican."

Join as we explore "Secret Kansas — the weird, wonderful, and obscure" with author Roxie Yonkey.

Join us for a conversation with filmmaker Kevin Willmott, about "No Place Like Home: The Struggle Against Hate in Kansas," showing at the Free State Festival in Lawrence.

A week of film, music, conversation, and much more! Join us for a look at this week's Free State Festival with festival director Marlo Angell.

How do we remember and honor the women who settled the West? Dr. Cynthia Culver Prescott explores the statues and what's behind them in Pioneer Mother Monuments.

Best-selling author Ada Calhoun stops by the KPR studios to talk about her memoir, Also a Poet, named one of the Best Books of 2022 by the New York Times.

We kick off our 2023 Kansas Notable Book series with Grant Snider, author of One Boy Watching.

We kick of another year of Kansas Notable Books with Hell's Half Acre, the story of the infamous Bender family murders of southeast Kansas.

It's a visit to the new Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum in Atchison, Kansas, and a conversation with its founder Karen Seaberg.

In connection with the opening of the new Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum, we revisit this conversation with Amelia Earhart, brought to life by historical performer Ann Birney.

We remember Joyce Thierer of Admire, with an encore broadcast in character as Calamity Jane. Dr. Thierer passed away last month at the age of 73.