Swedes in Minnesota

Recounts the story of the great Swedish migration through numbers -- in the census reports and settlement patterns. It also tells the story through the cultural institutions Swedes founded -- the churches, schools, and lodges, the Swedish-language newspapers and businesses, the neighbourhoods and the associations. But mostly, this book tells the story through the people: the anecdotes, letters, and interviews from the immigrants themselves and from their grandchildren. Lewis provides a remarkably concise portrait of an ethnic group striving to become American while struggling to maintain its ties to tradition.

Anne Gillespie Lewis is a freelance writer and author of five books including So Far Away in the World: Stories from the Swedish Twin Cities and The Minnesota Guide.