PBS’s Reading Road Trip heads to the Hawkeye State—explore Black Hawk’s legacy, the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and today’s bestselling voices on American Stories, A Reading Road Trip Wednesday, March 11 at 7 PM CT.
The program, which is visiting all 50 states to explore the literary landscape of each, visits Iowa on its latest stop. The program makes some interesting stops along the way.
Black Hawk, a leader of the Sauk, Meskwaki (Fox), Kickapoo, and Ho-Chunk peoples who lived along the Mississippi, dictated his life story to government interpreter Antoine Le Claire; the manuscript was later edited by a local newspaper reporter and published as Life of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak. The result was one of the first Native American autobiographies published in the United States—an extraordinary act of authorship at a time when Indigenous voices were routinely silenced.
Journalist Mildred Benson secretly penned 23 of the first 30 Nancy Drew mysteries, shaping one of the most enduring heroines in American popular fiction. Librarian and intellectual freedom advocate Forrest Spaulding authored the Library Bill of Rights, a foundational document protecting libraries from censorship and defending every reader’s freedom to explore ideas.
At the heart of Iowa’s global literary influence stands the legendary Iowa Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa. For generations, this esteemed program has shaped American prose, nurturing writers whose works define eras. Alumni include authors such as John Irving (A Prayer for Owen Meany), and countless poets, novelists, and essayists who first found their voice in Iowa City classrooms.
Iowa’s literary heartbeat also thrives in its bookstores. In Iowa City, Prairie Lights Books stands as a community cornerstone, where the upstairs reading room has hosted many of the world’s most celebrated writers. In Ames, Dog-Eared Books reflect the statewide strength of independent bookselling and community-centered storytelling.
For literary travelers, Iowa offers places where stories and setting intertwine. Stroll the Iowa City Literary Walk, tracing bronze plaques embedded in the sidewalk with words from celebrated authors. Visit the American Gothic House Center that inspired Grant Wood’s iconic painting. Ride the Fenelon Place Elevator in Dubuque and imagine the river city landscapes said to have stirred the imagination of George R. R. Martin (Game of Thrones).
Experience this rich literary landscape with PBS Books and the Library of Congress as American Stories: A Reading Road Trip journeys to Iowa on Wednesday, March 11 at 7 p.m. CT Watch the free PBS Books live Facebook event or catch it on the PBS Books YouTube channel, pbsbooks.org, and the PBS App.
