Sue Leaf utilizes the memoir structure for her latest work, but the genre pivots for deep dives into local history and the environment. Impermanence: Life and Loss on Superior's South Shore is a 2023 publication from the University of Minnesota Press
For Leaf, the impermanent nature of the South Shore has been on display for decades. Throughout the book, Leaf addresses eroding shorelines, the coming and going of industry, and the emotions that are tied to these changes. "Everything changes, everything is transitory," says Leaf. "I'm interested in local history, I'm interested in the environment, I'm a trained zoologist; that's what I see when I look out into the world."
You can find Impermanence at various booksellers, including Zenith Bookstore in West Duluth. Leaf will be paying a visit to Zenith Bookstore on Tuesday, January 23rd from 7-8:30pm.
Minnesota Reads is produced at The North 103.3 with funding provided in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.