Pushing the River by Frank Bures is a 2025 publication by the Minnesota Historical Society Press that tells the true stories and histories of canoe events on the Mississippi River.
Canoeing is the oldest form of transportation dating back at least 4,500 years. In more recent times, canoe racing was incredibly popular during the 1920-1960s, when competitions would draw in crowds of thousands. The Paul Bunyon Canoe Derby was one of the largest races in the state, starting in Bemidji and ending in Minneapolis. The race took over 10 days and had over 100,000 people watching at the finish line.
For Bures, being on the rivers can bring about almost a spiritual state of being.
"The Mississippi, and any river really, is just such a meditative thing. It's such a great way to connect with the landscape," says Bures. "When we took a family canoe trip down from Minneapolis to Winona, it really - even late in life - changed how I saw that part of the world and the river and the towns."
Pushing the River can be purchased online or locally at Zenith and Fitger's, as well as at Drury Lane in Grand Marais. Bures will be at Zenith Bookstore on April 24th from 7:00pm - 8:00pm for a conversation with local travel writer Stephanie Pearson.
Minnesota Reads is produced at The North 103.3 with funding provided in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
