Minnesota author to virtually visit Brainerd Public Library

Minnesota author Natalie Warren will discuss her book, “Hudson Bay Bound: Two Women, One Dog, Two Thousand Miles to the Arctic," from noon to 1 p.m. Monday, July 19.

While the Brainerd Public Library is not hosting in-person events, Brown Bag Lunch author visits will be presented as live events on the Friends of the Brainerd Public Library Facebook page.

Warren’s book tells the true story of the 85-day journey of the first two women to canoe the 2,000-mile route from Minneapolis to Hudson Bay. They faced unrelenting winds, carnivorous polar bears, snake nests, sweltering heat and constant hunger. Following the 2,000-mile route made famous by Eric Sevareid in his 1935 classic “Canoeing with the Cree,” Warren and Ann Raiho faced unexpected trials, some harrowing, some simply odd.

But for the two friends - the first women to make this expedition - there was one timeless challenge: the occasional pitfalls that test character and friendship. Warren’s spellbinding account retraces the women’s journey from inspiration to Arctic waters, giving readers an insider view from the practicalities of planning a three-month canoe expedition to the successful accomplishment of the adventure of a lifetime.

Warren is a Minneapolis-based author, scholar and public speaker on environmental issues. A lifelong paddler and river lover, she canoed the length of the Mississippi River and won first place in the Yukon River Quest in the women’s voyageur division, paddling 450 miles in 53 hours.

A contributing writer to outdoor publications, she has worked with Bancroft Arnesen Explore, St. Croix River Association, and River Management Society, and she started a nonprofit to present urban rivers as natural, dynamic classrooms for youth.

This presentation is sponsored by the Friends of the Brainerd Public Library through their volunteer and fundraising efforts. The Friends are celebrating the 22nd season of the Brown Bag Lunch Author Series with a lineup of award-winning and acclaimed Minnesota writers.

Upcoming events:

• July 26: Kathleen West, “Are We There Yet?”

For more information, contact the library at 218-829-5574 or visit the Friends of the Brainerd Public Library’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Friendsofthebrainerdpubliclibrary.