A young narrator chronicles his coming-of-age in Minnesota's Lake Wobegon, a fictitious small town where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.

A hilarious coming-of-age novel, Lake Wobegon Summer 1956 serves up the world according to 14-year-old Gary, an endearing geek, a self-described 'tree-toad', and a writer in the making whose best friend is his Underwood typewriter. Always with humor, and often with great sympathy, charm and honesty, the author tells us a story that both satirizes and celebrates the traumas and the passions of adolescence. Keillor takes us back to a newly-minted America....

A national holiday in Lake Wobegon is always gaudy and joyful. But when the major planner behind the Fourth of July parade and the twenty-four-year-old girl who dresses up as the Statue of Liberty develop a close "friendship," rumors begin to fly. What will happen is anybody's guess as CNN and the governor put in an appearance in Lake Wobegon--home to a good loving people who drive each other crazy.

Garrison Keillor has been delighting audiences for four decades now with heartfelt, moving, and downright hilarious tales from the shores of Lake Wobegon. Here, for the first time ever, News from Lake Wobegon monologues from the entire history of "the little town on the edge of the prairie" are presented in one collection. From early fan favorites "Bruno the Fishing Dog" and "A Trip to Grand Rapids" to more recent highlights such as "The Hochstetter...

In this collection of stories about small-town life, Dale takes a step toward manhood and Darlene sets off for Minneapolis to begin a new life.