Beloved nature writer Helen Hoover’s path to the north woods came following a successful career in Chicago as a metallurgist – an unlikely profession for a woman without a college degree in the 1940s and 50s. Through smarts and self-training, she solved a long-standing steel breakage problem for a farm implement company, receiving a patent for her work – and then walked away from corporate life in 1954 to live in a remote cabin on Gunflint Lake. Out of necessity to make a living, she began writing about the trees, plants and animals living in their immediate vicinity and developed a following for her prose through nature and conservation magazines. She started to write books for adults and children – many illustrated by her artist husband Adrian – with several becoming national bestsellers in the 1960s and 70s. This presentation will follow Helen’s life from Chicago to the north woods and beyond, and provide the backstory of a life that was not without its hardships and challenges. It will also consider why Hoover’s writing is still relevant and important today.

David Hakensen Bio:
David Hakensen is a public relations consultant and former board president of the Minnesota Historical Society (2018-2023). He has written for Minnesota History, Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, and Twin Cities Business.