The Story of Minnesota's Past embraces the broad sweep of change over this land now called Minnesota from glacial ages to the 1980s. This richly illustrated book was first published as a textbook for Minnesota middle-school students. A paperback edition was produced to serve as a readable and authoritative history for newcomers, old-timers, and all those in the general reading audience who want to know more about the state's past.

"This book . . . strives to represent fairly the men, women, and children of all groups and cultures who have been part of Minnesota's past. And I hope that in touching on a few of their personal stories it conveys some sense of the dreams, sorrows, conflicts, and complexities of the human journey."--from the Preface