Featuring the work of a variety of writers, this collection of essays explores the relationship that exists between the people of northern Minnesota and the rugged landscape that surrounds them. The pieces consider the things that make living in the far north of America distinctive - the red earth of the Iron Range, the wildness of the Lake Superior’s north shore, and the elemental nature of climate and wilderness. Also mentioned are the farms and towns of northern Minnesota, with their heritage of self-reliance.