- Playing
- Ivan Doig's "Work Song"
- From
- Dmae Roberts
A prolific writer of books set in the American West, Ivan Doig talks about his latest novel, Work Song set in the bustling international melting pot of Butte, Montana of 1919. Doig talks about his research on the effects of mining on the land, the workers and the citizens who form a diverse community often at odds with the mining company that rules so many of their lives.
Work Song brings back a much-loved character from Doig’s previous book, The Whistling Season. Morris Morgan, or “Morrie” as he’s called, comes to Butte one day and quickly lands a job at the town library run by an imposing rancher with a shady past. Soon Morrie becomes central to the lives of everyone in town as events escalate to a boiling point pitting workers against management. With Work Song Doig also includes some romance as well as historic commentary.
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Piece Description
A prolific writer of books set in the American West, Ivan Doig talks about his latest novel, Work Song set in the bustling international melting pot of Butte, Montana of 1919. Doig talks about his research on the effects of mining on the land, the workers and the citizens who form a diverse community often at odds with the mining company that rules so many of their lives.
Work Song brings back a much-loved character from Doig’s previous book, The Whistling Season. Morris Morgan, or “Morrie” as he’s called, comes to Butte one day and quickly lands a job at the town library run by an imposing rancher with a shady past. Soon Morrie becomes central to the lives of everyone in town as events escalate to a boiling point pitting workers against management. With Work Song Doig also includes some romance as well as historic commentary.
Broadcast History
Aired on Stage & Studio on KBOO, 8/24/2010
Transcript
(MUSIC FADES UP AND DOWN A LITTLE)
DMAE ROBERTS: I’m Dmae Roberts, Stage and Studio. Best-selling Northwest author Ivan Doig has been getting great reviews for his latest novel, Work Song. I first fell in love with Doig’s writing when I read his memoir This House of Sky. It’s about his early years in Montana as the son of homesteaders and ranch hands. Doig has chronicled the American West in many of his novels. Work Song is a sequel of sorts with a returning much-loved character from his earlier novel, The Whistling Season.
IVAN DOIG: Morrie is such a know-it-all about everything, but he gets to Butte. A lot of things about Butte stump him.
DMAE ROBERTS: Stay with me for this lively talk with award-winning novelist Ivan Doig. This is Stage and Studio.
(MUSIC FADES UP A LITTLE AND OUT)
DMAE ROBERTS: I’m Dmae Roberts. I talked with Ivan Doig when he just arrived in Portland for a rea...
Read the full transcript
Musical Works
| Title | Artist | Album | Label | Year | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonaparte's Retreat | Shake That Little Foot | Shake That Little Foot. | 00:00 | ||
| Shady Grove | Shake That Little Foot | Shake That Little Foot. | 00:00 | ||
| Western Country | Shake That Little Foot | Shake That Little Foot. | 00:00 |
Additional Credits
Production Assistant: Tali Singer
