Milkweed Books
1011 S Washington Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55415
United States
This event is free and open to the public. Let us know you are coming here.
Sonja Swift comes to Milkweed Books to read from her new book, Red Sky in the Morning: Of Water, Whales, and Warnings. She will be joined by local artist and cultural organizer, Shanai Matteson.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Dive into a mesmerizing exploration of the ocean’s depths and the intricate web of life it sustains. Red Sky in the Morning is more than just a book; it’s a journey into the heart of our planet’s most vital ecosystem. With lyrical prose and keen insight, the author blends personal stories, scientific research, and Indigenous wisdom to illuminate the profound connections between water, weather, whales, and humanity.
Discover the haunting beauty of whale songs, the microscopic marvels of plankton, and the raw power of ocean storms. Uncover the devastating history of industrial whaling and its lasting impact, and confront the urgent threats of climate change and environmental degradation. This evocative work reveals the ocean not merely as a vast expanse, but as a living, breathing entity with its own memory, culture, and warnings.
Red Sky in the Morning is a passionate call to remember our place in the natural world, to honour the wisdom of ancient traditions, and to fight for the preservation of our precious oceans. Sonja Swift’s latest work is a compelling read for anyone concerned about the environment, captivated by marine life, or simply seeking a deeper understanding of our interconnectedness.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Sonja Swift is a writer and poet of hybrid forms. Her first book, Echo Loba, Loba Echo: Of Wisdom, Wolves and Women (Rocky Mountain Books, 2023) was shortlisted for the Banff Mountain Books & Film environmental literature award. She is also the author of Alphabet Atlas, a chapbook of prose poems from Deconstructed Artichoke Press and Tarot of Transformation, a series of short stories from True Story. Alumna of California College of the Arts, she has published a wide range of poems, articles and photo essays. Her work has appeared in Dark Mountain Project, Literary Hub, Orion Magazine, The Madrona Project from Empty Bowl Press, Cholla Needles, Wild Gods anthology from New Rivers Press, Kestrel Journal, Fire & Rain: Ecopoetry of California from Scarlet Tanager, and Dark Matter: Women Witnessing, among others. Sonja is Danish-American and comes from dusty, sometimes emerald, coastal hills amidst a chain of old volcanic peaks that stretch into the Pacific Ocean.
Shanai Matteson is a visual artist, writer, and cultural organizer. She lives in the rural community in northern Minnesota where she grew-up. Shanai collaborates with other artists and groups to imagine and create social spaces, engagement strategies, campaigns and other collaborations at the intersections of ecological science, cultural wellness, and social justice. As an artist she also creates public art and storytelling spaces rooted in place and purpose. She is the founder of the artist-led Water Bar & Public Studio, a project that serves tap water to encourage engagement with water issues and environmental justice. She is co-founder and Collaborative Director of the arts collective Fire in the Village, a contributor to Wildflower Group media collective and the Talon Mine Tours project, and is a frequent contributor of personal essays and cultural commentary to a variety of independent publications. Her personal website is shanai.work.