Marie Zhuikov Presents Meander North

Duluth author Marie Zhuikov launches her new book Meander North during this event at Zenith Bookstore.

The essays in this book were collected over nine years on Zhuikov’s “Marie’s Meanderings” blog. The quirky essays are arranged by season, and cover a wide range of ourdoorsy and community-based reflections, from an insider’s view of Duluth’s Christmas City of the North Parade to a spring cleaning trip to the local dump and a description of a lawnmower road race.

One piece depicts a gleeful summer morning paddleboard on a quiet lake, another takes readers on a meditative fall walk on a Hartley Park trail. The book finishes with specific topics including “Brushes with Fame,” where Zhuikov describes close calls and meetings with famous (and not so famous) people, and “Bookish Adventures,” which detail her literary leanings and various incidents that have added spice to book signings for her previous works. Although the topics are diverse, all display Zhuikov’s love for her home state. Meander North is a celebration of Minnesota, its seasons and traditions.

Zhuikov is a writer and photographer, born and raised in Duluth, who meanders around a lot. Her memories and adventures are chronicled in blog posts, the best of which are in this book. She also writes novels, short stories, magazine articles and poems. Many have earned awards and have appeared in anthologies and community projects. She works as a science communicator for the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Program. For more information, visit mariezwrites.com.