feedback
 

39°F

Fair

Wind: NW at 15.0 mph

Windchill: 31°F (-1°C)

As of Mar 19 2024, 12:55 am

Students »

  • Each day more than 5,500 students learn and thrive in Moorhead Area Public Schools. We are proud of your successes both inside and outside the classroom.
  • Bullying Prevention

SPUDS Landing »

Parents »

New Families »

Community »

  • From seeing how the district spends tax dollars to providing opportunities for lifelong learning, Moorhead Area Public Schools and the community are partners in education. We welcome your interest.
Lifelong Learning
News242761

Durbin draws from history for his young adult novels

June 1, 2017

Author William Durbin models the characters in his novels after real people.

Durbin told Horizon Middle School sixth-grade students during presentations earlier this year that he uses diaries, interviews and oral histories to research the historical events he uses in his novels. Most of his characters are modeled after historical figures.

It was Durbin’s son who suggested he look into the history of the voyageurs. Durbin, who lives in northeastern Minnesota, began his research for “The Broken Blade,” about a young voyageur. Durbin was able to base his book on real people from fur trade history. Moorhead sixth-grade students read “The Broken Blade,” which received the Minnesota Book Award in 1998.

Durbin shared some history related to “The Broken Blade” and its sequel “Wintering,” as well as background about his other books during his presentation to the students.

In Durbin’s 2004 book, “The Darkest Evening,” many Finnish families from Minnesota move to a new Finnish state in Russia. However, Stalin’s Secret Police begin taking many Finnish men away. The family must escape from Russia on the darkest evening on cross-country skis.

Durbin considers “Blackwater Ben” his funniest book. The lumberjack book features a character who works in the kitchen of a camp as a cook’s assistant, helping cook meals all day and wash dishes into the night seven days a week.

Durbin’s newest book “Dead Man’s Rapids,” which he co-wrote with his wife Barbara, was released in April 2017. The book continues the story of “Blackwater Ben.” Durbin described for students how the floating cook shack was used to feed loggers working the log drive.

Durbin, who has written 13 novels, told students it takes him about three years to research, write and rewrite a book.

“If you want to become a good writer, you’ve got to write on your own,” he said.

Photo: Author William Durbin describes the research he does for his historical novels to Horizon Middle School sixth-grade students.

Categorized under: School