Meet Minnesota Author John Warren

NAC 2020 AUTHOR VIRTUAL TOUR

MEET MINNESOTA AUTHOR JOHN WARREN 

John C. Warren, a Twin Cities native, worked for ten years in radio and television news and then began a thirty year career in public affairs. He worked first with the Mayo Clinic’s Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester, MN, and then in Eden Prairie, MN, with what is now Great River Energy, the power supplier to most of Minnesota’s rural electric cooperatives. He and his wife retired to the Walker, MN area in 2000 where John has served as chairman of the Walker Area Foundation and the Cass County Critical Hospital Task Force. He currently serves as vice-chair of the CHI St. Joseph’s Hospital in Park Rapids, MN.  In 1968 John was awarded the Upper Midwest Radio & Television News Director Association’s top award for news coverage of that tumultuous year in our nation’s history. John has always enjoyed writing, but had never undertaken putting together a book.

“The Arctic Fox: Bush Pilot of the North Country" was published in 1995 and became an immediate hit, not only in Minnesota but throughout Canada where most of the story takes place. Over 7,500 copies were sold within three years and nearly 3,500 more since the books became available on-line through Amazon and iUniverse.com

Synopsis: The book chronicles the adventures of St. Cloud, MN, native Don C. Braun, a High Arctic bush pilot and first person to land a wheeled aircraft at the North Pole.

Don, an uncle of Warren's wife, attended many family reunions after he retired back in St. Cloud. The reunions were held every two years at lake resorts and Don would share stories of his arctic flying adventures around the evening campfire in a folksy manner that captivated both young and old. As he neared his 80th year, relatives suggested someone should tape Don’s stories for posterity. Although author Warren was technically an “in-law,” he volunteered to interview Don and get his stories down on tape and possibly into print. After numerous trips to St. Cloud to interview Don, the author ended up with over 1,200 pages of transcribed copy which he edited down to a 240 page book that includes 32 pages of photographs found among hundreds Don had stashed away in a cardboard box in his attic.

Don Braun, right and his Norseman Mark IV in 1948

"Don had a unique and often humorous way of telling his stories of close-calls and high arctic life, and I tried to preserve his fireside style in the book,” said the author, who has participated in the Northwoods Art Council’s Art & Book Festival for most of the past 15 years. “It is a great event for getting Don’s life story into the hands of aviation and arctic buffs, and for making many new friends,” Warren added.

BOOK AVAILABLE: “The Arctic Fox: Bush Pilot of the North Country” can be purchased on line for $14.95 plus tax and shipping from Amazon or from iUniverse.com You can also purchase the book by contacting the author John C. Warren directly at jcwarren@eot.com or 218-547-2865.

2019 Participant Northwoods Art and Book Festival