Reading the story of "El Lector"

by Stephanie Hemphill, Minnesota Public Radio

A lost era, a time when immigrant workers rolled cigars by hand in southern Florida, comes to life in "El Lector." It's a new book for young people, written by northern Minnesota author William Durbin.

Duluth, Minn. — El Lector is about a time before iPods, a time before television, even before radio. And oddly enough the idea came to William Durbin through the radio, while he was driving back from a conference in South Dakota. He heard a story about how hispanic cigar makers near Tampa used to hire a man, "El Lector," to read to them as they worked.

Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill talked with Durbin about what attracted him to the story.

Broadcast Dates

• Morning Edition, 02/14/2006, 7:45 a.m.