The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal

THE LAGER QUEEN OF MINNESOTA is the latest novel by J. Ryan Stradal (Kitchens of the Great Midwest).  This one, too, is full of descriptions to tempt your palate and stimulate your appetite. The focus, though, is not food; it is on beer – lager, ale, IPA, Gose, stout, porter and so on.  There is enough detail about the many varieties that some readers might even benefit from this quick guide on the types of beer from Time magazine. Stradal also refers to some history and trends (e.g., light beers, micro-breweries, waves of consolidation and acquisitions) in the industry since the 1970s. But his biggest emphasis is on the diverging lives of two sisters, Edith and Helen.  Edith is the older, hard-working, and someone who “looked at money like a motorcycle driver looks at asphalt. The more of it you see, the farther you can go, but a single mistake with it can finish you.” Helen’s one passion in life is to brew beer and she causes a decades long rift by using the sale of the family farm to fund her brewery launch.  While certainly a relatively quick and entertaining read, THE LAGER QUEEN OF MINNESOTA could also be used by our Junior Theme researchers and tied to economic themes (e.g., transitions for Midwest companies like Old Style, Schlitz, Hamm’s and Stroh’s; or difficulties of being an entrepreneur – especially a female one; or even the sense of identity which one’s work provides).  Alternatively, students could use this title as a springboard to look at family relationships like sibling rivalry or intergenerational responsibilities due to the large role played by Diana (Edith’s granddaughter) in this story. THE LAGER QUEEN OF MINNESOTA is a LibraryReads selection for July and it received starred reviews from both Booklist and Kirkus. Enjoy!