D. P. Cornelius
Good News, I Failed: A Story of Inventing in Minnesota
Dreams – sometimes they change the world, sometimes they just plain fall through.
Over the course of a weekend at grandpa’s farm near Luverne, Minnesota, 14-year-old Josh Lindstrom gets in touch with his dreams as they spend their time inventing, and grandpa relates the stories of some of the great Minnesota inventors. Success, however, does not come easily. So, is there anything to be learned from the inventors that preceded them, especially those of the aptly named Greatest Generation? Josh and his grandpa discover together that when it comes to dreams of inventing, failure is okay. As Minnesota inventor Earl Bakken had said, “Failure is closer to success than inaction.”
Some surprises are revealed along the way, and the unexpected ending soars with a heartfelt and compelling, once-in-a-lifetime, encounter. An appendix featuring profiles of the Minnesota 80 serves as a resource of the state’s key inventors.
“This book celebrates and illuminates all things Minnesotan: our work ethic, the importance of connectivity within our family and community, and our remarkable heritage of creativity. Cornelius does a masterful job of revealing the importance of history and innovation while taking the reader on a heart-warming story of discovery by a boy and his grandfather. This is a must-read for Minnesotans of all generations.”
—James L. Young, Minneapolis patent attorney, the Westman firm,
and President of the Minnesota Inventors Hall of Fame.
