Fifty Years in America by Nils Nilsen Ronning

“This introduction business is seldom a satisfactory affair. Once when I was introduced as the main speaker, it was not much of an occasion, I was wondering what a remarkable man the chairman was talking about. When it dawned on me that I was the man, I realized with a pang what I might have been; now it was too late.

“Sometimes the chairman says, ‘The speaker needs no introduction.’ I take that to mean that he has nothing good to say about me and is too generous to say anything else. The most striking introduction I ever got was this: ‘The speaker’s name begins with N. N., but it ends with N. G.’ I think I lived up to my reputation.” — N.N. Rønning

Nils Nilsen Rønning (1870-1962) came to America from Norway when he was 17. He attended Red Wing Seminary (Haugean Lutheran) and the University of Minnesota, and published Christian books and pamphlets for Lutherans, most notably the magazine The Friend, which featured religious fiction. Lars Lee: The Boy from Norway is his best known book.

Level of Difficulty: Primer: No subject matter knowledge needed.

Book Contents

• Preface by Lutheran Librarian
• The Brook That Sought The Sea
• What Excuse For This Book?
• An Amazing Half Century
• Cultural And Religious Background
• First Impressions of America
• At Red Wing Seminary
  • C. R. Hill
  • G.O. Brohough
  • Edward W. Schmidt
  • H.H. Elstad
  • H.H. Bergsland
  • O.S. Meland
• At The University of Minnesota
  • Cyrus Northrop
  • John Hutchinson
  • Willis M. West
  • O. Breda
  • Harlow Gale
  • Maria Sanford
• A Peculiar People
• A Summer In Telemark
• As A Writer And Editor
• In The Publishing Business
• Was It A Waste of Time?
• Re-Thinking What I Was Taught
• Norwegian-American Lutheran Church Life
• Attitude Toward Other Denominations
• People Worth Knowing
  • Elling Eielsen
  • Østen Hanson
  • B.J. Muus
  • Johan Nathan Kildahl
  • A Tribute To A Good Mother
  • Sven Oftedal
  • Georg Sverdrup
  • Laur. Larsen
  • Bersvend Anderson
  • Gjermund Hoyme
  • Hans Gerhard Stub
  • M. G. Hanson
  • E. Kr. Johnsen
  • C. J. Eastvold
  • George Sverdrup
  • K. C. Holter
  • Anne Marie Holter
  • B. B. Haugan
  • Wilhelm Pettersen
  • O. E. Rølvaag
  • Rasmus B. Anderson
  • Peer Strømme
  • Hans A. Urseth
  • Otto M. Haugan
  • P. O. Larson
• In The Field Of Politics
  • Knute Nelson
  • William Jennings Bryan
  • Woodrow Wilson
  • John A. Johnson
• Whence This Marvelous Universe?
• A Tribute To Mother
• Poems
  • Night
  • Where Is The Song?
  • Sølvbryllupsdagen
  • Høiere End Himlen
  • Der Flommer Et Vaeld
• Books By The Same Author

Publication Information

• Lutheran Library edition first published: 2020
• Copyright: CC BY 4.0