Learning Book Publishing

By this time I had a publishing business of my own and a part-time assistant to help with the brand new computer skills just beginning to amaze us with printing that we could accomplish all on our own.

With my husband Bert in the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, I was completing my Masters degree there in the University at just the right moment, in 1965, when we graduate students could compile our Masters class data in the new Computer Science room.

This was a big climate-controlled room filled with big machines (the early computers!). We used punched-card equipment—inputting our data on a set of cards. Then running our cards back thru the machines.

Our three books that focus on early Buffalo history. The ancient stories are told from oral history by Native Americans.

They popped out in their various categories—giving us an accurate percentage of each. What fun that was!

Always I had two themes in my head—Nutrition as my academic field and Western History my special interest, with a Masters of Science degree in Anthropology.

My question was always: What hasn’t yet gotten its fair hearing? What needs to be investigated? I had no desire to rehash what someone else had written. So I reached out more widely.

My first book celebrated our North Dakota Centennial in 1976. Here are books and research reports related first to Western History—then, in the same—or alternate years—Nutrition.

Books written by Francie M Berg—Western History
North Dakota: Land of Changing Seasons, 1977.

South Dakota: Land of Shining Gold, 1982.

Ethnic Heritage in North Dakota, 1983 Published by Attiyeh Foundation, Wash, DC.

The Last Great Buffalo Hunts: Traditional Hunts in 1880 to 1883 by Teton Lakota People, 1995, Published by Dakota Buttes Visitors Council.

Montana Stirrups, Sage and Shenanigans: Western Ranch Life in a Forgotten Era, 2013, by Francie Brink Berg, with sisters Anne Brink Krickel and Jeanie Brink Thiessen.

Buffalo Trails in the Dakota Buttes: Self-Guided Tour, 2017 by Francie M. Berg, Developed a 10 site self-guided tour of Historic and Contemporary Buffalo Trails. Dakota Buttes Visitors Council, Hettinger, ND.

Books by Francie M Berg—Nutrition and Weight-Related

How to Be Slimmer, Trimmer & Happier, 1983. Book and behavioral youth program.

Leaders Guide for Action Groups, 1983. Leaders guide for leading groups.

Children and Teens in Weight Crisis, 1995. Special report.

Weight Loss Quackery and Fads, 1995. Special report.

Health Risks of Weight Loss, 1993. Special report.

Health Risks of Obesity, 1993. Special 192 page report compiled statistics on Risks of Obesity, plus Risks of Interventions.

Afraid to Eat: Children and Teens in Weight Crisis, 1997, 320 pages.

Women Afraid to Eat: Breaking Free in Today’s Weight-Obsessed World, 2000, 384 pages.

Children and Teens Afraid to Eat: Helping Youth in Today’s Weight-Obsessed World, 2001, 354 pages.

Underage and Overweight: America’s Childhood Obesity Crisis–Every Family Needs to Know. Jan 2004, 456 pages. New York: Hatherleigh Press.

During this time (for about 20 years from 1990 to 2010) I presented seminars, as invited, at an average of 1 to 3 per month at National and State meetings throughout the US and Canada in topics of Nutrition, Dietetics, Obesity, Family and the Extension Service. I also presented for Pacific Rim Countries in Hawaii.

(Healthy Weight Journal. Published, wrote and edited majority of text for this bimonthly research review journal (initially titled Obesity and Health) for 16 years from 1986 to 2002. Researched, reported research on weight and eating, obesity and eating disorder treatment and prevention programs to subscribers throughout the world.

Subscribers included 2,000 health professionals in 35 countries. Total issues: 107 published from 1986 through December 1999.

Healthy Living Newspaper Column. This was long, long ago, but gave me the confidence I needed to tackle all this. My weekly newspaper wellness column featured Healthy lifestyles, nutrition, exercise, weight, stress, self-esteem, communication, safety and freedom from chemical dependencies. Total of 156 columns were published regularly without cost for over 50 North Dakota and South Dakota newspapers, from 1984 to 1989.

In addition were dozens of requested chapters for related books that I supplied when called upon for information.

Now in retirement, I’ve stepped back with only one major goal left— our BuffaloGrande Website!

I couldn’t have done all this without the help of my invaluable assistants.

Ronda Fink was always there, for untold years (can it be nearly 50 years, Ronda!)? Always one step ahead of me in instinctively understanding what computers were telling her, efficient and always ready to spend time when she knew I wanted to go that extra mile.

Our family friend Kendra Rosencrans assisted me with publications for a couple of years when she was between jobs and stepped right in. Later she was always available—at least by telephone—with helpful advice.

Many thanks to both women for your generosity and dedication!! I loved that I could absolutely depend on you when needed!