Minnesota Writers

From Icons to Hidden Treasures

Recognized:

• F. Scott Fitzgerald — Born in St. Paul; master of the Jazz Age with The Great Gatsby, a cornerstone of American literature taught everywhere.

• Sinclair Lewis — Sauk Centre native; first American Nobel Prize in Literature winner (1930) for sharp satires like Main Street and Babbitt.

• Louise Erdrich — Longtime Minnesota resident (Minneapolis); Pulitzer winner (The Night Watchman), National Book Award finalist, powerful voice in Indigenous literature with series like Love Medicine.

• Kate DiCamillo — Minneapolis-based; two-time Newbery Medalist for beloved children’s books like The Tale of Despereaux and Flora & Ulysses.

• Bob Dylan — Duluth-born, Hibbing-raised; Nobel Prize in Literature (2016) for poetic songwriting; memoir Chronicles adds to his literary legacy.

• Garrison Keillor — Iconic Minnesota storyteller via A Prairie Home Companion; Lake Wobegon books like Lake Wobegon Days defined cozy Midwestern humor for national audiences.

• Tim O’Brien — Strong Minnesota ties (Worthington roots); National Book Award for Going After Cacciato; The Things They Carried is a definitive Vietnam War classic.

• William Kent Krueger — Prolific bestseller with the Cork O’Connor mystery series set in MN’s Northwoods; multiple Minnesota Book Awards and wide readership.

Underrated Gems:

• Faith Sullivan — Literary novelist capturing Depression-era small-town MN life in The Cape Ann with quiet emotional depth and resilience.

• Lorna Landvik — Warm, humorous tales of Midwestern women and friendship (Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons); cozy, community-focused reads with recipes and heart.

• Allen Eskens — Smart, character-rich crime novels like The Life We Bury; rising regional star with thoughtful mysteries rooted in local settings.

• Marcie Rendon — White Earth Nation author; gripping Cash Blackbear series blends crime with Indigenous history and justice; Minnesota Book Award winner.

• Kevin Kling — Witty, poignant essays and memoirs (Big Little Mother) turning personal stories—including disability C

—into universal MN insights and humor.

• Anne Ursu — Magical middle-grade fiction with strong heroines (Not Quite a Ghost); thoughtful, chilling kid-lit that’s respected in the children’s book world.

• Sally Franson — Quirky, modern novels full of humor and self-discovery (Big in Sweden, inspired by her own reality TV adventure); captures Twin Cities ambition.

• Abby Jimenez — Rising romance bestseller (Just for the Summer) mixing laughs, emotion, and occasional MN nods; great for feel-good contemporary reads.