The Twin Cities consistently rank among the top five most literate cities in the United States. The area’s love of books is apparent once you step inside downtown Minneapolis’ sunny, spacious
Central Library, designed by Cesar Pelli. Nearby, check out
Open Book, the largest literary arts center in the country and home to the nonprofit
Loft Literary Center, which hosts readings by acclaimed authors. Local
New York Times best-selling author Vince Flynn headlines the Mystery, Crime & Thriller Festival in November. Two of the coziest book shops in town are owned by other notable local authors—Garrison Keillor’s
Common Good Books in St. Paul and Louise Erdrich’s
Birchbark Books in Minneapolis.