Minnesota Book of Days: An Almanac of State History

The Minnesota Book of Days is a entertaining and educational day-by-day account of Minnesota history, chronicling important events, famous firsts, notable individuals, and interesting incidents.

Tony Greiner's thorough research and keen sense of the offbeat combine to produce a book that is both serious history and unexpected fun, a perfect gift and a handy compendium. Did you know that the mercury sank below freezing on the Fourth of July in 1859? Or that on August 18, 1929, a 350-pound bear wandered into the lounge of the Hotel Duluth? Or that on October 8, 1956, the world's first fully enclosed shopping mall, Southdale Shopping Center, opened in Edina?

This handy guide explores famous and not-so-famous aspects of Minnesota's history in lively entries for each day of the year. Whether you're a visitor or a lifelong resident, these tidbits about noteworthy events and people just might inspire you to explore Minnesota history in greater depth.

Howard Mohr was a writer for and frequent guest on public radio's "A Prairie Home Companion" and is the author of How to Talk Minnesotan.