Charles Baxter (born 1947 in Minneapolis) is an American author. Baxter is known for blending a quiet, sometimes absurdist wit with a profound sympathy for his far-from-perfect characters; he has also attracted attention for the consummate brilliance of his prose. He is likewise celebrated as an engaging and even deeply moving performer of his own work in public readings.

Baxter was head of the University of Michigan's Creative Writing MFA program from 1989 to 2000. His book The Feast of Love, ISBN 037570910X was set in the Ann Arbor area.