The Thread® - Books and Literary News

The Thread from MPR News

The Thread® is your source for book recommendations and other literary news.

Ask a Bookseller

Ask a Bookseller is a weekly series where The Thread checks in with booksellers around the country about their favorite books of the moment. Listen to Ask a Bookseller to find your next favorite book.

Big Books and Bold Ideas

Big Books and Bold Ideas is a weekly series hosted by Kerri Miller every Friday at 11 a.m., featuring conversations about books and other literary ideas. Listen to Big Books and Bold Ideas here.

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Talking Volumes

Talking Volumes is back for its 25th season. Join us at the Fitzgerald Theater for four special events with renowned authors, celebrating our anniversary with a special $25 ticket price for MPR members and Star Tribune subscribers. Buy tickets here.

'This Isn't New': Questions for Tochi Onyebuchi, author of 'Riot Baby'
Tochi Onyebuchi's slim, devastating novella follows a young man born amidst the chaos of the 1992 Rodney King riots — and his sister, whose terrifying magical powers can't protect him from racism.
'Franchise' tracks the rise and role of fast food in Black America
History professor Marcia Chatelain's new book tracks what she calls the hidden history of the relationships between the struggle for civil rights and the expansion of the fast food industry.
'Interior Chinatown' puts that guy in the background front and center
Charles Yu's new novel follows a TV actor who often gets stuck playing generic Asian men. Yu says he was inspired by shows that set episodes in Chinatown — but keep Asian actors in the background.
Latinx critics speak out against 'American Dirt;' Jeanine Cummins responds
Latinx writers and critics are speaking out against Jeanine Cummins' new book “American Dirt,” calling its depiction of the migrant experience inauthentic and harmful. We asked Cummins to respond.
In 'Sexual Citizens,' students open up about sex, power and assault on campus
Profs. Jennifer Hirsch and Shamus Khan asked more than 150 undergrads about their sex lives — what they wanted out of sex, how troubling encounters unfolded, and how misunderstandings led to assault.