Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?

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.

Sign Up for The Thread® Newsletter

Sign up for The Thread newsletter to get reading recommendations from Kerri Miller and other bookworms around the MPR newsroom. Find reviews for new releases, as well as hidden gems you may have missed.

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.

Claire Keegan's 'stories of women and men' explore what goes wrong between them

Claire Keegan's 'stories of women and men' explore what goes wrong between them

Book critic Maureen Corrigan says her only frustration with Keegan's work is that she wants more of it. So she was happy to read her nuanced, three-story collection, “So Late in the Day.”
by Maureen Corrigan

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Talking Volumes: Margaret Renkl on 'The Comfort of Crows'

Talking Volumes: Margaret Renkl on 'The Comfort of Crows'

New York Times columnist and nature writer Margaret Renkl closed out the 2023 Talking Volumes season with meditations on the joys of a backyard oasis, the inevitable losses of a warming climate and how to live while holding both of those truths in tandem.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Ask A Bookseller: 'A Rake of His Own'

Ask A Bookseller: 'A Rake of His Own'

In this week’s Ask a Bookseller, Shayne Molt of Indigo Bridge in Lincoln, Neb., recommends the fantasy romance novel “A Rake of His Own” by A.J Lancaster.
by Emily Bright

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Minnesota professor takes sabbatical, finds joy in waiting tables

Minnesota professor takes sabbatical, finds joy in waiting tables

When a professor takes a sabbatical, they typically don’t end up waiting tables at a local brewery. For Matthew Batt, a University of St. Thomas associate professor of English, that became his reality. He detailed the journey in his book the “Last Supper Club: A Waiters Requiem.”
by Tom Crann and Lukas Levin

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

New book shares the story behind Judy Garland's final MGM musical

New book shares the story behind Judy Garland's final MGM musical

David Fantle & Tom Johnson wrote, “C’mon, Get Happy: The Making of Summer Stock,” and will share their insights ahead of the ‘Summer Stock’ screening at the Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival.
by Nina Moini and Alanna Elder

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.