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?
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.

The Canterbury Papers

In the 13th century the powerful practiced full contact politics. Lose a political battle, and you might lose your head. The period has fascinated Minneapolis writer Judith Koll Healy since she was a girl. About 15 years ago she began reading about Eleanor of Aquitaine, and the political intrigues swirling round her family, the courts of France and England. Those intrigues form the basis for Healy's first novel "The Canterbury Papers."

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.

The world behind a famous work of art

Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl with a Pearl Earring, examines the world that produced yet another famous work of art. In her latest work, she delves into the secrets behind a mysterious and beautiful set of tapestries.

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.

A Talking Volumes interview: Jean Harfenist

The latest Talking Volumes selection is a series of interconnected short stories set in a small Minnesota town. A Brief History of the Flood is the story of a girl growing up in a disintegrating family and in a house that is literally sinking.

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.

Exploring trends in teen literature

Young adult fiction continues to explore real life issues, like divorce and sexuality. But can these books compete with the fantasy titles crowding book shelves?

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.

Poetry that calls on the past

Local poet Phebe Hanson has a new collection of poetry. The poems are based on her journals and they often recall her childhood.

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: "Dry" by Augusten Burroughs

The latest installment of Talking Volumes with best-selling author Augusten Burroughs. Dry recounts the author's difficult, darkly humorous trip to sobriety.

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.

The wisdom of disappearing languages

The world's vanishing languages still have things to teach us about cultures and differences in perspective. A writer journeys to lands where increasingly rare tongues are spoken.

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.

"Old Turtle" returns

Central Minnesota author Douglas Wood's first book, Old Turtle, was a huge success. First published in 1992, the story of a wise old turtle who shares her wisdom on spirituality, peace and ecology won several national awards, and sold more than 800,000 copies. Now 11 years later, there's a new Old Turtle story.

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.

The U.S. Exploring Expedition: a forgotten voyage

In 1838, a controversial captain lead his ship on a historic but little-known voyage. The U.S. Exploring Expedition discovered the continent of Antartica and new shipping routes, but the turmoil surrounding the officers and crew eclipsed the triumph.

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.