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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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.

Why build a fantasy world that still has racism? B.A. Parker moderates a discussion on Black science fiction and fantasy with authors Tochi Onyebuchi and Leslye Penelope at the National Book Festival.
In 'Fen, Bog & Swamp,' Annie Proulx pens a history of wetland destruction
Writer Annie Proulx may be best known for her works of fiction. But her latest book is a thoroughly researched and reported look at the role that wetlands play in our ecosystem.
She wrote a Bigfoot book for kids. It was no small feat
“The Search for Sasquatch,” a new book for pre-teens, explores Bigfoot through a scientific lens. Its author hopes to model how to balance curiosity and exploration with staying grounded in the facts.
The best of Minnesota writers on stage for Talking Volumes
MPR’s fall member drive is underway. This week, for a special edition of Big Books and Bold Ideas, host Kerri Miller featured highlights of three Minnesota authors who appeared with her on stage at the Fitzgerald Theater for Talking Volumes.
Celeste Ng makes the case for art as a weapon against oppression in her new novel
Our Missing Hearts is the story of 12-year-old Bird, a quest to find his mother and the power of small acts of rebellion. Saddled by grief, this quasi-dystopian novel is ultimately propelled by hope.
Kate Beaton's new graphic memoir is about the dark type of job you take for money
Kate Beaton, known for her popular webcomic “Hark a Vagrant,” is out now with her new graphic memoir “Ducks” — which dives into the day-to-day life of working in the Canadian oil sands.
White House correspondent April Ryan on her new book 'Black Women Will Save The World'
April Ryan is the longest-serving Black female White House correspondent, with a 25-year tenure. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Ryan about her new book, "Black Women Will Save The World: An Anthem."
Boyah J. Farah on how America made him a Black man
Boyah J. Farah fell in love with America as a refugee escaping war in Somalia. But it’s become a sometimes painful and deeply complicated relationship. Farah new memoir, “America Made Me a Black Man,” is a poetic, thoughtful and honest accounting of his journey.