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® 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 an annual event series featuring notable authors in conversation about their new books. Presented by MPR News and The Minnesota Star Tribune. 

Here are the finalists for the 2025 National Book Awards

Here are the finalists for the 2025 National Book Awards

This year's short list features novelists Rabih Alameddine and Megha Majumdar as well as five first-time nominees for nonfiction, including journalists Omar El Akkad and Julia Ioffe.
by Anastasia Tsioulcas

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.

Show me!
When the sea went strange: A Minnesota connection to the National Book Awards

When the sea went strange: A Minnesota connection to the National Book Awards

Ethan Rutherford, a Minnesota-connected author, earned a National Book Award longlist spot for his surreal, environmentally charged debut novel “North Sun,” a lyrical whaling tale that blends history with myth.
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.

Show me!

Talking Volumes: Patricia Lockwood's new novel is a COVID-induced fever dream

Patricia Lockwood’s new book, “Will There Ever Be Another You,” is a loosely sane account of a woman losing her mind, her body and herself after contracting COVID-19. She joined Kerri Miller in St. Paul on Sept. 25 for Talking Volumes.
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.

Show me!
New books this week: War, murder and Lionel Richie

New books this week: War, murder and Lionel Richie

This week’s notable book releases promise a veritable potpourri of death — and a celebration of life from one of America's most ubiquitous singers.
by Colin Dwyer

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.

Show me!
PEN America warns of rise in books ‘systematically removed from school libraries’

PEN America warns of rise in books ‘systematically removed from school libraries’

A new report says that the number of books being challenged or removed from public schools across the country has risen exponentially in the past two years. “A Clockwork Orange” tops their list.
by Anastasia Tsioulcas

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.

Show me!
Ask a Bookseller: ‘Mafalda: Book One’ by Quino

Ask a Bookseller: ‘Mafalda: Book One’ by Quino

Timothy Otte of Wild Rumpus Books recommends “Mafalda: Book One” by Quino
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.

Show me!
New books this week: Tales from Ian McEwan and Patricia Lockwood, and new translations

New books this week: Tales from Ian McEwan and Patricia Lockwood, and new translations

The truth doesn’t come easy in the latest works of these two household names. Meanwhile, anglophiles now have access to newly translated works by France’s Annie Ernaux and Japanese ex-pat Yoko Tawada.
by Colin Dwyer

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.

Show me!
The once famous, trailblazing Minnesota nature writer you’ve probably never heard of

The once famous, trailblazing Minnesota nature writer you’ve probably never heard of

Helen Hoover was a Chicago scientist who moved to a remote cabin on the Gunflint Trail in the 1950s. She wrote several popular books about her experiences and the wildlife she observed. But her fame led her to move away and she largely faded from memory. 
by Dan Kraker

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.

Show me!