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. 

The legacy of Jim Denomie and the premiere of MPLSART's 2021 Sketchbook Project

Minnesota Now host Cathy Wurzer honors the legacy of renowned visual artist, Jim Denomie. And as the pandemic continues, a new book shows the perspective of local artists during another challenging year.
by Cathy Wurzer, Simone Cazares and Melissa Townsend

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!
She sees life through the lens of books in 'Checkout 19'

She sees life through the lens of books in 'Checkout 19'

The protagonist of Clare-Louise Bennett's novel is a determinedly unfixed and unrooted person who marks time through which writers she has read.
by Lily Meyer

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!
From the archives: Author Dina Nayeri on breaking down refugee stereotypes

From the archives: Author Dina Nayeri on breaking down refugee stereotypes

Dina Nayeri fled the Iran revolution with her family when she was 8. We’re revisiting Nayeri’s 2019 book, "The Ungrateful Refugee: What Immigrants Never Tell You,” and the conversation host Kerri Miller had with her about it in February 2020.
by Kerri Miller and Jeffrey Bissoy

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!
Mysteries other mystery writers love

Mysteries other mystery writers love

If you’re a fan of mystery novels, you don’t want to miss these titles.
by Kerri Miller

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: 'Civilizations' imagines a Europe colonized by Incas and Aztecs

Ask a Bookseller: 'Civilizations' imagines a Europe colonized by Incas and Aztecs

Sarah Brown of Zenith Bookstore in Duluth has a revisionist history to recommend. "Civilizations: a Novel," by Laurent Binet, asks: What if colonizers had traveled to Europe rather than the other way around?
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!
Marlon James on the power of witches and women

Marlon James on the power of witches and women

Marlon James discusses the much-anticipated second novel in his “Dark Sky” trilogy with host Kerri Miller. They talk about the power of witches, the shape-shifting nature of truth and how James learned to write women.
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!
'Very Funny Ladies' sketches out the history of women cartoonists at 'The New Yorker'

'Very Funny Ladies' sketches out the history of women cartoonists at 'The New Yorker'

Liza Donnelly has had a long career writing and drawing cartoons for The New Yorker. In her latest book, she continues her examination of the history of women cartoonists and the storied magazine.
by Tanya Ballard Brown

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!
Are we ready for COVID-19 as a central theme in literature?

Are we ready for COVID-19 as a central theme in literature?

Reading about plagues or COVID-19 over the last two years was not an entertaining idea for many. But the pandemic has had an impact on literature — and people may be ready for it to enter the canon.
by Gabino Iglesias

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!