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

Tickets are now available for our 26th season. Join award-winning journalist and MPR News host Kerri Miller (and special guest host Catharine Richart) as they talk with authors including Stacey Abrams, Patricia Lockwood, Misty Copeland, John Grisham, and Kate Baer. 

Officer Clemmons, Mister Rogers' neighborhood policeman pal, tells his story
Dr. François S. Clemmons' ambition and artistry, pain and struggle informed the person behind his character, Officer Clemmons. His memoir is often disarming in its intimacy and honesty.
'How To Feed A Dictator' spills the beans on 5 strongmen
For his new book, Witold Szablowski tracked down the chefs who fed autocrats like Pol Pot, Enver Hoxha and Idi Amin. He says the book isn't just about food, but about how dictatorships rise and grow.
'Why We Swim' looks for answers in people and places across the globe
Author Bonnie Tsui reminds us that humankind once sprang from — and still seeks — water. "Even if we can't get in the water right now," she says, "the ocean will be waiting for us."
'Girl Gone Viral' is a peach of a read
In Alisha Rai's latest, a former model escapes unwanted viral fame by hiding out with her bodyguard, on his family's peach farm. It's packed with humor, drama — and a pair of very sexy eyebrows.