The Thread® - Books and Literary News

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Ask a Bookseller

Ask a Bookseller is a weekly series where host Emily Bright 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 and produced by Kelly Gordon every Friday at 11 a.m., featuring conversations about books and other literary ideas. Listen to Big Books and Bold Ideas here.

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.

A new cross-county memoir: ‘The Last American Road Trip’
Sarah Kendzior wanted to show America to her young children. So she and her husband crisscrossed the country to visit national parks and historical sites, even as political upheaval and the pandemic remade the landscape. Her new memoir chronicles their journeys and asks if this beautiful, complicated country can live up to its ideals.
As ‘Arrowsmith’ turns 100, Sinclair Lewis’ medical tale couldn’t be more timely
Literary and medical experts will gather next week in Lewis’ hometown of Sauk Centre, Minn., to discuss his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The story of an idealistic doctor struggling with ethical questions about medicine and scientific research remains as relevant today as it was when it was published in 1925.
Inspiring young readers: Kids’ authors on books that connect
MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about what makes a great children’s book, the challenges of writing for kids and the joy of telling stories that stick.
Ask a Bookseller: ‘Sour Cherry’ by Natalia Theodoridou
Katherine Nazzaro of Porter Square Books in Massachusetts recommends “Sour Cherry” by Natalia Theodoridou.
The shadow fighters of the Civil War
Historian Patrick O’Donnell spotted an intriguing roadside marker and then spent six years researching a part of the Civil War long forgotten. His 2024 book, “The Unvanquished,” tells the story of shape-shifting spies, fearless guerilla fighters and military leaders straight out of a movie.
Here are the nonfiction books NPR staffers have loved so far this year
A deep dive on gossip. Revolutionary history. A meditation on muscle. A closer look at the color blue. And memoirs galore. There’s something for everyone on this nonfiction summer reading list.
6 new books out this week, including true stories of trailblazers
For many working adults, the summer can often feel the same as the rest of the year. So, maybe our idea of a “summer read” should encompass a wider swath of books? Here are a few out this week.