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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. 

'This Isn't New': Questions for Tochi Onyebuchi, author of 'Riot Baby'

'This Isn't New': Questions for Tochi Onyebuchi, author of 'Riot Baby'

Tochi Onyebuchi's slim, devastating novella follows a young man born amidst the chaos of the 1992 Rodney King riots — and his sister, whose terrifying magical powers can't protect him from racism.
by Petra Mayer

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'Processed Cheese' Is Hard To Love — But Easy To Admire

'Processed Cheese' Is Hard To Love — But Easy To Admire

Stephen Wright's new novel is a darkly funny satire of American consumer culture, set in a Day-Glo alternate reality that's unsettlingly close to our own. It's an exhausting but unforgettable read.
by Michael Schaub

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Finalists announced for 2020 Minnesota Book Awards

The field of finalists is set for the 2020 Minnesota Book Awards. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on April 28.
by MPR News Staff

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'Franchise' tracks the rise and role of fast food in Black America

'Franchise' tracks the rise and role of fast food in Black America

History professor Marcia Chatelain's new book tracks what she calls the hidden history of the relationships between the struggle for civil rights and the expansion of the fast food industry.
by Michel Martin

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'Interior Chinatown' puts that guy in the background front and center

'Interior Chinatown' puts that guy in the background front and center

Charles Yu's new novel follows a TV actor who often gets stuck playing generic Asian men. Yu says he was inspired by shows that set episodes in Chinatown — but keep Asian actors in the background.
by Scott Simon

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Pain drives the creation of a sanctuary in 'Remembrance'

Pain drives the creation of a sanctuary in 'Remembrance'

Rita Woods' ambitious novel spans 200 years and multiple storylines — it's a complex story of loss and survival that doesn't always work. But Woods creates memorable characters readers can relate to.
by Denny S. Bryce

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'Night Theater' is an intriguing but uneven drama

'Night Theater' is an intriguing but uneven drama

Vikram Paralkar's novel takes place over one eventful night at a clinic in a small Indian village, where three murdered people confront a doctor; if he can treat their wounds, they'll live again.
by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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The history of Wisconsin's love affair with beer

The history of Wisconsin's love affair with beer

Bookseller Brian Roegge recommends a book that traces Wisconsin’s long relationship with ales, lagers and more.
by Tracy Mumford

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Latinx critics speak out against 'American Dirt;' Jeanine Cummins responds

Latinx critics speak out against 'American Dirt;' Jeanine Cummins responds

Latinx writers and critics are speaking out against Jeanine Cummins' new book “American Dirt,” calling its depiction of the migrant experience inauthentic and harmful. We asked Cummins to respond.
by Rachel Martin

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In 'Sexual Citizens,' students open up about sex, power and assault on campus

In 'Sexual Citizens,' students open up about sex, power and assault on campus

Profs. Jennifer Hirsch and Shamus Khan asked more than 150 undergrads about their sex lives — what they wanted out of sex, how troubling encounters unfolded, and how misunderstandings led to assault.
by Ailsa Chang

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