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. 

S'mored out? Bring something new to your campfire cooking
It only takes a little planning to take your outdoor eating to the next level. We asked our friends at The Splendid Table to share some easy but creative recipes.
'New Yorker' writer fears we're fooling ourselves in the internet's 'Trick Mirror'
In her new book of essays, culture writer Jia Tolentino explores how social media shapes identity, public discourse and political engagement — particularly for millennials such as herself.
'Our Women on the Ground' unites stories from female journalist in the Arab world
There's a deep fascination in the West with how women function in ultra-conservative societies where repression can be violent and even deadly. This anthology pulls back the curtain on those places.
Burned out by dating apps? 'The Right Swipe' will relight your fire
Alisha Rai's new romance is a testament to the difficulty of modern dating, as the CEO of a successful dating app realizes she's been ghosted by the celebrity spokesman of her biggest business rival.
Smart and snarky, 'The Westing Game' provides lasting laughs
As part of our summer-long celebration of funny books, we've asked our writers to talk about things that made them laugh, like Ellen Raskin's witty and chaotic inheritance adventure The Westing Game.
Disaster is on the horizon in blood-soaked 'Dark Age'
The latest installment in Pierce Brown's epic Roman-in-space saga Red Rising finds our hero overthrown and banished from the Republic he founded, and teetering dangerously close to villainy.
An 'excruciatingly beautiful' novel from a celebrated poet
Aaron Cance says Ocean Vuong’s novel is simply astounding: “Everything else I read for the rest of this year is going to be measured against this novel.”
'Strange Harvests' turns nature's fairy tales inside out
Edward Posnett's book is more than an impressive add to the modern travelogue: it refuses to accept the landscape at face value as it paints remote terrain in visceral and breathtaking prose.
Our language is evolving, 'Because Internet'
Whether you're extremely online or still confused by how a simple period can be interpreted as passive-aggressive, linguist Gretchen McCulloch has a guide to how our on-screen speech is morphing.