Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now

The Thread® - Books and Literary News

The Thread® is your source for book recommendations and other literary news.

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. Sam Stroozas rounds up local events and Minnesota book news you may have missed.

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.

'Merci Suarez' wins Newbery Medal, and 'Hello Lighthouse' draws Caldecott

'Merci Suarez' wins Newbery Medal, and 'Hello Lighthouse' draws Caldecott

The world of children's books gave out its most prestigious prizes Monday at the American Library Association's conference in Seattle. Works by Meg Medina and Sophie Blackall won the headline honors.
by Colin Dwyer

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!
'Team Human' stresses that the future lies in connection and cooperation

'Team Human' stresses that the future lies in connection and cooperation

Douglas Rushkoff's knowledge of digital technology shines in his new book, horrifying us with the capacities of the machines we've built -- and the ways they have been used against us.
by Adam Frank

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!
'99 Nights in Logar' is an Afghan adventure told in nested stories

'99 Nights in Logar' is an Afghan adventure told in nested stories

The novel is a coming-of-age journey, about a young boy chasing after a runaway dog. Author Jamil Jan Kochai says he hopes the book will counter some American misconceptions about Afghanistan.
by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

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!
Sulky, cynical 'Murderbot' is one of sci-fi's most human characters

Sulky, cynical 'Murderbot' is one of sci-fi's most human characters

In 'All Systems Red,' Martha Wells hides a delicate, nuanced, character-driven story under a veneer of robot fights and space murder -- and the titular Murderbot is the character doing the driving.
by Jason Sheehan

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!
Dyslexia made Henry Winkler feel 'stupid' for years. Now, he's a best-selling author

Dyslexia made Henry Winkler feel 'stupid' for years. Now, he's a best-selling author

The Emmy-winning actor is lesser known for his work writing for children. But he calls his book series, about the adventures and struggles of a dyslexic child, his proudest accomplishment.
by Emma Bowman

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!
Forced to taste food for the Fuhrer at 'The Wolf's Table'

Forced to taste food for the Fuhrer at 'The Wolf's Table'

Rosella Postorino's new novel is based on the real-life story of a German woman who was conscripted to serve as a food taster for Adolf Hitler, who feared that the Allies were trying to poison him.

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!
In 'The World According to Fannie Davis,' mom runs a numbers racket

In 'The World According to Fannie Davis,' mom runs a numbers racket

Bridgett M. Davis has written a memoir about her mother, who ran a thriving underground gambling outfit in 1960s Detroit to provide for her family.

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!