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The Thread® - Books and Literary News

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

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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.

Stonich's new novel revisits her North Country Minnesota roots

Stonich's new novel revisits her North Country Minnesota roots

"Laurentian Divide" explores the everyday events and extraordinary turns of life in the northern woods.
by Euan Kerr

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In 'Waiting for Eden,' grief with no guarantee of closure

In 'Waiting for Eden,' grief with no guarantee of closure

Author Elliot Ackerman is a veteran, and his latest novel is about an injured soldier just regaining consciousness. But it's really about something else. "This book really isn't about war," he says.
by Rachel Martin

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Searching for Trump's America, via Greyhound bus

Searching for Trump's America, via Greyhound bus

In Gary Shteyngart's "Lake Success," hedge fund managers are unhappy and white supremacists have found their voice.
by Euan Kerr

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How a rising star of white nationalism broke free from the movement

How a rising star of white nationalism broke free from the movement

Derek Black once promoted a racist agenda by making speeches, hosting a radio show and starting a website. His change of heart is the subject of a new book, written by journalist Eli Saslow.
by Terry Gross

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Secrets of a teenage WWII spy in 'Transcription'

Secrets of a teenage WWII spy in 'Transcription'

The young protagonist of Kate Atkinson's latest historical novel finds herself working for British intelligence during the war -- and suddenly confronting that experience years later.
by Renee Montagne

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How the Myers-Briggs personality test began in a living room laboratory

How the Myers-Briggs personality test began in a living room laboratory

"The language of type can be immensely clarifying," says author Merve Emre. In The Personality Brokers she describes how a mother-daughter duo started a multi-million dollar "people sorting" industry.
by Melissa Block

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A 'fresh, unpredictable' Western with a strong female lead

A 'fresh, unpredictable' Western with a strong female lead

A powerful female character can be hard to find in Western fiction, but bookseller Aaron Cance recommends a novel which delivers just that.
by Tracy Mumford

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Javier Cercas uncovers the truth behind Spain's 'Impostor'

Javier Cercas uncovers the truth behind Spain's 'Impostor'

In his new book, Javier Cercas unravels the lies that created the life of Enric Marco -- a man who for years portrayed himself as a Holocaust survivor and Spanish Civil War hero.
by Ari Shapiro

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Investigative journalist aims to expose ills of privately run prisons

Investigative journalist aims to expose ills of privately run prisons

"American Prison" is the remarkable story of a journalist who spent four months working as a corrections officer -- and a horrifying exposé of how prisoners are treated by a profiting corporation.
by Michael Schaub

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