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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. 

In a new novel, the 'Lost Prayers' of a teen bullied to death

In a new novel, the 'Lost Prayers' of a teen bullied to death

James Han Mattson's debut book, inspired by the real-life suicide of an outed young man, treats the Internet as both lifeline and paper trail of a tormented, small-town adolescence.

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'Wicked' author Gregory Maguire gets under the shell of 'The Nutcracker'

'Wicked' author Gregory Maguire gets under the shell of 'The Nutcracker'

Author Gregory Maguire made his name rewriting fairy tales. Now, he's taken on "The Nutcracker" -- a beloved holiday classic, yes, but one that Maguire says makes no sense as it's usually performed.
by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

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A story with dark turns and terrific prose

A story with dark turns and terrific prose

Bookseller Kalyn Beasley recommends "My Absolute Darling," the debut novel by Gabriel Tallent. "If this is any indication of what he can do, I think he's going to do great things."
by Tracy Mumford

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'Bad Sex in Fiction' award goes to novelist who compared skin to stained bathtub

American writer Christopher Bollen received the, uh, honor, which was announced on Thursday. His novel,"The Destroyers," featured a memorable pair of less-than-appealing analogies.

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'Dawn of the New Everything' argues for human-centered technology

'Dawn of the New Everything' argues for human-centered technology

Virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier's book is part memoir, part history of the development of VR, and an unexpected but welcome comparison of the promises of VR with those of artificial intelligence.
by Annalee Newitz

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Debut author channeled her 'darker bits' into a Man Booker shortlist novel

Debut author channeled her 'darker bits' into a Man Booker shortlist novel

Fiona Mozley's book "Elmet" explores masculinity in both male and female characters. "When we sort of see a woman possessing unexpected or fantastical physical strength it's questioned more," she says.

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Emily Wilson's 'Odyssey' scrapes the barnacles off Homer's hull

Emily Wilson's 'Odyssey' scrapes the barnacles off Homer's hull

Emily Wilson -- the first woman to translate "The Odyssey" -- has created a fresh, authoritative and slyly humorous version of Homer's epic that scours away archaisms while preserving nuance and complexity.
by Annalisa Quinn

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Thread Book Hour: Dan Brown, author of 'Origin'

Thread Book Hour: Dan Brown, author of 'Origin'

Kerri Miller interviews best-selling author Dan Brown about his latest novel, "Origin," for the Talking Volumes series.
by MPR News Staff

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Teen angst has a body count in 'I Am Not Okay With This'

Teen angst has a body count in 'I Am Not Okay With This'

Sydney, the teenage protagonist of Charles Forsman's new graphic novel, has all the usual problems of her age, plus one: She's telekinetic. And it quickly becomes clear that her story is a grim one.
by Etelka Lehoczky

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Two towering figures collide on the world stage in '1917'

Two towering figures collide on the world stage in '1917'

Arthur Herman's new book zooms in on Vladimir Lenin, Woodrow Wilson, and the vast, conflicting historical forces they embodied -- and which came to a head in the fateful year of 1917.
by Jason Heller

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