Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?

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. 

An aspiring novelist faces off against a spiteful and famous author in 'The Award'

An aspiring novelist faces off against a spiteful and famous author in 'The Award'

Matthew Pearl’s new novel wickedly skewers the modern publishing world. But you don’t have to be a literary fanatic to enjoy the twists and turns of “The Award.”
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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!
‘The White Hot’ asks: If men can go find themselves, why can’t women?

‘The White Hot’ asks: If men can go find themselves, why can’t women?

Quiara Alegría Hudes’ novel was inspired by “Siddhartha” and other classic tales of men seeking enlightenment. It's about a mother in Philadelphia who buys a bus ticket, leaving her daughter behind.
by Tonya Mosley

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!
Ask a Bookseller: ‘To the Moon and Back’ by Eliana Ramage

Ask a Bookseller: ‘To the Moon and Back’ by Eliana Ramage

Angel Horne of Two Friends Bookstore in Bentonville, Arkansas, recommends the novel "To the Moon and Back" by Eliana Ramage.
by Emily Bright

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!
Keep an eye out for these new books from big names in January

Keep an eye out for these new books from big names in January

The new year begins with a host of promising titles from George Saunders, Julian Barnes, Jennette McCurdy, Karl Ove Knausgaard and more. Here’s a look ahead at what’s publishing this month.
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!
Made to mingle: Why your brain is happier with friends

Made to mingle: Why your brain is happier with friends

In his new book, “Why Brains Need Friends,” neuroscientist Ben Rein argues that social connection is just as important to human flourishing as exercise and nutrition.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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!
Ask a Bookseller: ‘Lightbreakers’ by Aja Gabel 

Ask a Bookseller: ‘Lightbreakers’ by Aja Gabel 

Shannon Guinn-Collins of Bookworks in Albuquerque, New Mexico, recommends "Lightbreakers" by Aja Gabel. 
by Emily Bright

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!
A 200-year-old book distributor is closing. Here’s what that means for public libraries

A 200-year-old book distributor is closing. Here’s what that means for public libraries

Baker & Taylor is one of very few companies that handle book distribution for libraries — getting books from publishers into borrowers hands. But a few months ago, the company abruptly announced it was shutting down.
by Alina Edwards and Andrew Limbong

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!
Jen Hatmaker rises from the ashes in 'Awake'

Jen Hatmaker rises from the ashes in 'Awake'

In her new memoir, Jen Hatmaker is unflinching about the end of her publicly celebrated marriage. But more than a story about dissolution, “Awake” is about new beginnings — especially Hatmaker’s relationship to herself.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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!