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. 

Author: 'Hockey Strong' about a special kind of strength

Minnesota-based writer Todd Smith says hockey players are a lot tougher than other athletes.

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!
Love shifts the self in 'The Lesser Bohemians'

Love shifts the self in 'The Lesser Bohemians'

Eimear McBride's latest follows a young drama student who comes to London and falls for an older man. Her live, wriggling language makes a beautiful account of the ways the self is built and rebuilt.
by Annalisa Quinn

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!
'Into the Sun': Tracing the ripples of the war in Afghanistan

'Into the Sun': Tracing the ripples of the war in Afghanistan

Deni Ellis Bechard's new novel drops readers into Kabul, where a car bomb kills three expats working in the city. The friend they leave behind attempts to unravel the forces that caused their death.
by MPR News Staff

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!
'Arab of the Future 2' continues risky truth-telling

'Arab of the Future 2' continues risky truth-telling

Cartoonist Riad Sattouf continues his scathing memoir of his childhood in Syria and Libya. Just as in the first volume, his disgust for the oddities and outrages around him is palpable on the page.
by Etelka Lehoczky

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!
Can reading boost your empathy? Depends on what you read, study says

Can reading boost your empathy? Depends on what you read, study says

A new study claims that reading literary fiction can increase people's ability to understand others' emotions. But what about reading genre fiction?
by Tracy Mumford

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!
'Playing Dead': Can you fake your death in the 21st century?

'Playing Dead': Can you fake your death in the 21st century?

Elizabeth Greenwood dove deep into the world of death fraud while researching her book. She even managed to obtain an "up to snuff" death certificate from the Philippines.
by MPR News Staff

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!
Off the campaign trail, onto the gridiron: 5 sports books for fall

Off the campaign trail, onto the gridiron: 5 sports books for fall

If you're tired of political competition, there's always athletic competition. And if your team stinks, we can offer sympathy and a selection of the year's best books about sports to ease the sting.
by Juan Vidal

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!
Talking Volumes: Elizabeth Alexander on 'The Light of the World'

Talking Volumes: Elizabeth Alexander on 'The Light of the World'

As part of the 2016 Talking Volumes series, Kerri Miller talks with Pulitzer Prize finalist Elizabeth Alexander, author of "The Light of the World." The event was held September 15, 2016 at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul.
by MPR News Staff

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: Star Line Books in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Ask a Bookseller: Star Line Books in Chattanooga, Tenn.

This week, a bookseller bogged down by her busy schedule recommends a children's book that reaffirmed her love of reading.
by Tracy Mumford

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 banned books scavenger hunt, the prize is literary 'smut'

In banned books scavenger hunt, the prize is literary 'smut'

The D.C. public library has hidden books throughout the city in stores, libraries and cafes. They're covered in black dust jackets with labels like FILTHY, TRASHY and PROFANE.
by Lynn Neary

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!