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. 

Everything is fair game in 'Known and Strange Things'

Everything is fair game in 'Known and Strange Things'

Teju Cole's new essay collection covers politics, poetry, music and even Snapchat. "I love to live things," he says -- and he recommends Miles Davis as a cure for election season stress.

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!
Where's the diversity in sci-fi? Five authors to read now

Where's the diversity in sci-fi? Five authors to read now

A report from Fireside Fiction showed that less than 2 percent of speculative fiction short stories published last year were by black authors.
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!
Creamed, canned and frozen: How the Great Depression revamped U.S. diets

Creamed, canned and frozen: How the Great Depression revamped U.S. diets

During the Depression, cheap, nutritious and filling food was prioritized -- often at the expense of taste. Jane Ziegelman and Andy Coe, authors of "A Square Meal," discuss food trends of the time.

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!
'Invisible Man': To be young and black in America

'Invisible Man': To be young and black in America

Mychal Denzel Smith's new book tears apart the limited cultural narratives that surround black men. Mixing personal stories with political critique, he asks: How can a young black man thrive in this country?
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!
China Mieville goes to war in 'New Paris' -- very, very weird war

China Mieville goes to war in 'New Paris' -- very, very weird war

Mieville's new novel is set in 1941 Paris, as occultists and philosophers attempt to fight the Nazi invaders with a surrealism bomb that accidentally unleashes hellish dreams onto the Paris streets.
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!
It's electric: Novel re-creates charged rivalry between Edison and Westinghouse

It's electric: Novel re-creates charged rivalry between Edison and Westinghouse

In the 1880s, Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse battled over control of America's nascent electrical system. Graham Moore tells their story in "The Last Days of Night."

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: SubText in St. Paul

Ask a bookseller: SubText in St. Paul

Every week, we ask booksellers around the country about the books they can't put down. This week, Matt Keliher from SubText shares his favorite book of the year so far.
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!
President Obama's 2016 summer reading list

President Obama's 2016 summer reading list

What's the president reading on vacation? The list has a little bit of everything: memoir, sci-fi, a twist on history and a serious page-turner.
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!
Reluctant readers: How to get kids to crack a book

Reluctant readers: How to get kids to crack a book

Convincing the young, reluctant reader in your life to crack a book can feel like an impossible task. How do build a passion for books?
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!
'Here Comes the Sun': A look at the other side of paradise

'Here Comes the Sun': A look at the other side of paradise

Nicole Dennis-Benn's portrait of Jamaica goes beyond what you'll find on a postcard. "Here Comes the Sun" tells the story of working class women determined to find their own piece of paradise.
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!