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. 

'Valley Of The Dolls,' still sparkling at 50

'Valley Of The Dolls,' still sparkling at 50

Jacqueline Susann's camp classic about three women seeking fame and love turns 50 this year; "Sex and the City" creator Candace Bushnell calls it "a darn good read" and an influence on her own work.

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!
Bookstore's tweet leads to love, then marriage

Bookstore's tweet leads to love, then marriage

In 2012, the corporate Twitter account for a bookstore in London posted a joke about Pokemon. "I'm in love," a woman responded. More tweets followed, then a date. The wedding was last weekend.

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!
What exactly does the Librarian of Congress do?

What exactly does the Librarian of Congress do?

Last week, the Senate approved Carla Hayden as the next Librarian of Congress. But what does the role entail?
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!

A researcher explains 'Why Diets Make Us Fat'

If you've ever dieted but then slowly gained the weight back, what you're seeing is your brain's resistance to weight loss in action, according to author Sandra Aamodt.
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!
'How to Make White People Laugh': A crash course

'How to Make White People Laugh': A crash course

Iranian-American comedian and filmmaker Negin Farsad said there's comedy that comes from "not being ashamed to talk about identity in a world where just the mere mention of the word 'Muslim' is considered political and heated."
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!
Why does Cynthia Ozick write? 'I simply must,' she says

Why does Cynthia Ozick write? 'I simply must,' she says

The versatile author says that, like queens, writers are born into their profession. In her new book, 'Critics, Monsters, Fanatics, and Other Literary Essays,' she examines current and past literature.

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!
Time catches up with us all in 'The Heavenly Table'

Time catches up with us all in 'The Heavenly Table'

Donald Ray Pollock's surreal, hardscrabble new novel is set in 1917, but it could just as well be 917; his characters are all lost in time and puzzled by the pace at which the future's coming at them.
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!
'Missing, Presumed' chronicles ups and downs of dating ... and detective work

'Missing, Presumed' chronicles ups and downs of dating ... and detective work

At the beginning of Susie Steiner's new thriller, a detective is on a date with a man whose name she can't remember. Not long after, a well-connected university student goes missing.

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!
Like these books? Here are 60+ things you might also like

Like these books? Here are 60+ things you might also like

You know that feeling when you put down a great book and all you want is more? We took 27 recent books and paired them with movies, musicals, TV shows, comics and podcasts to keep your buzz going.
by Nicole Cohen, Petra Mayer, Beth Novey and Rose Friedman

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!