Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now

The Thread® - Books and Literary News

The Thread® is your source for book recommendations and other literary news.

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. Sam Stroozas rounds up local events and Minnesota book news you may have missed.

Ask a Bookseller

Ask a Bookseller is a weekly series where host Emily Bright 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 and produced by Kelly Gordon every Friday at 11 a.m., featuring conversations about books and other literary ideas. Listen to Big Books and Bold Ideas here.

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.

What if you hadn't gotten married? 'Dark Matter' imagines an alternate life

What if you hadn't gotten married? 'Dark Matter' imagines an alternate life

Blake Crouch's new science fiction novel tells the story of Jason Dessen, a father and physics professor who suddenly finds himself in a parallel universe -- in which he's unmarried and famous.

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 'The Darkroom,' a writer comes to grips with her dad's gender transition

In 'The Darkroom,' a writer comes to grips with her dad's gender transition

Susan Faludi says that, growing up, her father was a "domineering, hyper masculine patriarch." In her new book, she tries to understand his past and his decision to become a woman.

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!
'To The Secretary' tries to unwind the tangles of diplomacy

'To The Secretary' tries to unwind the tangles of diplomacy

State Department veteran Mary Thompson-Jones sifts through a few choice WikiLeaks cables and parses them for a lay audience in "To The Secretary," a fascinating primer on a complex and difficult field.
by Genevieve Valentine

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!
'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!