The Thread® - Books and Literary News

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

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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.

May 1, 2016 12:00 AM

The mathematics of magic and loss in 'Square Root of Summer'

Teenaged math whiz Gottie knows a little too much about subtraction; her fractured family is spinning apart sfter the death of her beloved grandfather -- and that's before the time wormholes appear.

by Caitlyn Paxson

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April 30, 2016 12:00 AM

Self-help tips on 'Manly Health' from Walt Whitman

In 1858, the poet published a series of advice columns -- titled "Manly Health and Training" -- in which he recommends wearing a beard, taking a cold bath every morning and avoiding condiments.

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April 29, 2016 4:25 PM

'A Good Time for the Truth': What it's like to be a person of color in Minnesota

In a new book, "A Good Time for the Truth," 16 local writers reflect on what it is like to be a person of color in Minnesota.

by MPR News Staff

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April 29, 2016 1:10 PM

Indie Bookstore Day: Where to go, what to read

Saturday is the third annual celebration of local bookstores. Get reading recommendations from stores around the state.

by Tracy Mumford

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April 29, 2016 9:42 AM

Poetry Friday: Fifth and final

To celebrate National Poetry Month, The Thread is sharing a collection of poetry from local presses every Friday in April.

by MPR News Staff

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April 28, 2016 2:30 PM

Inside the world's largest collection of Chinese menus

The University of Toronto acquired 10,000 Chinese menus from Harley Spiller, who began collecting them on a lark in 1981.

by Tracy Mumford

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April 28, 2016 12:20 PM

Tracing America's 'opiate epidemic'

This epidemic is different than the crack cocaine epidemic in the 1980s and early 1990s, said author Sam Quinones. His book "Dreamland" explores the roots of the issue.

by MPR News Staff

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April 28, 2016 4:00 AM

Novel casts fresh light on Shakespeare's 'dark lady'

Mary Sharratt's novel imagines how the bard might have been influenced by a literary peer ... who happens to have been a woman.

by Euan Kerr

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April 27, 2016 4:40 PM

Questlove on Prince, doo-wop and the food equivalent of the 'Mona Lisa'

In his new book, "somethingtofoodabout," The Roots' drummer discusses the artistry involved in creating a great meal. "I'm more obsessed with the journey ... than the destination," Questlove says.