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.

April 2, 2016 12:00 AM

Healing and horror sit side by side in 'Little Red Chairs'

Edna O'Brien's new book is set in a little Irish village disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious stranger, a war criminal in hiding whose murderous hands can heal as well as kill.

by Annalisa Quinn

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April 1, 2016 2:58 PM

'Putin Country': The realities of Russia

Anne Garrels's new book focuses on Chelyabinsk, a small polluted town a thousand miles east of Moscow.

by MPR News Staff

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April 1, 2016 1:00 PM

Friday Roundtable: A young doctor confronts his own death

Paul Kalanithi was in his final year of a neurosurgery residency when he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. His memoir asks: What makes life worth living in the face of death?

by MPR News Staff

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April 1, 2016 11:24 AM

The push for more Muslim characters in children's literature

Simon & Schuster announced in February that it would launch an imprint devoted to children's books with Muslim characters. Parents say it will be a welcome addition to their bookshelves.

by Tracy Mumford

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April 1, 2016 10:21 AM

Poetry Friday: Dip your toe in

April 1 marks the beginning of National Poetry Month. Every Friday in April, The Thread will share a collection of poetry from local presses.

by MPR News Staff

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April 1, 2016 10:01 AM

Intentionally awful photos of 'Dimly Lit Meals For One'

Instagram food photos often offer a curated image of an idealized existence. This book is not that: It pairs grainy photos of culinary monstrosities with fictional tales of the sad sacks eating them.

by Tove Danovich

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March 31, 2016 3:29 PM

New study shows the book review gender gap is narrowing

A new study of literary publications finds that men remain the majority of book reviewers and authors reviewed, but the gap is narrowing.

by The Associated Press

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March 31, 2016 2:14 PM

How high eviction rates are shaking the country

Matthew Desmond embedded himself in Milwaukee, Wis., neighborhoods for over a year to understand the economic and emotional realities of losing your home.

by MPR News Staff