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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.

The history of looking things up

The history of looking things up

Encyclopedias, dictionaries and directories take on a life of their own in Jack Lynch's new book -- a history of reference systems from ancient Babylon to Wikipedia.
by Genevieve Valentine

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A chilling effect as Hong Kong's missing bookseller cases go unresolved

A chilling effect as Hong Kong's missing bookseller cases go unresolved

With the disappearance of five Hong Kong booksellers still unexplained, their colleagues who publish books about Chinese politics say they feel at risk and unprotected.
by Anthony Kuhn

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Hillary Clinton: Children's book heroine

Hillary Clinton: Children's book heroine

Last month was a busy one for Hillary Clinton: Publishers released three separate children's books about her life.
by Tracy Mumford

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'We've Already Gone This Far' counts the cost of war

'We've Already Gone This Far' counts the cost of war

Patrick Dacey's debut story collection follows the people of a fictional Massachusetts town hit hard by war, weather and economic turmoil.
by Michael Schaub

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'Pandemic' asks: Is a disease that will kill tens of millions coming?

Author Sonia Shah says that urbanization and air travel put the global population at an increased risk for disease. "Zika is a great example of how new pathogens are emerging today," she says

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The history of black baseball in Minnesota

The history of black baseball in Minnesota

Frank White's book, "They Played for the Love of the Game," highlights the players and teams that history has largely forgotten.
by Tracy Mumford

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The 'Girl' in the title: More than a marketing trend

The 'Girl' in the title: More than a marketing trend

Lately it seems as if every thriller written by a woman gets compared to two recent blockbusters: "Gone Girl" and "The Girl on the Train." So what makes those two books so appealing and influential?

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Books on TV: New adaptations to watch for

Books on TV: New adaptations to watch for

Espionage thrillers, Russian classics, fantasy epics and dystopic satires are all headed for the small screen. Catch these books before the adaptations air.
by Tracy Mumford

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Author, philosopher Umberto Eco dead at 84

Author, philosopher Umberto Eco dead at 84

Eco is perhaps best known for his 1980 mystery novel The Name of the Rose, which is set in a monastery in the 14th century. It was an unexpected international bestseller, launching his career as an author.

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A "Supreme" reading list: Books about SCOTUS

A "Supreme" reading list: Books about SCOTUS

Curious about the history of the court? Or how future confirmation hearings may play out? U of M professor Tim Johnson nominates these titles for your "must read" list.
by Tracy Mumford

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