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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. 

Whom do you write for? 'Pandering' essay sparks a conversation

Whom do you write for? 'Pandering' essay sparks a conversation

Novelist Claire Vaye Watkins recently published an essay called "On Pandering," about realizing she was writing to appeal to white men. She and author Marlon James discuss responses to the piece.

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The best books of 2015

The best books of 2015

Avid readers, critics and listeners share the best books they read this year, along with a few favorites from the past.
by Tracy Mumford

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President Obama names his favorite book of the year

President Obama names his favorite book of the year

The president, an avid reader, shared which novel was at the top of his list for 2015. First Lady Michelle Obama also shared her favorite memoir of the year.
by Tracy Mumford

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In 'Drawing Blood,' a life of art and action

In 'Drawing Blood,' a life of art and action

Artist Molly Crabapple's lavishly illustrated memoir chronicles her youth in New York and her work illustrating the Occupy Wall Street movement, protests in Greece and everyday life in Syria.

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Jane Smiley: Good novelists are good eavesdroppers

Jane Smiley: Good novelists are good eavesdroppers

Smiley's latest book, "Golden Age," completes her ambitious trilogy that tracks and Iowa farm family over ten decades.

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What caused the comet that killed the dinosaurs?

What caused the comet that killed the dinosaurs?

Lisa Randall, a particle physicist and bestselling author, tackles this cataclysmic question in her new book, "Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs."
by MPR News Staff

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Kerri Miller's top reads of 2015

Kerri Miller's top reads of 2015

MPR News host Kerri Miller shares three books that would make great gifts this year.
by Kerri Miller

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The Pacific Ocean's rich history of surfboards, empires and atomic bombs

The Pacific Ocean's rich history of surfboards, empires and atomic bombs

"The ocean has been used as a playground for atomic scientists," said Simon Winchester. His new book documents the modern history of the Pacific waters and the countries they touch.
by MPR News Staff

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Best books to give (and get): Top sci-fi and fantasy picks of 2015

Best books to give (and get): Top sci-fi and fantasy picks of 2015

Mysterious planets, strange woods, dangerous libraries and an alternate version of 1986 — this year's crop of science-fiction and fantasy books will whisk you away to dark and beautiful places.
by Tracy Mumford

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