The Thread® - Books and Literary News

The Thread from MPR 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.

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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. 

Tickets are now available for our 26th season. Join award-winning journalist and MPR News host Kerri Miller (and special guest host Catharine Richart) as they talk with authors including Stacey Abrams, Patricia Lockwood, Misty Copeland, John Grisham, and Kate Baer. 

For a year, Shonda Rhimes said 'yes' to all the things that scared her
The creator of 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Scandal' says despite the success of her shows, her life 'had gotten really small,' so she decided to step out of her comfort zone. 'Year of Yes' is her new memoir.
In his new book "Paying with their Bodies," John Kinder makes the argument that while the conditions have changed for disabled veterans, the discourse and attitudes surrounding them have not.
'I'll Fly Away': Maximum security prisoners speak
With the national discussion on criminal justice reform continuing to fill the headlines, MPR News host Kerri Miller recommends a collection of essays written by women in a maximum security facility.
Beyond 'happily ever after': Cunningham's 'Wild Swan'
Author Michael Cunningham was fascinated by fairy tales as a child, but he always wondered what happened after the story ended. His new collection, 'The Wild Swan,' tries to answer that question.
'More Than a Single Story': Celebrating black women writers in the Twin Cities
Writer Carolyn Holbrook created a reading series at the Loft Literary Center that celebrates black women writers from the Twin Cities-area. The final reading in Nov. 15.