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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.

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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.

Summer reads: What to pick up under the sun
Summer is a great time to catch up on backlist books and classics, but Harper Lee's new book promises to be a blockbuster.
Questions people asked librarians before the Internet
Forget Google. Librarians had all the answers to the important questions, like: "Why are there are so many squirrels in 18th century English paintings?"
Istanbul bookstore caters to Syrian refugees in need of a good read
The mere mention of Syrian refugees can conjure up images of families living in tents in the desert. But a bookstore in Istanbul serves as a cultural oasis and informal community center for Syrians.
Book briefs: Waterproofing the classics
A new publisher is printing waterproof editions of "Macbeth" and "The Art of War" for some relaxing bathtime reading.
Judd Apatow: A comedy-obsessed kid becomes 'champion of the goofball'
When Apatow was a teen he landed interviews with an impressive roster of comics for his high school radio show. 'Sick in the Head' is a collection of those conversations.
'Stepdog': Dealing with a furry third wheel
In "Stepdog," Mireya Navarro writes about an early obstacle to her relationship with her husband: his dog.
Roaming and Reading: Lofoten
The Norwegian archipelago is one of the northernmost inhabited places in the world.
Literary mysteries: Did Charlotte Bronte poison her sisters?
True crime writer James Tully claims Charlotte plotted her siblings' demise, but the theory may be more fiction than fact.
'The Bronte Cabinet' explores the true lives of the famous literary sisters
A torn-up letter, a dog collar, a walking stick -- Deborah Lutz explores the lives of Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte using everyday objects the literary sisters once owned.