The Thread® - Books and 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.

July 10, 2015 1:52 PM

'Aurora' journeys in a new direction

Veteran sci-fi writer Kim Stanley Robinson returns with a tale of that classic genre trope, the generation ship. Critic Alan Cheuse says this story of spacefaring colonists goes to unexpected places.

by Alan Cheuse

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July 10, 2015 10:29 AM

How to celebrate Harper Lee's new novel

Catch a screening of the classic "To Kill a Mockingbird" film, and dig into the first chapter of Harper Lee's new book for free.

by Tracy Mumford

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July 10, 2015 10:20 AM

Ta-Nehisi Coates looks at the physical toll of being black in America

Coates' new book, "Between the World and Me," brings to bear his fear that his life and the lives of his loved ones might end unnaturally.

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July 10, 2015 7:00 AM

Why a fictional character gets an annual festival in Lindstrom, Minn.

The 53rd annual Karl Oskar Days are in full swing in Lindstrom, celebrating Swedish immigration to Minnesota.

by Tracy Mumford

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July 9, 2015 9:58 AM

From medicine to modern revival: A history of American whiskey

During Prohibition, booze was banned, but "medicinal" spirits weren't, a loophole whiskey makers exploited. That's just one of the tidbits a new book tracing the history of whiskey labels reveals.

by Tove Danovich

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July 9, 2015 4:00 AM

Summer reads: The kid edition

From picture books to young adult titles, here are some of our favorites to keep kids reading this summer.

by Tracy Mumford

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July 8, 2015 3:07 PM

Book briefs: Story time from behind bars

A Brooklyn library is helping children and incarcerated parents read together via live video feeds.

by Tracy Mumford

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July 8, 2015 1:07 PM

Life on Mars: Cold, harsh and underground

For Stephen Petranek, colonies on Mars are more science than science fiction. His new book, "How We'll Live on Mars," explores life on the red planet.

by Tracy Mumford

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July 8, 2015 11:02 AM

11 books and one film that explain modern China

This reading list will give you a good overview of China's last few decades, particularly its development as home to some of the world's largest tech companies.

by Emily Kaiser