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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. 

Robin Swicord convenes 'The Jane Austen Book Club'

Robin Swicord convenes 'The Jane Austen Book Club'

When a producer approached filmmaker Robin Swicord with the idea of a film adaptation of the best-selling novel "The Jane Austen Book Club," she leapt at the chance.
by Euan Kerr

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Talking Volumes with Sherman Alexie

Talking Volumes with Sherman Alexie

Author Sherman Alexie ventures into young adult literature with two new books. His books are sharp observations of growing up Indian among whites.

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Frenetic storyteller Kevin Kling turns his tales to text

Frenetic storyteller Kevin Kling turns his tales to text

An All Things Considered regular, Kevin Kling, has translated his frenetic and funny style of storytelling to the written word. In "The Dog Says How," Kling tells tales about his childhood and his 2001 motorcycle accident.
by Tom Crann

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Author Jane Hamilton

Author Jane Hamilton

Best-selling author Jane Hamilton talks about her latest novel of an unusual family's response to tragedy in its midst. Hamilton has won acclaim for her humorous and insightful treatment of human relationships.

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Per Petterson rides 'Horses' to the literary forefront

Per Petterson rides 'Horses' to the literary forefront

Per Petterson's book "Out Stealing Horses" catapulted the Norwegian author into the forefront of European literature.
by Euan Kerr

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Kerri Miller on the season opener of "Talking Volumes"

Kerri Miller, the host of "Talking Volumes", talks about the first guest of the season, Sherman Alexie.

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The Discomfort Zone

The Discomfort Zone

Anyone who's gone through adolescence has those moments. Just remembering them can make you cringe inside even 20 or 30 years later. Most of us just hide them away mentally. But not Jonathan Franzen.

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Junot Diaz and 'The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao'

Junot Diaz and 'The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao'

While most authors strive for clarity, Junot Diaz says he wanted to create a story that would be difficult to grasp. The New York Times described his new novel as "Mario Vargas Llosa meets "Star Trek" meets David Foster Wallace meets Kanye West."
by Euan Kerr

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A memoir of abuse

A memoir of abuse

A survivor of sexual abuse has written a searing memoir about his family's charmed, yet destructive ways.

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R.T. Rybak says reading is a priority for him

R.T. Rybak says reading is a priority for him

For our Bookshelf series, we asked Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak to select a book that is important to him. He selected "The Heartsong of Charging Elk" by James Welch.
by Cathy Wurzer

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