The Thread® - Books and Literary News

The Thread® is your source for book recommendations and other literary news.

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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.

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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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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.

March 15, 2007 1:00 AM

Alison McGhee and the power of community

Author Alison McGhee has lived in Minnesota for years, but she's never set a novel here -- until now. McGhee's new book, "Falling Boy," is the latest selection of the Talking Volumes regional book club.

by Kerri Miller

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March 13, 2007 5:06 PM

Myers looks toward life after The Loft

After 13 years, the executive director of the Loft Literary Center is leaving. Linda Myers will retire in October. The Loft is the largest independent center for writers in the country.

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March 9, 2007 12:00 PM

A poet's inquiry into the life of a civil rights icon

Noted poet Nikki Giovanni knew Rosa Parks, and when her publisher asked her to write a children's book about the woman whose defiance sparked the famous Montgomery Alabama Bus Boycott, she jumped at the opportunity. Giovanni spoke about writing "Rosa" Feb. 28 at the University of Minnesota.

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March 1, 2007 10:52 AM

Readers can pick their favorites for Minnesota Book Awards

The Minnesota Book Awards is inviting readers to vote for their favorite Minnesota book of 2006. The book with the most votes wins the Readers' Choice Award, which will be presented at the annual Minnesota Book Awards Gala on May 5 in St. Paul.

by Chris Roberts

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February 28, 2007 12:00 AM

Fighting for civil rights, in words and rhythm

Nikki Giovanni's poetry and performances influence a wide range of generations, from the civil rights era to hip hop.

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February 26, 2007 4:00 PM

Life as a "Poster Child"

Emily Rapp was born with a congenital defect that led to the amputation of her left leg when she was 4 years old. Her new book, "Poster Child," reflects on her experiences with her disability, and her role as the poster child for the March of Dimes.

by Greta Cunningham

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February 26, 2007 2:52 PM

Charmed by books

Cathy Wurzer talked with Mary Brainerd about her passion for reading and, in particular, her interest in Joan Didion's "The Year of Magical Thinking," which Brainerd says is one of the most compelling books she's read in the last year.

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February 20, 2007 3:20 PM

Remembering Alice

Writer Calvin Trillin spent a good part of his life trying to impress Alice, his wife of 36 years. His new book is a loving and funny memoir of a remarkable woman and a happy marriage.

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February 15, 2007 12:00 AM

"Dating your mom" and other stories from Ian Frazier

What if the lives of Daffy Duck and Porky Pig were subject to investigative reporting or if children's manners were written as Biblical law? Humorist Ian Frazier has an idea about how those might read. He's also been known to argue that men should consider dating their own mothers.

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February 14, 2007 3:00 AM

Joseph Kalar's poems re-emerge from the Depression

It's safe to say not many of us have ever heard of writer Joseph Kalar. A native of Minnesota's Iron Range, he wrote passionately about the lives of working people. A book of his poetry has just appeared -- more than 30 years after his death.

by Stephanie Hemphill

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