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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. 

Here are 8 novels NPR staff and critics loved in 2025

Here are 8 novels NPR staff and critics loved in 2025

Every year, we ask NPR staff and book critics to share their favorite titles in our annual Books We Love guide. Here are 8 fiction picks that were standout stars.
by Ivy Buck

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Benjamin Percy's new post-apocalyptic novel arrives as a newspaper

Benjamin Percy's new post-apocalyptic novel arrives as a newspaper

Benjamin Percy’s “The End Times” follows the residents of a fictional Minnesota town called North End as they try to rebuild 12 years after a horrific plague nearly wiped out all of humanity.
by Nina Moini and Ngoc Bui

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Ideas for the book lovers on your gift list 

Ideas for the book lovers on your gift list 

Looking for gift ideas for the readers in your life? We've combed through the Ask a Bookseller files from the past year to bring you recommended titles from indie booksellers across the country. Click on each title to read the full recommendation for the book.
by Emily Bright

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Ask a Bookseller: ‘Poppy State’ by Myriam Gurba

Ask a Bookseller: ‘Poppy State’ by Myriam Gurba

Mary Williams of Skylight Books in Los Angeles, Calif., recommends “Poppy State: A Labyrinth of Plants and a Story of Beginnings” by Myriam Gurba.
by Emily Bright

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Mary Lucia shares it all in 'What Doesn’t Kill Me Makes Me Weirder and Harder to Relate To'

Mary Lucia shares it all in 'What Doesn’t Kill Me Makes Me Weirder and Harder to Relate To'

Mary Lucia was an iconic DJ at MPR’s The Current for almost 20 years — until a stalker unraveled her sense of safety and sense of self. With characteristic snark and honesty, Lucia shares her own story in the new memoir, “What Doesn’t Kill Me Makes Me Weirder and Harder to Relate To.”
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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New books this week: A tome on capitalism, a deep dive on crosswords and more

New books this week: A tome on capitalism, a deep dive on crosswords and more

“Capitalism: A Global History” comes in at 1,000 pages before the footnotes. “Across the Universe” explores the past, present and future of crossword puzzles. Plus, a Mitford sister biography and more.
by Colin Dwyer

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Five things Nicholas Sparks told us about ‘The Notebook’ — and Minnesota

Five things Nicholas Sparks told us about ‘The Notebook’ — and Minnesota

Nicholas Sparks returned to Minnesota last week to see the touring production of “The Notebook: the Musical” at the Ordway. He also revisited the state where some of his earliest memories were formed. Here’s what we learned.
by Jacob Aloi

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