The Thread

A new twist on book talk

Ask a Bookseller: Every week, The Thread checks in with booksellers around the country about their favorite books of the moment. Listen here.

The Thread newsletter: 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. Sent every Friday.

Big Books and Bold Ideas: Conversations on books and ideas with Kerri Miller, Fridays at 11 a.m. Listen here.

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May 16, 2020 6:00 AM

Classic literature meets modern teen drama in 'By The Book'

In Amanda Sellet's charming young adult romance, a teenage bookworm transfers to the local public high school and discovers that the literary classics she lives by aren't quite a match for real life.

by Alethea Kontis

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May 15, 2020 5:27 PM

A novel that is 'great, sometimes cringe-worthy, fun to read'

Unlikely romance blooming in a hospital room? This novel is one of bookseller Danny Caine’s favorites of the year.

by Tracy Mumford

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May 13, 2020 11:01 PM

'Wuhan Diary' brings account of China's coronavirus outbreak to English speakers

Before COVID-19 engulfed the Chinese city of Wuhan, Fang Fang was already an award-winning novelist. But her chronicle of the lockdown of her hometown might be her most lasting work.

by Emily Feng

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May 13, 2020 1:02 PM

'Here We Are': What would Philip Roth have made of all this?

Benjamin Taylor, one of Roth's closest friends during the last decades of his life, has written a memoir that rekindles Roth's voice: brilliant, profane, and so very funny.

by Maureen Corrigan

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May 13, 2020 10:38 AM

Remembering the lost village of Chippewa City

North of Grand Marais along Highway 61, a white clapboard church stands as one of the only reminders of what was once a small community called Chippewa City.

by Cathy Wurzer

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May 13, 2020 3:59 AM

'Funny Weather' asks what art can do in a crisis

At her best, Olivia Laing turns criticism into an elevated form of hospitality: Like a good party host, she introduces you to someone, tells you what she likes about them, then leaves you to it.

by Annalisa Quinn

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May 11, 2020 3:47 PM

In 'Together,' former surgeon general writes about importance of human connection

Dr. Vivek Murthy tells NPR: "The reality is that loneliness is a natural signal that our body gives us, similar to hunger, thirst. And that's how important human connection is."

by Rachel Martin

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May 10, 2020 6:00 AM

Murderbot makes a triumphant (and cranky) return in 'Network Effect'

Martha Wells' freethinking robot stars in its first full-length adventure, remaining just as misanthropic and TV-obsessed as ever, even as it attempts to figure out who kidnapped it and its friends.

by Steve Mullis

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May 9, 2020 6:00 AM

These 'Little Eyes' watch the world burn

In her new novel, Samanta Schweblin gives everyone in the world a little critter that's basically a Furby with a webcam — naturally, this does not end well, for the owners, the devices, or anyone.

by Jason Sheehan