The Thread® - Books and Literary News

The Thread from MPR 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.

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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 back for its 25th season. Join us at the Fitzgerald Theater for four special events with renowned authors, celebrating our anniversary with a special $25 ticket price for MPR members and Star Tribune subscribers. Buy tickets here.

In ‘Consent,’ an author asks: ‘Me too? Did I have the agency to consent?’
Jill Ciment wrote about a relationship she had with a teacher when she was very young — that turned into a marriage — in “Half a Life.” Now, eight years after his death at 93, she reconsiders their relationship in light of the #MeToo movement.
In ‘Fire Exit,’ a father grapples with connection and the meaning of belonging
Morgan Talty’s debut novel is a touching narrative about family in which the past and present are constantly on the page as we follow a man’s life, while also entertaining what that life could have been.
The story of a poet’s heart: How a collection of poetry survived its author’s death
“Chamber After Chamber,” Saara Myrene Raappana’s debut poetry collection, reflects a decade of dedication and was published shortly after her death from cancer.
Minneapolis library offers books, but also snacks, socks and a safe space to sleep
Libraries have long had social workers embedded in them. The need for libraries to connect people with resources beyond books isn’t new, but the Minneapolis Central Library is engaging in an experiment that welcomes those experiencing homelessness and even offers a place to sleep.
Alua Arthur says facing death is the key to living well
In her work as a death doula, Alua Arthur has been present for thousands of deaths. Her new book, “Briefly Perfectly Human,” says facing your mortality is the best way to live a purposeful and joyful life.
When Baby Sloth tumbles out of a tree, Mama Sloth comes for him — s l o w l y
Did you know on average a sloth will fall out of a tree once a week for its entire life? It’s true — and the inspiration for Brian Cronin and Doreen Cronin’s new children’s book, “Mama in the Moon.”