Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?

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.

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 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.

'Conditional Citizens' examines what it means to be an American

'Conditional Citizens' examines what it means to be an American

Laila Lalami's new book is “Conditional Citizens: On Belonging in America.” She says conditional citizens — of which she's one — are people sometimes embraced by America, other times rejected.
by Noel King

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
In 'Can't Even,' burnout is seen as a societal problem — one we can't solve alone

In 'Can't Even,' burnout is seen as a societal problem — one we can't solve alone

Burnout, Anne Helen Petersen argues, will end only with sweeping labor-policy changes — meaning it will only end when we "vote en masse to elect politicians who will agitate for [reform] tirelessly."
by Lily Meyer

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
In a 'Coast-To-Coast Roast,' Colin Quinn finds humor in the state we're in

In a 'Coast-To-Coast Roast,' Colin Quinn finds humor in the state we're in

As a veteran stand-up comedian, Quinn has spent decades on the road, performing in 47 out of the 50 states he now affectionately eviscerates in his new book, “Overstated.”
by Elizabeth Blair

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Latest tell-all, by former national security adviser McMaster, is not all about Trump

Latest tell-all, by former national security adviser McMaster, is not all about Trump

This book may be the master in-depth briefing H.R. McMaster always wanted to give the president. For better or worse, it seems listening to lengthy historical explanations has not been Trump's style.
by Ron Elving

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Poirot's the star, but his sidekick shines in 'Kingfisher Hill'

Poirot's the star, but his sidekick shines in 'Kingfisher Hill'

The latest installment in the Hercule Poirot franchise — now being written by Sophie Hannah — is a masterful, multilayered puzzle in which Poirot's assistant Inspector Catchpool plays a key role.
by Vikki Valentine

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
A book that gives you 'Some Kind of Happiness' on lonely, blue days

A book that gives you 'Some Kind of Happiness' on lonely, blue days

We're continuing our September focus on great books for kids and teens. This week, Britt Margit of Second Star to the Right Books in Denver, Colo., recommended "Some Kind of Happiness" by Claire Legrand.
by Emily Bright

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Collect data, influence votes: 'If Then' traces the genesis of data-driven politics

Collect data, influence votes: 'If Then' traces the genesis of data-driven politics

In “If Then,” historian Jill Lepore tells the story of Simulmatics. Founded in 1959, the company's "people machine" used a computer program to predict the impact of various political messages.
by Dave Davies

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!