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.

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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.

June 13, 2020 7:00 AM

Tune in to 'Up All Night' for the story of Daniel Schorr and the birth of CNN

Former Murrow Boy Dan Schorr and "Mouth of the South" Ted Turner seem like an unlikely pairing — but when Turner was launching CNN 40 years ago, the veteran newsman was his first editorial employee.

by Scott Simon

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June 13, 2020 6:00 AM

'I want teens to recognize their own power': Questions for Liara Tamani

Tamani's new young adult novel follows two high school basketball stars who fall in love at first sight — but then have to deal with their own issues and secrets to build a lasting relationship.

by Petra Mayer

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June 11, 2020 1:44 PM

Rebroadcast: Ibram X. Kendi on ‘How to Be an Antiracist’

We revisit a conversation with author Ibram X. Kendi about his book “How to Be an Antiracist”

by Kerri Miller, Jeffrey Bissoy and Kelly Gordon

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June 11, 2020 6:00 AM

'You Exist Too Much' exists in a constant state of discontent

Zaina Arafat's powerful new novel follows a queer Palestinian American woman from adolescence to adulthood, a journey dogged by constant longings for home, for identity, for belonging.

by Gabino Iglesias

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June 10, 2020 6:48 AM

Missouri woman prompts Merriam-Webster to redefine 'racism'

Merriam-Webster is revising its definition of racism after a Missouri woman's emails claimed it fell short of including the systemic oppression of certain groups of people.

by The Associated Press

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June 10, 2020 6:00 AM

For June, 3 romances where sisterhood is the secret ingredient

Obviously, the the romantic relationship is at the center of any romance novel — but this month, we're bringing you three books where relationships between female friends are almost as important.

by Maya Rodale

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June 9, 2020 7:02 PM

'There is no neutral': 'Nice white people' can still be complicit in a racist society

“White Fragility” author Robin DiAngelo says that the status quo in the United States is racism, and for white people, that's comfortable. "We've got to start making it uncomfortable," she says.

by Ari Shapiro

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June 9, 2020 4:00 AM

In 'Rigged,' a comprehensive account of decades of election interference

Russia's attack on the 2016 election was novel in its scope and its methods, but the underlying principles were old, writes David Shimer in an important new history.

by Philip Ewing

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June 7, 2020 1:08 PM

This list of books, films and podcasts about racism is a start, not a panacea

We've compiled a list of places you can go to learn more about systemic racism — acknowledging that, while it's important to have information, this list is not a prescription.

by Isabella Rosario

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June 6, 2020 5:45 PM

In 'Cry Havoc,' former Charlottesville mayor details a tragic day

"The value of having fought for things and standing at the end, having the experience of having fought for them in the real world, there's nothing like it," Michael Signer tells NPR.

by Michel Martin

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