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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.

Many know how George Floyd died. A new biography reveals how he lived

Many know how George Floyd died. A new biography reveals how he lived

NPR's Adrian Florido talks with Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa about their new book, “His Name is George Floyd: One Man's Life and the Struggle for Racial Justice.”
by Adrian Florido, Jonaki Mehta and Patrick Jarenwattananon

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From the archives: Dr. Danielle Ofri on how to communicate with your health care provider

From the archives: Dr. Danielle Ofri on how to communicate with your health care provider

Medical technology has advanced exponentially. So why are patient-physician relationships stuck in the past? That’s the heart of the question in Dr. Danielle Ofri’s book, “What Patients Say, What Doctors Hear.” Enjoy this archive offering from 2017 as you get ready for Friday’s conversation between Kerri Miller and author Megan O’Rourke about the difficulty of getting doctors to take chronic illnesses seriously.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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Yes, you can get your kids to read this summer!

Yes, you can get your kids to read this summer!

Summer is the perfect time to entice kids to find a good book. Kitty Felde, host and executive producer of the podcast “Book Club for Kids,” joins Kerri Miller to talk about how to get reluctant readers to pick up a book this summer. Plus, she has loads of book suggestions, for everything from graphic novels to books about history and scary stories.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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Author Kelly Barnhill on her new kids book, 'The Ogress and the Orphans'

Author Kelly Barnhill on her new kids book, 'The Ogress and the Orphans'

Fairy tales aren’t just for kids. They ask questions, reveal new paths, and help us find our way. Such is the case with Minneapolis author Kelly Barnhill’s new book for kids, “The Ogress and the Orphans.”
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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From the archives: Author Drew Brockington sends kids and cats to space with 'CatStronauts'

From the archives: Author Drew Brockington sends kids and cats to space with 'CatStronauts'

It’s kids' lit week on Big Books and Bold Ideas. On Friday at 11 a.m., Kerri Miller will talk to Minnesota author Kelly Barnhill about her new novel for young readers. She’ll also get top picks for summer reading from Kitty Felde, host of the podcast Book Club for Kids. So we thought it would be fun to reprise a delightful 2019 conversation with author, illustrator and space nerd, Drew Brockington, creator of the hit series, “CatStronauts,” as our archive this week.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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Ask a Bookseller: 'Vigil Harbor'

Ask a Bookseller: 'Vigil Harbor'

Alden Graves of Northshire Bookstore in Manchester Center, Vt., recommends "Vigil Harbor," a new novel by National Book Award winner Julia Glass.
by Emily Bright

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What science teaches us about being human

What science teaches us about being human

This week, for MPR News’ Spring Member Drive, Kerri Miller featured three conversations she had this past year with authors who take a scientific lens to some of the most intense seasons of life.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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From the archives: Ecologist Suzanne Simard on understanding the wisdom of forests

From the archives: Ecologist Suzanne Simard on understanding the wisdom of forests

This Friday, Kerri Miller will look back at some fantastic science-themed conversations she’s had on Big Books and Bold Ideas. To whet your appetite, here’s yet another science-based discussion. In this one, Miller talks to ecologist Suzanne Simard about the wisdom of the forest.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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