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?
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.

From the archives: Marlon James on 'Black Leopard, Red Wolf'

From the archives: Marlon James on 'Black Leopard, Red Wolf'

Marlon James will be back talking about his latest novel, “Moon Witch, Spider King,” on Big Books and Bold Ideas with Kerri Miller at noon on Friday. In the meantime, listen to their 2019 conversation at the Fitzgerald Theater.
by Kerri Miller

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

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

Hollywood relies on China to stay afloat. What does that mean for movies?

Hollywood relies on China to stay afloat. What does that mean for movies?

Wall Street Journal reporter Erich Schwartzel says that film studios increasingly need Chinese audiences to break even — which can result in self-censorship. His new book is “Red Carpet.”
by Terry Gross

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

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

'Segregated Skies' tells the story of the first Black pilot for a commercial airline

'Segregated Skies' tells the story of the first Black pilot for a commercial airline

When American Airlines hired David Harris in 1964, he became the first African American pilot to fly for a commercial airline. Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Cottman's “Segregated Skies” tells his story.
by Elizabeth Blair

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

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

A high school spoken-word club changed students' lives. Now, you can read their poems

A high school spoken-word club changed students' lives. Now, you can read their poems

Poets Hanif Abdurraqib, Franny Choi, Dan "Sully" Sullivan, and club founder Peter Kahn have curated a new anthology celebrating the legacy of a Chicago-area high school's spoken word club.
by Jeevika Verma

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

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

How to crack the code to happiness in the second half of life

How to crack the code to happiness in the second half of life

Aging can be hardest for strivers, says social scientist Arthur Brooks, because they sometimes mourn that their biggest successes are in their rearview mirror.
by Mary Louise Kelly, Elena Burnett and Amy Isackson

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

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

'The Violin Conspiracy' is a musical who-done-it with deep notes

'The Violin Conspiracy' is a musical who-done-it with deep notes

When a Stradivarius is stolen just as the Black violinist who owns it steps into the classical spotlight, Ray McMillian must search both inward and outward to find the source of his talent.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

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