The Stacks

Flawless author Elise Hu returns to discuss our March book club pick Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu. We talk about the satirical novel's themes of assimilation, the performance of imposed identity and the myth of the model minority. We also ask, who gets to be "American"? Be sure to listen to the end of today’s episode to find out what our April book club pick will be . You can find everything w...

Sociologists and co-authors Pamela Prickett and Stefan Timmermans join The Stacks to talk about their book The Unclaimed: Abandonment and Hope in the City of Angels . The book follows four people whose bodies go unclaimed after their deaths, and how and why this happens. We also discuss how Pamela and Stefan think ethically about reporting and writing about the dead, why being claimed matters, and...

Tommy Orange joins The Stacks today to discuss his new novel Wandering Stars . We talk about writing this prequel/sequel to his debut nove,l the Pulitzer Prize finalist, There There . Tommy reveals how he thinks about the relationship between faith and addiction, and why he writes about Oakland. He also talks about waiting until adulthood to finally see himself represented in popular culture, and...

Author and TED Talks Daily host Elise Hu joins The Stacks to discuss her book Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital . Elise explains how Korea became a pop culture superpower, and how she approached writing about a culture outside of her own. We also discuss "cultural technology" and anti-Blackness in Korean beauty standards, and Elise slips into journalist mode to inter...

Physician and bestselling author Uché Blackstock returns to discuss the memoir-manifesto Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want by Ruha Benjamin. We talk about viral justice and viral injustice, and how American individualism is one of the biggest challenges to the work of abolition. We also unpack why we struggle with owning the power we have, and how viral justice can show up in our commun...

*patron-only bonus episode teaser* This episode features audio from a February live show at Vroman's Bookstore with NYT bestselling novelist Kiley Reid ( Such a Fun Age , Come and Get It ). Kiley talks about her approach to character development and satire; she also reveals what she hopes her audiences take away from her work, and why she primarily cares about being entertaining. *This episode is...

This episode features a discussion with journalist and writer Lauren Markham about her new book A Map of Future Ruins: On Borders and Belonging . She explains why Greece interested her as a base for her writing about immigration, and how the border is used as a tool for autocracy. We also talk about the criminalization of migrants and refugees and what abolition in immigration could look like. The...

Romance novelist Tia Williams visits the show to discuss her latest book A Love Song for Ricki Wilde . Tia shares why she wanted to venture into historical romance, how being a beauty editor has helped her create characters, and why telling this fated-mates story forced her to work even harder than usual. Plus, we break down trends in romance covers. The Stacks Book Club selection for February is...

Physician, educator and author Uché Blackstock shares her New York Times Bestselling book Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine . The book is both a memoir and an indictment of disparities in our healthcare system. We hear what legacy means to Uché, and how racism shows up in medicine for Black doctors. We also talk about her most beloved books, and the Pet to Threat phenomenon...

Vibe Check host Zach Stafford returns to discuss our January book club selection, the 2001 satirical novel Erasure by Percival Everett. Our conversation today delves into ownership of art and stories, what the joke of the novel is, the title of the book, and we even dabble (spoiler-free) into the movie based on the book, American Fiction . There are spoilers for the book, Erasure, on today's episo...

*patron-only bonus episode teaser* For today's Unabridged, book lovers Cree Myles ( All Ways Black ) and Sara Hildreth ( Fiction Matters ) join us to reveal their most anticipated reads for the first half of 2024. We talk about our reading goals for the year, list a few 2024 books we've already liked, and get into the books we're most looking forward to. *This episode is exclusive to members of Th...

We are joined by poet and debut novelist Kaveh Akbar to discuss his book Martyr! , the story of a newly sober, orphaned son of Iranian immigrants on a quest for answers and meaning. Kaveh explains how fonts play into his revision process, and why he wanted to proselytize the art he likes most in the book. He also reveals what he found most difficult about prose, compared to writing poetry. The Sta...

Educator and author Carolina Ixta joins The Stacks to discuss her debut novel Shut Up, This is Serious . Set in East Oakland, the story explores teen friendship, generational cycles and authenticity. Carolina talks about the process of writing about sex in Young Adult fiction, and confronting anti-Black racism in Latine communities.  The Stacks Book Club selection for January is Erasure by Pe...

Chef, restaurateur and media personality Sohla El-Waylly joins to talk about her debut cookbook, Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook: A Cookbook . We find out how Sohla balances difficulty, time, and ingredients while writing recipes for home chefs. She also shares how having a child has changed the way she thinks about food and feeding people, and shares tips for cooking related r...

Writer, Vibe Check cohost, and Tony winning Producer, Zach Stafford joins The Stacks to discuss being a journalist, his many jobs over the year, and of course, books!. Zach reveals his surprise problematic favorite book, explains how his love of geography has informed his entire professional career and addresses the challenge of squaring his upbeat personality with being a serious journalist. The...

*patron-only bonus episode teaser* This edition of The Stacks Unabridged features audio from our Los Angeles stop on the Live in The Stacks tour. We were joined by Chelsea Devantez , Rachel Lindsay and Sam Sanders in a discussion of celebrity memoirs, pop culture gossip and book recommendations. *This episode is exclusive to members of The Stacks Pack on patreon . To join this community, get insid...

Author and Shakespeare scholar Farah Karim-Cooper returns for our final book club episode of the year to discuss the Bard's most famous play - Romeo and Juliet . We ask questions around why this play became William Shakespeare's most well known, and why we teach it in schools. We also share the characters we love and hate, and unpack the way race plays into the text. Be sure to listen to the end o...

New York Times Book Review editor MJ Franklin and Debutiful 's Adam Vitcavage join The Stacks for our annual best books of the year episode. We reveal our personal picks for the ten best books of 2023, and predict trends we anticipate for 2024. Plus, we discuss all the books we're most looking forward to reading in the new year.  The Stacks Book Club selection for December is Romeo and Juliet...

Journalist and author Nathan Thrall joins us to discuss his book A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy . Nathan explains why he wanted to tell this story in 2023, and how the events of October 7th changed how his book about life for a Palestinian family was received. Nathan also shares what folks can do to impact change in the Israel-Palestine conflict. The Stacks Book C...

*patron-only bonus episode teaser* We're back with friend of The Stacks, Kiese Laymon, with audio from the second New York live show on our national tour. Kiese discusses writing about real people in his life, and reveals what he would change about his memoir Heavy if he could revise it. Plus, we talk about first kisses, Beyonce, and Taylor Swift. *This episode is exclusive to members of The Stack...

Author and professor Farah Karim-Cooper joins The Stacks to talk about her book The Great White Bard: How to Love Shakespeare While Talking about Race . Farah reveals how she came to be a Shakespeare and race scholar, and how her work has been received thus far. We also discuss her favorite plays by Shakespeare, and the ways in which his legacy doesn't match up with who he was in his life.  T...

Author Mitchell S. Jackson returns for our book club discussion of Ling Ma's post-apocalyptic novel Severance . On this episode we try to piece together the story's timeline, unpack the ending, and we cast the TV show adaptation. We also discuss quote marks, capitalism, and the role of religion throughout the novel. There are spoilers on this episode. Be sure to listen to the end of today’s episod...

*patron-only bonus episode teaser* This Unabridged is a conversation with author and friend of The Stacks Kiese Laymon from our early show in New York City. We hear from Kiese about how he knows when his work is ready for an audience, and get intel on his forthcoming book. We also get into sports, hot topics, and the unmatched confidence of New Yorkers. *This episode is exclusive to members of The...

Tony Award Winner Ali Stroker discusses her new middle grade novel Cut Loose! , co-written with Stacy Davidowitz. Ali reveals why she avoided having friends with disabilities in her youth, how she translates choreography for her wheelchair, and how her thinking around accommodations has changed over time. We also hear how she thinks about storytelling versus teaching her audience. The Stacks Book...

Texas politician and author Beto O'Rourke joins The Stacks to talk about his book We've Got to Try: How the Fight for Voting Rights Makes Everything Else Possible . We learn why Beto thinks voting rights is the most important battle we're currently fighting, what he says to people who don't feel represented or served by politicians, and whether he plans to run for office again.  The Stacks Bo...