Stacked

Gina Martin joins us this week to discuss Koa Beck’s White Feminism ; a book that has fundamentally shifted her understanding of feminism, activism and collective liberation. With that as a jump-off point, Gina also opens up about the journey from her successful anti-upskirting campaign (which led to the passing of the Voyeurism Act in 2019) to grappling with the complexities of law reform vs. tra...

JJ Bola joins us this week to discuss Tayeb Salih's Season of Migration to the North, a book that has captivated him, and led to multiple re-reads over the last decade since he discovered it. Together, we explore the novel's dual narrative as it follows an unnamed narrator and Mustafa Sa'eed, two Sudanese men whose brushes with the West and colonial education result in a fraught exploration of dis...

Amy Spalding, star of the BBC’s I Kissed A Girl , joins us this week for a discussion on Melissa Broder’s provocative novel Milk Fed . We explore how Broder weaves together food, faith and desire through the story of Rachel, a young Jewish woman caught in a cycle of restriction and indulgence. We also discuss; ✨Mother-daughter dynamics ✨The resurgence of diet culture, and its stronghold on women...

Mireille C Harper, author and Editorial Director at Tonic, Bloomsbury, joins us for a conversation about bell hooks’ black feminist text Sisters of the Yam , a book that’s as relevant today as when it was published 30 years ago. Mireille shares how discovering this text in her twenties reshaped her understanding of Black womanhood, healing, and the radical act of self-care, and together, we explor...

Tamara Lawrence & Amanda join us this week for a book chat about Chukwuebuka Ibeh’s beautiful debut Blessings . We explore how Ibeh captures the complexities of growing up queer in contexts that don’t always make space for you; from the tender moments of becoming, to the weight of family expectations, as well as what makes this coming-of-age story so particularly moving to us. Book : Blessings...

Bolu Babalola joins us this week to discuss love, literature, and the enduring power of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice . Bolu & Ziporah explore why Austen’s masterpiece remains the blueprint for modern romance (hello, enemies-to-lovers!), faithful screen adaptations, and how our personal circumstances and social conditions can shape our expectations for ourselves.  We also discuss Bo...

This season we’re kicking off with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's long-awaited novel, Dream Count . We get into Adichie's exploration of the search for romantic fulfillment and marriage as achievement in the African context. We also touch on how Adichie has shaped perceptions of African feminism and storytelling, and the evolution of her characters and themes over time….as well as how we react to them...

Hi friends…👀 Stacked is back with a fresh format, and the same old fun. Join us for our fourth season where we'll be joined by various guests (friends, writers, readers, publishers!) for conversations on some of their favourite reads, old and new.    New episodes out every other Thursday! Don't forget to follow the podcast so you never miss them. You can find us on Instagram @thestacked...

Join us for the last episode of season 3! We're discussing why we love our hometown fave Zadie Smith and her sprawling novels. We covered 'White Teeth', 'On Beauty' and her essay collection 'Intimations'. We also took a moment to reflect on the season and all that we've learned. Thank you for joining us along the way friends x Follow us on instagram: thestackedpod Sign up for our newsletter: Stack...

Join us for the penultimate episode of the season as we explore identity, gender fluidity, and the power of creative expression through the works of the inimitable Akwaeke Emezi. We'll be discussing the semi-autobiographical "Freshwater," the passionate romance "You Made A Fool of Death With Your Beauty", and the memoir "Dear Senthuran." Follow us on instagram: thestackedpod Sign up for our newsle...

This week we took a break from fiction and read the work of writer, activist and academic Angela Davis. The thing that concerned us the most was just how relevant her work is today. Join us as we discuss 'Freedom Is A Constant Struggle', 'Are Prisons Obsolete?' and 'Women, Race and Class' and how they've informed the ways we want to engage with politics and contribute to change. Follow us on insta...

This week we're discussing Buchi Emecheta who was a social worker and writer (often considered the first successful black woman novelist living in Britain after 1948). We've actually discussed her on the pod before and talked a lot about motherhood, but this episode was a great opportunity to talk about the other themes and contexts that come up in Emecheta's work like the immigrant experience in...

This week we read the incredible Jamaica Kincaid, Antiguan-American novelist & essayist (& gardener!), and she got us thinking about parent-child relationships, the nature of British tourism, and as always we end up circling right back to colonialism. In this episode, we discuss her debut novel, 'Lucy', her collection of short stories 'At the Bottom of the River' and her anti-colonial essa...

For this week's episode (coincidently landing on World Poetry Day!) we dive into the world of Vietnamese American poet and novelist Ocean Vuong, and explore some of the key themes that resonate throughout his work - the immigrant experience, the complexities of mother-child relationships, and the lingering shadows of war. In this episode, discuss Ocean Vuong's poetry collections 'Night Sky with Ex...

This week, we're cracking open the pages of a truly under-appreciated legend: Zora Neale Hurston. We'll be diving into respectability politics and the complexities of her relationship with the Harlem Renaissance, her choice to write in vernacular, and the heartbreaking lack of recognition she received during her lifetime (and the work Alice Walker did to remedy this!) Follow us on instagram: thest...

Join us for our first live episode ever in collaboration with the Africa Writes festival and the Royal African Society! We spoke to Peace Adzo Medie about her latest novel Nightbloom, the power of walks and life in Ho, Ghana. We wanted to celebrate International Women's Day with Nightbloom because it explores the strength in female friendship and we're doubly excited that it has been longlisted fo...

Things got a little deep in the studio this week as we discussed the life and works of Joan Didion. Join us as we explore her most impactful works, including ‘Play It As It Lays’ & ’The Year of Magical Thinking’, and Ziporah comes to terms with maybe being a bit of a nihilist (and maybe that’s okay!) Follow us on instagram: thestackedpod Sign up for our newsletter: Stacked Weekly Produced by A...

This week we're talking all things Sally Rooney and asking ourselves where IS the beautiful world we were promised as adolescents? What we enjoy most about Sally Rooney's books is how she's able to hone in on how class impacts the details of our lives and relationships, and how she prioritises women's issues. Join us for an exploration of Ms Rooney's favourite themes, and her past life as a champi...

In the first episode of the season, join us as we dig into the life and novels of THE James Baldwin: author, activist, playwright, and icon (and apparently ex-pastor). As a champion and friend of so many of our faves (Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Miles Davis, etc.) we were SO excited to discuss him and he does not disappoint! Although Ziporah does have some questions about his female characters......

Amanda and Ziporah are back! Join us for season three of Stacked, where we dive into the lives of literary giants like James Baldwin, Joan Didion, and Zadie Smith. This season isn't just about their writing, but the unique experiences that fuelled their words. Think insightful chats, thought-provoking discussions, and a deeper dive into how literature shapes who we are....as well as a bi...

Hi friends! Did you miss us? Join hosts Amanda & Ziporah for a special end-of-year reading wrap up as we look back on 2023...and what a year it's been. We dive into our Top 3 books of the year, as well as the reading habits we've picked up (and might have to leave in 2023). Tune in for honest conversation on the current state of the world and how it's affected our reading, the authors we've ad...

It's the final episode of the season! This week we're talking about the books that have revolutionised us personally in some way and also revolutionary books as a genre. Join us as we discuss whether it's important to read the books that have revolutionised the world and constructed society as we know it today and look out for some recommendations like Are Prisons Obsolete? by Angela Davis and How...

This week we're talking about poetry! Join us for a conversation on some of our favourite poems, and poets such as Warsan Shire, Langston Hughes, Sylvia Plath, John Agard and much more. Contact us at thestackedpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at:   Stacked - https://www.instagram.com/thestackedpod/   Amanda - https://www.instagram.com/amandaafuaa/     Credits:   Ai...

This week, join hosts Amanda and Ziporah as we talk about the significant and impressive impact that Booktok has had on the publishing industry, and also discuss one of its darlings...Colleen Hoover! We read 'It Ends With Us', and hilarity ensues, but so does an enlightening conversation about 'bad' love, self-love, and the nature of forgiveness. Contact us at thestackedpod@gmail.com and follow us...

Join hosts Amanda and Ziporah this week as they discuss their literary blindspots (the perspectives we miss when we cling to the genres, contexts and archetypes we're used to) and how they plan on moving towards a more holistic library.  Contact us at thestackedpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at:   Stacked - https://www.instagram.com/thestackedpod/   Amanda - https://www.in...