The Stacks

We are thrilled to welcome Kiese Laymon ( Heavy , Long Division ) back to The Stacks for our July book club discussion of Breathe: A Letter to My Sons by Imani Perry. This deeply personal and evocative book brings up many questions that we grapple with around Black identity and family. We also talk about the ways revision is a powerful tool in education and the tradition of the epistolary form. Th...

Our guest today is Traci Thomas. Thats right, Traci, the host of The Stacks, is finally spilling her answers to all The Stacks questions. She is talking about what she's reading, what books make her angry, and pretty much all things books. The best part is, her guest host is none other than her husband, Mr. Stacks. It’s an episode unlike any other, but still has all the book recommendations you co...

Our guest today is Meena Harris, founder and CEO of the Phenomenal Woman Action Campaign and author of a new children's book, Kamala and Maya's Big Idea . We talk about teaching young people to use their voice to make change, the need for diversity in children's books, and what it was like witnessing her aunt, Kamala Harris, run for President of the United States.  The Stacks Book Club select...

The Stacks is honored to welcome James McBride, author of National Book Award winning novel The Good Lord Bird , and his critically acclaimed memoir The Color of Water . His newest book, Deacon King Kong , is an Oprah's Book Club pick. We talk today about how James names his characters, they way he thinks about his success, and the role of art and history in American culture.  The Stacks Book...

The Stacks is thrilled to welcome Kiese Laymon to the show. If you're a longtime fan of the podcast, you've heard Kiese mentioned countless times from authors and readers alike. Kiese is an author ( Heavy , How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America ), essayist, and professor at The University of Mississippi. Today we discuss living revision, writing sentences, crafting nonfiction and the d...

Today for The Stacks Book Club we are discussing Savage Appetites by Rachel Monroe with our guest Emma Copley Eisenberg ( The Third Rainbow Girl ). Our conversation dives into the three driving forces in the book; women, crime, and obsession. We also examine the impulse to solve crimes, why victim statements can be complicated, and what kind of killers get their narratives revisited. There are no...

It's time for part two of The Stacks x The LadyGang conversation about White Fragility by Robin Diangelo. If you missed part one be sure to check it out over on The LadyGang's feed ( Apple | Spotify ). Today Traci, Keltie, Becca and Jac talk about some harmful and common mistakes white people make, how to apologize, ways to teach your kids about race, and so much more. You can find everything we d...

In 2006, at the age of 22, Bakari Sellers made history as the youngest person ever elected to the South Carolina state legislature, and the youngest African American elected official in the country. He is now a CNN analyst and the author of a brand new memoir, My Vanishing Country . We talk today with Bakari about the civil rights movements of the past and present, how he hopes we move forward as...

Today we welcome debut author and co-founder of Blue Stoop in Philadelphia, Emma Copley Eisenberg. Emma's book The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia , is an investigation of the murder of two young women--showing how a violent crime casts a shadow over an entire community. We talk about True Crime as a genre, and how the phrase "both, and" became to motto of Emma's...

We're discussing The Giver by Lois Lowry today as part of The Stacks Book Club with guest, Sue Thomas aka Traci's mom. The Giver is an award winning classic children's book about a utopia and what we sacrifice for peace and stability. Today we focus in on communal memory, how children learn about atrocities, and the ways in which we read novels differently. There are spoilers in this episode. You...

R. Eric Thomas is the author of Here for It and the writer behind Elle.com's daily column "Eric Reads the News" . Eric joins the show to talk about centering his identities of Black, Christian, Gay, and American in Here for It , his collection of humorous and thoughtful essays. We also discuss pop culture as a unifying force, Maxine Waters, and how dreams really do come true (and how badly we need...

Today our guest is Ethan Strauss, a basketball reporter for The Athletic and the author of The Victory Machine: The Making and Unmaking of the Warriors Dynasty . The book is a workplace drama about one of basketball's greatest teams, but this episode is more than sports talk. We get into Ethan's love of subculture narratives, being a reporter versus an author, and the "sadness of success". This is...

On today's episode we have one of the earliest supporters of The Stacks and one of Traci's biggest fans, Sue Thomas, better known as Traci's mom. That's right, in honor of Mother's day get to know the person who gave Traci her love of reading and so many book recommendations. The Stacks Book Club selection for May is The Giver by Lois Lowry, we will discuss the book with Sue Thomas on May 27th. Yo...

Its The Stacks Book Club day, and we're discussing the 2019 National Book Award winner in fiction, Trust Exercise by Susan Choi. Our guest is Brandon Taylor, author of Real Life , and if you missed Brandon's first episode you can hear it here . Trust Exercise looks at fiction, perspective, and truth as it ventures back to a 1980's performing arts high school. On this episode we discuss the many tw...

Priya Parker, the author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters , is helping us take a deeper look at how we can create collective meaning in modern life, one gathering at a time. Not only do we discuss Priya's amazing book, but we also talk about connecting with purpose when we cannot be physically together. She shares insight into her new podcast Together Apart which is about ga...

Abi Daré is the debut novelist of The Girl with the Louding Voice . Her book is a coming of age story about a Nigerian girl, Adunni, who is sold into marriage by her father, and the the journey she goes on to find her voice. Today we talk with Daré about how her characters haunt her thoughts, her unique writing process, and her unexpected day job. Remember, The Stacks Book Club selection for April...

Wow, No Thank You is the most recent essay collection from the hilarious and charming Samantha Irby. We talk today with Samantha about her new book, how she pitches her collections, and what sort of mood she strikes when she sits down to writes (its not what you think). This episode, like Irby's writing, is sure to make you laugh out loud. Remember, The Stacks Book Club selection for April is Trus...

Today marks the start of our third year here at The Stacks, and there is no better way to celebrate than by talking a whole lot about books! Thank you to all our listeners for their love and support, and we can't wait for year three! Make sure to listen to the introduction today to hear about some changes to the podcast. Our Guest today is Brandon Taylor, debut author of one of 2020's buzziest boo...

Today for The Stacks Book Club, we are talking cancel culture and social media as we examine Jon Ronson's book, So You've Been Publicly Shamed . Back to discuss this book with us is author ( Been There, Married That ) and screenwriter, Gigi Levangie. We ask questions about consent, power dynamics, and fame and how these elements play into public shamings. There are no spoilers in this episode. You...

Our guest today is author and screenwriter Gigi Levangie. Gigi has written seven books, including The Starter Wife and her latest Been There, Married That , which is a comedic take on Hollywood divorce. She also wrote the 1998 film Stepmom . We talk about attending The Academy Awards, turning real life into fiction, and why Gigi is always reading a business book.  You can find links to everyt...

Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde is a foundation and timeless feminist text. It covers topics like the erasure of Black women in the feminist movement to living with cancer to raising Black sons. This collection of essays and speeches is dense and ripe for discussion. Asha Grant, the founder of the LA chapter of The Free Black Women's Library , is back and brings her love of Audre Lorde to our discu...

Our guest today is Asha Grant, the founder of the Los Angeles Branch of The Free Black Women's Library . We talk about the work Asha does in the LA community, how much of her own reading consists of books by Black women, and why she is focused on decolonizing her bookshelf. Asha also lets us know how we can get involved with The Free Black Women's Library . You can find links to everything we disc...

Sex, desire, and relationships are all part of today's episode of The Stacks Book Club. August McLaughlin ( Girl Boner ) is back and we're diving head first into Lisa Taddeo's wildly popular Three Women . This book brings up conversations about trauma, representation, and the marketing of a book. There are minor spoilers on this episode. You can find links to everything we discuss on today's show...

We're keeping it steamy all month long! Today we have August McLaughlin, author of Girl Boner and host of the Girl Boner Podcast , to talk with us about sex positivity, empowerment, why she uses the term "good girl". Don't worry, she also explains what a "girl boner" is. Plus books, always books. You can find links to everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' Website: https://thestacksp...

We're tacklinng our first ever romance novel for The Stacks Book Club, just in time for Valentine's Day! Today we discuss The Hating Game by Sally Thorne with co-owner of The Ripped Bodice , Leah Koch. Get ready for a conversation about tropes, therapy, and diversity in publishing. How romantic. There are spoilers on this episode. You can find links to everything we discuss on today's show on The...