Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by author Imani Thompson to discuss her debut novel, Honey . This book follows Yrsa, a Black PhD student whose accidental murder of a problematic male professor awakens her thirst for killing men in the name of feminism. We talk about her journey of writing this book, the academic theory that inspired it, and the key differences between individual and state-sanctioned violence. The Stacks Book Club pick for May is Lonely Crowds by Stephanie Wambugu. We’ll be dis...
May 20, 2026•53 min
*Patreon and Substack-only bonus episode teaser, click here for the full episode * In this bonus episode, I’m joined by writer, editor, and translator Daniel Hahn to discuss his newest book, If This Be Magic: The Unlikely Art of Shakespeare in Translation . Today, we chat about Daniel’s approach to this work, how studying Shakespeare in translation helps us understand language, and the various quirks that come up when translating. You can find links to everything we discuss on today’s show on Th...
May 15, 2026•13 min
Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by writer, psychotherapist, podcast host, and creator of The Kardashian Kolloquium , MJ Corey, to discuss her debut book, Dekonstructing the Kardashians: A New Media Manifesto . In this book, MJ uses the rise of the Kardashians to analyze the evolution of media and celebrity culture in the internet age. We talk about how MJ began studying the Kardashians through a postmodern lens, whether the family shapes or responds to trends, and the factors that make an Amer...
May 13, 2026•57 min
Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by award-winning theoretical physicist and cosmologist, Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, to discuss her newest book, The Edge of Space-Time: Particles, Poetry, and the Cosmic Dream Boogie . In it, Chanda uses poetry, pop culture, and Black feminism to explore some of the most abstract concepts and mysteries of the universe, from black holes to dark matter. We talk about why she wants us all to know about advanced scientific concepts, how she simplifies these topics for...
May 06, 2026•1 hr 3 min
It’s The Stacks Book Club Day, and we’re joined by Mahogany L. Browne to discuss our April pick, Room Swept Home by Remica Bingham-Risher. In this beautiful poetry collection, Remica explores themes of race, lineage, faith, and mental health through the lens of her own family history. Today, we talk about what makes this collection so unique, how her poems capture historical context, and the ways this collection subverts form and tradition. Listen to the end of the episode to hear what our May b...
Apr 29, 2026•1 hr 15 min
Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by Adrienne Thurman to discuss her debut novel, Don’t Tell Me How It Ends . This book follows Kaia Harper, a floundering 20-something who’s sworn off romance until she’s asked to be the first client in her sister’s matchmaking business. As she suffers through bad dates and failed matches, she finds herself falling for an unexpected man she meets in a chance encounter. We chat about writing romance while going through a divorce, her journey to becoming an author,...
Apr 22, 2026•51 min
*Patreon and Substack-only bonus episode teaser, click here for the full episode * Happy National Poetry Month! We’re celebrating by bringing back another installment of Poetry Therapy, which is a bonus episode we did back in 2024. If you've ever felt like you didn’t “get it” when it comes to poetry, we've got five incredible poets who can help: José Olivarez, Cortney Charleston, Camonghne Felix, Nate Marshall, and Yesika Zamora. Each poet has selected a poem to break down with me—they'll read i...
Apr 17, 2026•13 min
Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by the 24th Poet Laureate of the US, Ada Limón, to discuss her 11th book, Against Breaking: On the Power of Poetry. Derived from her final lecture as poet laureate, this book explores poetry’s profound ability to heal, inspire, connect, and remind us of our shared humanity. We talk about the things poetry can do that prose cannot, how to approach poems you don’t like, and what came after her tenure as the poet laureate. The Stacks Book Club pick for April is Roo...
Apr 15, 2026•1 hr 3 min
Today on The Stacks, I’m joined by award-winning New Yorker staff writer, New York Times best-selling author, and investigative journalist, Patrick Radden Keefe, to talk about his newest book, London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth . Set in London, this true crime story chronicles the sudden death of 19-year-old Zac Brettler and his family’s quest to uncover the details of his secret double life. Today, we discuss how Patrick balances sources' expecta...
Apr 08, 2026•1 hr
Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by poet, writer, organizer, and educator Mahogany L. Browne. Mahogany is the author of three novels and several poetry collections, including Woke: A Young Poet’s Call to Justice and the National Book Award–longlisted book, A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe . Today, we talk about who pushed her toward writing for young people, how she’s celebrating her birthday this year, and what motivates her to keep doing the work. The Stacks Book Club pick for Apr...
Apr 01, 2026•1 hr 2 min
It’s The Stacks Book Club day and Morrison Month here on The Stacks, and today, we're diving into Paradise by Toni Morrison with award-winning writer, professor, and On Morrison author, Namwali Serpell. This book tells the story of Ruby, a small, all-black town in rural Oklahoma founded by the descendants of freed slaves, and its violent conflict with a nearby convent of women. We chat about the novel’s complexity, how it tackles faith and gender, and its connection to Beloved and Jazz . There a...
Mar 25, 2026•1 hr 14 min
The 98th Academy Awards ceremony was this past Sunday, and we’ve got a lot to talk about. Today, I’m joined by Vibe Check co-hosts and friends of the pod, Saeed Jones and Zach Stafford, to recap all things Oscars, discussing everything from our Timothée Chalamet burnout to why people pitted Sinners and One Battle After Another against each other, and a whole lot more. This is a follow-up to my pre-Oscars chat with Saeed and Zach last week on Vibe Check —you can listen to that episode here . *Thi...
Mar 20, 2026•15 min
Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by award-winning author T Kira Madden to discuss her newest book, Whidbey . This novel follows three women whose lives intersect in the wake of a man’s murder. We chat about the questions that are left in the wake of trauma, her unique writing process, and how she tricks herself to keep writing fun. The Stacks Book Club pick for March is Paradise by Toni Morrison. We’ll be discussing the book with Namwali Serpell on March 25th. You can find everything we discuss...
Mar 18, 2026•59 min
Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by bestselling author Tayari Jones to talk about her newest book, Kin . This novel follows the lifelong friendship between Vernice and Annie, two motherless girls whose paths diverge in adulthood. In our conversation, Tayari shares how Kin was the book she had to write, even though it was not the one she was contracted to write, why she avoided writing a historical novel until now, and how coming home to Atlanta has impacted her as a person and a novelist. The S...
Mar 11, 2026•57 min
Today on the show, we’re joined by writer, literary critic, and Harvard University professor Namwali Serpell to discuss her latest book, On Morrison . In this book, Namwali offers a deep dive into Toni Morrison’s career, guiding readers through close readings of everything from her well-known fiction and literary criticism to her lesser-known dramatic works and poetry. We talk all about why Namwali wanted to write about one of the most beloved—and misunderstood—authors of all time, exploring Mor...
Mar 05, 2026•1 hr 13 min
It’s The Stacks Book Club day, and we’re joined by New York Times bestselling romance novelist Jasmine Guillory to discuss Indigo by Beverly Jenkins. Set in 1858, this book follows Hester Wyatt, a conductor on Michigan’s Underground Railroad, who is tasked with protecting Galen Vachon, a vital member of the Northern network. As he recovers from his injuries, their initial clash gives way to a deepening romance, forcing them to navigate their relationship while fighting for freedom. Today, we go ...
Feb 25, 2026•1 hr 16 min
Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by author, sociologist, law professor, and social justice advocate Dorothy E. Roberts to discuss her newest book, The Mixed Marriage Project: A Memoir of Love, Race, and Family . In this powerful memoir, Dorothy recounts her experiences growing up in an interracial family in 1960s Chicago, exploring how her parents’ marriage—and their dedicated research on interracial relationships—shaped her understanding of her own identity. We talk about why she identifies as...
Feb 18, 2026•1 hr 3 min
We're back for the second annual Super Bowl breakdown bonus episode. That's right, we're digging into Bad Bunny's incredible performance at this year's Super Bowl. I’m joined by Vanessa Díaz and Petra Rivera-Rideau, authors of P FKN R: How Bad Bunny Became the Global Voice of Puerto Rican Resistance , creators of the Bad Bunny Syllabus Project , and Associate Professors of two different university-level Bad Bunny courses. We share our thoughts on the performance overall, and then break it all do...
Feb 13, 2026•13 min
Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning author, historian, activist, and professor, Heather Ann Thompson, to discuss her new book Fear and Fury: The Reagan Eighties, the Bernie Goetz Shootings, and the Rebirth of White Rage . This book explores the ways that Bernhard Goetz's 1984 shooting of four Black teenagers on the New York City subway exposed the deep racial tensions of the Reagan era and set the tone for the politics of white rage we see today. In our conversation, Heat...
Feb 11, 2026•1 hr 2 min
Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by New York Times bestselling romance novelist Jasmine Guillory. We chat about her journey from high-powered attorney to successful contemporary romance writer, her favorite and least favorite tropes, and how people’s desire to escape through romance increases amid political unrest. The Stacks Book Club pick for February is Indigo by Beverly Jenkins. We’ll be discussing the book with Jasmine Guillory on February 25th. You can find everything we discuss on today'...
Feb 04, 2026•59 min
It’s The Stacks Book Club day, and I'm joined by Emmy-nominated TV writer, journalist, and host of Pop Syllabus , Christiana Mbakwe Medina, to discuss Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves by Sophie Gilbert. In this book, Sophie Gilbert highlights the ways the rampant misogyny of '90s and early 2000s pop culture continues to shape attitudes toward women today. We talk today about how the book tackles reality TV, postfeminism, incel culture, porn, and more....
Jan 28, 2026•1 hr 11 min
It's time for a Stacks Unabridged favorite: Our Most Anticipated Books of 2026...at least the first half anyway. I'm once again joined by two of my favorite book people, Cree Myles ( All Ways Black ) and Sara Hildreth ( Fiction Matters ), to gush about the books we can't wait to dive into in the first half of the year, sharing our top picks month by month. Plus, we do a little post-mortem on 2025 and set some semi-realistic reading goals for 2026. Get your TBR lists ready—you’ll have a lot of ne...
Jan 23, 2026•12 min
Today on The Stacks, we are joined by Associated Press reporter Mary Clare Jalonick to discuss her new book Storm at the Capitol: An Oral History of January 6th . In this book, Mary Clare offers a comprehensive retelling of the January 6th insurrection through firsthand accounts from the rioters, police officers, journalists (including herself), and lawmakers who were forced to flee the violence. We talk about why she frames this as an oral history, how she captured the violence of that day, and...
Jan 21, 2026•56 min
Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by award-winning journalist and New York Times best-selling author, Jacob Soboroff, to discuss his newest book, Firestorm: The Great Los Angeles Fires and America’s New Age of Disaster . In this book, Jacob takes us to the frontlines of the January 2025 L.A. Fires to offer a deeply personal, firsthand account of one of the most destructive fires in the city’s history. We discuss why he chose to write about what he calls “the fires of the future,” how his childho...
Jan 14, 2026•57 min
Today on The Stacks, we are joined by Emmy-nominated TV writer, former co-host of What Now? with Trevor Noah , and creator of the Pop Syllabus newsletter and podcast, Christiana Mbakwe Medina. We talk about how Christiana became a comedy writer and culture critic, the intersections of wealth and access in celebrity culture, and what we can get out of taking pop culture seriously. The Stacks Book Club pick for January is Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselve...
Jan 07, 2026•1 hr 5 min
For the last Stacks Book Club episode of the year, we're diving into Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream by H.G. Bissinger with Joel Anderson, senior staff writer at The Ringer and co-host of sports & media podcast The Press Box . This book follows the 1988 season of the Permian Panthers, one of the best high-school football teams in Texas history. We discuss whether this book could exist as is today, how we feel about high school athletes getting special academic treatment, and...
Dec 31, 2025•1 hr 9 min
It’s finally the episode we’ve all been waiting for: The Stacks' Best Books of 2025! Traci talks with two longtime friends of the show, Greta Johnsen, host of Happy to Be Here , and MJ Franklin, an editor at The New York Times Book Review , to share our top 10 books of the year. We discuss the overall year in books, why we struggled to create this list, and all the books we’re looking forward to reading in 2026. The Stacks Book Club pick for December is Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a...
Dec 24, 2025•1 hr 25 min
We're at the end of 2025 and this year we're looking back, not at the best of the year, but at the worst, most hatable moments. To break it all down, Traci teamed up with friend of the pod, Nora McInerny, for a crossover bonus episode between The Stacks and Nora's show, Thanks for Asking . From Taylor Swift to AI slop and so much more, get ready for a whole lot of hot takes and disgruntled energy. This episode is a collaboration with Nora’s podcast Thanks for Asking . You can find links to every...
Dec 19, 2025•10 min
Today on The Stacks, we are joined by National Book Award finalist Alejandro Varela to talk about his newest novel, Middle Spoon . Humorously exploring unconventional relationships and complexities of polyamory, this novel follows Alejandro’s unnamed narrator, a married man navigating heartbreak after his boyfriend abruptly dumps him. We discuss why he wanted to write about heartbreak, how he brought more of himself to this book, and why it was important to him to depict OCD correctly. The Stack...
Dec 17, 2025•59 min
Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by James Beard Award-winning chef, TV host, and author Samin Nosrat to discuss her newest book, Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love . In this cookbook, Samin shares over 125 of her favorite go-to recipes, including ricotta custard pancakes, saffron-burnished roast chicken, nostalgia-inducing yellow cake with chocolate frosting, and everything in between. We discuss her return to writing after the success of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Maste...
Dec 10, 2025•1 hr 3 min
