Podcaster and journalist Sam Sanders returns to discuss You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi for The Stacks Book Club. In our conversation of this romance novel, we wonder if the book actually qualifies as such under the rules of romance novels. We also discuss how the story feels like real life because it mirrors the messiness of actual love stories, who we are rooting for, and we brainstorm casts for the upcoming screen adaptation. There are spoilers on today's episode. B...
Aug 30, 2023•51 min
*patron-only bonus episode teaser* This Unabridged features audio from our first stop on The Stacks tour in Oakland with Leila Mottley . We talk about her book Nightcrawling and share our reality TV hot takes. We also give audience book recommendations with a special guest. This is an edited version of the live show, so if you want more, come join us on tour! Get your tickets here . *This episode is exclusive to members of The Stacks Pack on Patreon . To join this community, get inside access to...
Aug 25, 2023•12 min
Podcaster and author Jennifer Baker discusses her YA novel Forgive Me Not , how she created its alternate juvenile justice system and what she wanted to teach young people about incarceration and grief. Plus, we hear about how Jennifer and her editor worked together to edit the book, the many ways in which publishing has changed and stayed the same, and who decides who the villain is. The Stacks Book Club selection for August is You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi. We will...
Aug 23, 2023•59 min
After living with the retinitis pigmentosa for decades, Andrew Leland; writer, audio producer, and teacher, decided to write about blindness in his debut book, The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight . We discuss how he thought about specificity while addressing a broad audience and why writing about ableism felt so risky to him. We also talk about the concept of "blind thought" and the ongoing debate around blindness being a neutral characteristic. The Stacks Book Club selection ...
Aug 16, 2023•1 hr 5 min
Emmy-nominated journalist Nora Neus is here to discuss her illuminating new book 24 Hours in Charlottesville: An Oral History of the Stand Against White Supremacy . The book chronicles the events of 2017, where armed neo-Nazi demonstrators descended on the University of Virginia campus and downtown Charlottesville. Nora explains why she didn't interview white nationalists for the book, how she found her subjects and sources, and how she navigated objective versus subjective truth while telling t...
Aug 09, 2023•58 min
Sam Sanders, host of the Into It and Vibe Check podcasts, joins us to discuss the history of objectivity in journalism, what identity is and how people wield it, and what it's like having co-hosts and working with friends. We also hear how Sam decides which books to feature on his podcasts and how much he should share with his audience. The Stacks Book Club selection for August is You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi. We will discuss the book on August 30th with Sam Sanders...
Aug 02, 2023•58 min
*patron-only bonus episode teaser* Friend of The Stacks David Dennis Jr. is back to help us break down the 2019 HBO limited series Watchmen , in honor of our July book club episode about Alan Moore's iconic graphic novel. We discuss David's obsession with the show, its pivotal race moments and one special ingredient that the series added to its source material. *This episode is exclusive to members of The Stacks Pack on Patreon . To join this community, get inside access to the show, and listen ...
Jul 28, 2023•14 min
Cartoonist and author Joel Christian Gill returns for book club day to discuss the graphic novel Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. We dissect this 12 part comic and learn about the thematic and formal elements in play. We also talk about the role of God, Batman, and women in the book, and finally Joel shares why Watchmen is considered to be the greatest comic of all time? There are spoilers in this episode. Be sure to listen to the end of today’s episode to find out what our book club pic...
Jul 26, 2023•58 min
Journalist Donovan X. Ramsey joins us to talk about his illuminating narrative nonfiction book When Crack Was King: A People's History of a Misunderstood Era . Donovan explains exactly what crack is, talks about the disparities in crack sentencing, and the ways the media and rap music influenced the era. The Stacks Book Club selection for July is Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons . We will discuss the book on July 26th with Joel Christian Gill. You can find everything we discuss on today's...
Jul 19, 2023•1 hr 3 min
Physician and writer Ricardo Nuila joins The Stacks to discuss The People's Hospital : Hope and Peril in American Medicine , about Ben Taub county hospital in Houston, TX. Dr. Nuila breaks down the difference between public and private hospitals, how medical costs are calculated, and what individuals can do to help change the healthcare system. He also shares why he thinks we need both public and private care options. The Stacks Book Club selection for July is Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gib...
Jul 12, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Cartoonist and educator Joel Christian Gill joins us to talk about his new book Stamped from the Beginning: A Graphic History of Racist Ideas in America , an illustrated adaptation of Ibram X. Kendi's 2017 release. He gives us a brief history of comics in American culture and discusses the medium as a sneaky way to teach people things. We also get into color theory, the difference between comics and graphic novels, and more! The Stacks Book Club selection for July is Watchmen by Alan Moore and D...
Jul 05, 2023•1 hr 1 min
*patron-only bonus episode teaser* Podcasters and co-authors Jamilah Mapp and Erica Dickerson join Unabridged to talk about their new book A Good Mom's Guide to Making Bad Choices . We get into their collaborative process, how they've embraced changing their minds in public and they explain how they navigate privacy with their daughters, plus more! *This episode is exclusive to members of The Stacks Pack on Patreon . To join this community, get inside access to the show, and listen now, click th...
Jun 30, 2023•13 min
Loyalty Bookstores owner Hannah Oliver Depp returns to discuss our June book club pick Oreo by Fran Ross. We talk about the history and context of this 1974 satire, including the story of Fran Ross herself. We wonder how to categorize this novel about a Black and Jewish teenaged girl who finds her self in man precarious situations, and we ask what to make of a book that pokes fun at just about everyone. There are spoilers in this episode. Be sure to listen to the end of today’s episode to find o...
Jun 28, 2023•1 hr 7 min
Today we speak with Stacey Mei Yan Fong, creator of the project which spawned her new book 50 Pies, 50 States: An Immigrant's Love Letter to the United States Through Pie . We discuss how Stacey's thinking about America changed while creating this road trip of a cookbook, and we hear how she navigated the darker parts of America while celebrating the country. She also gives us her best baking tips, and we fight over a pie not included in the book. The Stacks Book Club selection for June is Oreo ...
Jun 21, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Award-winning journalist, podcaster, and author Tre'vell Anderson joins The Stacks to discuss their new book We See Each Other: A Black, Trans Journey Through TV and Film . We talk about how the media portrayal of trans people impacts individuals and the conversation around trans rights, and the relationship between trans women and drag queens on screen. We also discuss the types of trans stories that have deemed acceptable for audiences. The Stacks Book Club selection for June is Oreo by Fran R...
Jun 14, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Today we're joined by the owner of Loyalty Bookstores , Hannah Oliver Depp. We hear about Hannah's road to owning her own bookstores in the Washington D.C. area, how she decides what to have in stock, and how indie bookstores influence the publishing world. We also discuss the best ways to support indie bookshops, and where the name Loyalty came from. The Stacks Book Club selection for June is Oreo by Fran Ross . We will discuss the book on June 28th with Hannah Oliver Depp . You can find everyt...
Jun 07, 2023•1 hr 3 min
Author Nicole Chung returns to discuss our May book club selection This Boy We Made: A Memoir of Motherhood, Genetics, and Facing the Unknown by Taylor Harris. We discuss the importance of specificity in memoir, and how much likability and reliability matter. We also talk about where this book shines and where it falls short. Be sure to listen to the end of today’s episode to find out what our book club pick will be for June 2023. You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks'...
May 31, 2023•1 hr 2 min
*patron-only bonus episode teaser* Here by popular demand is our first Unabridged mid-year best of's (so-far) episode, featuring a trio of our favorite bookish friends - Book Riot's Liberty Hardy, Lupita Aquino (aka @Lupita.Reads ) and Nerdette's Greta Johnsen. We list and discuss our favorite 2023 releases we've read, the backslist we're obsessed with, and a few picks we're looking forward to in the back half of the year. *This episode is exclusive to members of The Stacks Pack on Patreon . To ...
May 26, 2023•15 min
Journalist and author Roxanna Asgarian joins The Stacks to talk about her new nonfiction book, We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America . We find out how Roxanna pushed back against true crime culture in writing about the 2018 Hart family tragedy. We also discuss how birth families are treated versus adoptive parents, how race and class factor into American child welfare and the financial implications of the system. The Stacks Book Club selection for May is Thi...
May 24, 2023•58 min
Bestselling author and illustrator Vashti Harrison joins us to talk about Big , her new storybook educating children on growth and self-love. We discuss how Vashti explored the adultification of black girls, and how she utilized the color pink throughout the book. She also explains how she thinks about parents and kids as her target audience, and the process of linking an author to an illustrator in the world of children's books. The Stacks Book Club selection for May is This Boy We Made by Tayl...
May 17, 2023•58 min
Award-winning author Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah joins us for a spoiler-free discussion of his new novel Chain-Gang All Stars . He shares the pressures of releasing his second book on a topic that asks so much from the reader, and his trepidation around serving the cause of abolition in the prison space. Plus, we find out what makes revision so important to Nana, and how he thinks about employing violence in the book to help tell this story. The Stacks Book Club selection for May is This Boy We Mad...
May 10, 2023•1 hr 2 min
Bestselling author Nicole Chung joins The Stacks to discuss her new book A Living Remedy: A Memoir . We talk about her process of writing and talking about grief in the midst and aftermath of COVID, and what it's like as a memoirist to be publicly known for her family life. We also hear what it's meant for Nicole to become a full-time writer, and how she uses vibes to organize her books. The Stacks Book Club selection for May is This Boy We Made: A Memoir of Motherhood, Genetics, and Facing the ...
May 03, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Poet and Above Ground author Clint Smith returns to discuss our April book club selection Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude , a poetry collection by Ross Gay. We discuss the moment of the book's release and why it's important within the context of the Black Lives Matter movement. We also argue that successfully engaging with a poem doesn't require understanding what a poem is about, and we ask how much the author's intent actually matters in poetry. Be sure to listen to the end of today’s episode t...
Apr 26, 2023•1 hr 7 min
Today marks thirty years since the last day of the FBI siege on the Branch Davidians of Waco, Texas. We hear from three authors who released books on the events this year: Jeff Guinn ( Waco: David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, and a Legacy of Rage ), Stephan Talty ( Koresh: The True Story of David Koresh and the Tragedy at Waco ) and Kevin Cook ( Waco Rising: David Koresh, the FBI, and the Birth of America's Modern Militias ) They address why they chose to tell this story now, what exactly happe...
Apr 19, 2023•1 hr 30 min
Today, award-winning host of NPR's All Things Considered , and now New York Times bestselling author, Ari Shapiro joins us to discuss his new book The Best Strangers in the World: Stories from a Life Spent Listening . We discuss how Ari brings his identity to his storytelling, the difference between illuminating and influencing in journalism, and how he approaches writing interview questions. The Stacks Book Club selection for April is Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude by Ross Gay . We will discuss...
Apr 12, 2023•1 hr 4 min
Today we welcome author Clint Smith to The Stacks to talk about his new poetry collection Above Ground , a tribute to being a parent amidst the chaos of life. We discuss how he handled the pressure to follow up the bestselling and award-winning How the Word is Passed . We also get into how parenting has animated all facets of life, and how competition has facilitated Clint's relationship to literature. The Stacks Book Club selection for April is Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude by Ross Gay . We wi...
Apr 05, 2023•1 hr 8 min
Professor and Ride or Die author Shanita Hubbard returns to discuss the 2014 book of essays Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay. We look back at the collection and ask, how did the book hold up? Its mix of personal memoir, political commentary and pop culture references have us examining our relationship to the text from a new perspective in this spoiler-free episode. Be sure to listen to the end of today’s episode to find out what our book club pick will be for April 2023. You can find everything we dis...
Mar 29, 2023•1 hr 3 min
Writer and Philadelphia native Joseph Earl Thomas joins the show to discuss his new book Sink: A Memoir , about coming of age amid chaos and finding a way through. He talks about why he wanted to write a memoir that centers childhood without growing into adulthood, the challenge of writing his story in the face of respectability politics and the push to write about "Black joy." The Stacks Book Club selection for March is Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay . We will discuss the book on March 29th with Sh...
Mar 22, 2023•53 min
Today we're joined by poet, writer and educator José Olivarez to discuss his new book Promises of Gold , a collection of poems exploring all forms of love, including friendship, romantic and cultural. We find out why José had someone else translate his collection into Spanish when Spanish is his first language. We also discuss how he thinks about organizing his poems on the page and in the book, and why balance in a collection is so important. The Stacks Book Club selection for March is Bad Femi...
Mar 15, 2023•58 min
Prolific author, historian and educator Dr. Carol Anderson joins us to discuss her book The Second: Race and Guns in a Fatally Unequal America . We talk about what sparked her interest in writing it, and dissect the role of anti-blackness in the formation and upholding of the second amendment. Carol reveals how she thinks of her writing in terms of persuasion versus education, and why this is the hardest book she has ever written. The Stacks Book Club selection for March is Bad Feminist by Roxan...
Mar 08, 2023•57 min
