Stay ConnectedThe Stacks is your one stop shop to talk books and reading. Guests will join the host, Traci Thomas for lively discussions about books and the ways they have shaped their lives, and they way we all understand culture, race, politics, and more. The last Wednesday of each month Traci and guest will break down a book in detail as part of The Stacks Book Club.
Make sure to check the website www.thestackspodcast.com for more details, including upcoming The Stacks Book Club picks.
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This episode we talk with Oakland native and 2018 youth poet laureate Leila Mottley about writing her debut novel Nightcrawling at 17, and the process of adapting a true story to fiction. Leila imagines how it would be different if she wrote the book now, and insists she's really not exceptional among the countless talented young writers out there.
*Note: This was recorded shortly before the announcement of Nightcrawling as an Oprah's Book Club pick.
The Stacks Book Club selection for June is White Negroes: When Cornrows Were in Vogue … and Other Thoughts on Cultural Appropriation by Lauren Michele Jackson. We will discuss the book on June 29th with David Dennis Jr.
You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' Website: https://thestackspodcast.com/2022/06/15/ep-219-leila-mottley
Connect with Leila: Instagram | Twitter | Website
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Today we speak with Dr. Michael Eric Dyson - academic, minister and author - about his new book Unequal: A Story About America, which he co-wrote with Marc Favreau. We discuss the lies around bootstrap politics and personal responsibility, and our culture's hunger for all things history (except when it's by or about Black people). We also examine how the white gaze shapes how Black history is taught.
The Stacks Book Club selection for June is White Negroes: When Cornrows Were in Vogue … and Other Thoughts on Cultural Appropriation by Lauren Michele Jackson. We will discuss the book on June 29th with David Dennis Jr.
You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' Website: https://thestackspodcast.com/2022/06/08/ep-218-michael-eric-dyson
Connect with Dr. Dyson: Instagram | Twitter | Website
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Join The Stacks Pack on Patreon
To support The Stacks and find out more from this week’s sponsors, click here.
Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
This episode we hear from cultural critic David Dennis, Jr - Senior Writer at ESPN’s Andscape and author of the new book The Movement Made Us: A Father, a Son, and the Legacy of a Freedom Ride. We talk about the similarities and differences between Black Lives Matter and the Civil Rights Movement, the book that inspired David's storytelling, and what it means to survive when you're planning to die.
The Stacks Book Club selection for June is White Negroes: When Cornrows Were in Vogue … and Other Thoughts on Cultural Appropriation by Lauren Michele Jackson. We will discuss the book on June 29th with David Dennis Jr.
You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' Website: https://thestackspodcast.com/2022/06/01/ep-217-david-dennis-jr
Connect with David: Instagram | Twitter
Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Subscribe
SUPPORT THE STACKS
Join The Stacks Pack on Patreon
To support The Stacks and find out more from this week’s sponsors, click here.
Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
It's The Stacks Book Club Day! Novena Carmel, musician and cohost of KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic, joins us again to unpackShine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop by Danyel Smith. We talk about Danyel as a cultural icon, what it takes to be a superstar. and the joy of disco as a threat to whiteness.
Be sure to listen to the end of today's episode to find out what our June book club pick will be!
You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' Website: https://thestackspodcast.com/2022/05/25/ep-216-shine-bright
Connect with Novena: Twitter | Instagram | Website
Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Subscribe
SUPPORT THE STACKS
Join The Stacks Pack on Patreon
To support The Stacks and find out more from this week’s sponsors, click here.
Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Today we're joined by Danyel Smith, author of this month's book club pick, Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop. Danyel is an award-winning journalist, the creator and host of the Black Girl Song Book podcast, and former editor and chief of Vibe, and editor at Billboard. This episode gets into the erasure of black women in pop music, holding music institutions accountable, and the cost of crossing over to the "mainstream".
The Stacks Book Club selection for May is Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop by Danyel Smith.We will discuss the book on May 25th with Novena Carmel.
You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' Website: https://thestackspodcast.com/2022/05/18/ep-215-danyel-smith
Connect with Danyel: Instagram | Twitter
Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Subscribe
SUPPORT THE STACKS
Join The Stacks Pack on Patreon
To support The Stacks and find out more from this week’s sponsors, click here.
Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
This week, we speak with Van Lathan Jr., prolific podcaster, Oscar winning producer, and author of the new memoir Fat, Crazy, and Tired: Tales from the Trenches of Transformation. Our conversation covers vulnerability, feeling [un]comfortable in our own skin, and the struggle of loving our bodies. We also get into mourning the future, and the journey of becoming who we think we need to be.
The Stacks Book Club selection for May is Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop by Danyel Smith.We will discuss the book on May 25th with Novena Carmel.
You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' Website: https://thestackspodcast.com/2022/05/11/ep-214-van-lathan
Connect with Van: Twitter | Instagram
Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Subscribe
SUPPORT THE STACKS
Join The Stacks Pack on Patreon
To support The Stacks and find out more from this week’s sponsors, click here.
Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Today we're joined by musician and DJ Novena Carmel, cohost of KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic. We get into our childhood reading habits, Novena's radio show experience, and curating a playlist for the city. We also discuss finding one's own rhythm, being the daughter of a music legend, and the power of vibrations.
The Stacks Book Club selection for May is Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop by Danyel Smith.We will discuss the book on May 25th with Novena Carmel.
You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' Website: https://thestackspodcast.com/2022/05/04/ep-213-novena-carmel
Connect with Novena: Twitter | Instagram | Website
Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Subscribe
SUPPORT THE STACKS
Join The Stacks Pack on Patreon
To support The Stacks and find out more from this week’s sponsors, click here.
Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
We welcome back Nate Marshall today to discuss Cortney Lamar Charleston's poetry collection Doppelgangbanger, which grapples with the tensions that impact a Black boy's struggle through self-destructive definitions of manhood. We discuss the narratives around coming of age in the suburbs and the city, and ask ourselves, is there really such a thing as an objectively good poem?
Be sure to listen to the end of today's episode to find out what our May book club pick will be!
You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' Website: https://thestackspodcast.com/2022/04/27/ep-212-doppelgangbanger/
Connect with Nate: Twitter | Instagram | Website
Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Subscribe
SUPPORT THE STACKS
Join The Stacks Pack on Patreon
To support The Stacks and find out more from this week’s sponsors, click here.
Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Today we're speaking with Julie Otsuka, whose nationally-bestselling novel The Swimmers explores what happens to a group of obsessed recreational swimmers when a crack appears at the bottom of their local pool. Our conversation covers the art of crafting sentences and finding the right voice. We also discuss the joy of writing in cafes, and the element of surprise.
There are no spoilers on this episode.
You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' Website: https://thestackspodcast.com/2022/04/20/ep-211-julie-otsuka
The Stacks Book Club selection for April is Doppelgangbanger by Cortney Lamar Charleston. We will discuss the book on April 27th with Nate Marshall.
Connect with Julie: Website
Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Subscribe
SUPPORT THE STACKS
Join The Stacks Pack on Patreon
To support The Stacks and find out more from this week’s sponsors, click here.
Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Today we're joined by the delightful Danny Pellegrino, author of How Do I Un-Remember This?: Unfortunately True Stories, a collection of essays about growing up as a closeted gay kid in small-town Ohio. We discuss the need to spotlight books in pop culture, the responsibility of media to tell stories that include gay characters, and how we handle grief. Traci also urges Danny to start his own LGBTQIA+ book club, watch out Reese!
The Stacks Book Club selection for April is Doppelgangbanger by Cortney Lamar Charleston. We will discuss the book on April 27th with Nate Marshall.
You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' Website: https://thestackspodcast.com/2022/04/13/ep-210-danny-pellegrino/
Connect with Danny: Instagram | Twitter | Podcast | Website
Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Subscribe
SUPPORT THE STACKS
Join The Stacks Pack on Patreon
To support The Stacks and find out more from this week’s sponsors, click here.
Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
