It's The Stacks Book Club day and writer Hala Alyan is back to discuss this month's pick, The January Children by Safia... more

*Patreon- and Substack-only bonus episode teaser* If you've ever felt like you didn't "get it" when it comes to poetry, The... more

Journalist and bestselling author Keith O'Brien joins this episode to talk about his new book Charlie Hustle: The Rise and... more

First-time novelist and award-winning writer Andrew Boryga talks about his new book Victim, a satirical take on diversity initiatives, self-promotion... more

Writer, poet and psychologist Hala Alyan joins this episode to discuss her newest poetry collection The Moon That Turns You... more

*Patreon- and Substack-only bonus episode teaser* This episode of The Stacks Unabridged is a special AMA session with your host in... more

Flawless author Elise Hu returns to discuss our March book club pick Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu. We talk about... more

Sociologists and co-authors Pamela Prickett and Stefan Timmermans join The Stacks to talk about their book The Unclaimed: Abandonment and... more

Tommy Orange joins The Stacks today to discuss his new novel Wandering Stars. We talk about writing this prequel/sequel to... more

Author and TED Talks Daily host Elise Hu joins The Stacks to discuss her book Flawless: Lessons in Looks and... more

Physician and bestselling author Uché Blackstock returns to discuss the memoir-manifesto Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want... more

*patron-only bonus episode teaser* This episode features audio from a February live show at Vroman's Bookstore with NYT bestselling novelist Kiley... more

This episode features a discussion with journalist and writer Lauren Markham about her new book A Map of Future Ruins:... more

Romance novelist Tia Williams visits the show to discuss her latest book A Love Song for Ricki Wilde. Tia shares... more

Physician, educator and author Uché Blackstock shares her New York Times Bestselling book Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism... more

Vibe Check host Zach Stafford returns to discuss our January book club selection, the 2001 satirical novel Erasure by Percival... more

*patron-only bonus episode teaser* For today's Unabridged, book lovers Cree Myles (All Ways Black) and Sara Hildreth (Fiction Matters) join us... more

We are joined by poet and debut novelist Kaveh Akbar to discuss his book Martyr!, the story of a newly... more

Educator and author Carolina Ixta joins The Stacks to discuss her debut novel Shut Up, This is Serious. Set in... more

Chef, restaurateur and media personality Sohla El-Waylly joins to talk about her debut cookbook, Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a... more

Writer, Vibe Check cohost, and Tony winning Producer, Zach Stafford joins The Stacks to discuss being a journalist, his many... more

*patron-only bonus episode teaser* This edition of The Stacks Unabridged features audio from our Los Angeles stop on the Live in... more

Author and Shakespeare scholar Farah Karim-Cooper returns for our final book club episode of the year to discuss the Bard's... more

New York Times Book Review editor MJ Franklin and Debutiful's Adam Vitcavage join The Stacks for our annual best books... more

Journalist and author Nathan Thrall joins us to discuss his book A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy... more

*patron-only bonus episode teaser* We're back with friend of The Stacks, Kiese Laymon, with audio from the second New York live... more

Author and professor Farah Karim-Cooper joins The Stacks to talk about her book The Great White Bard: How to Love... more

Author Mitchell S. Jackson returns for our book club discussion of Ling Ma's post-apocalyptic novel Severance. On this episode we... more

*patron-only bonus episode teaser* This Unabridged is a conversation with author and friend of The Stacks Kiese Laymon from our early... more

Tony Award Winner Ali Stroker discusses her new middle grade novel Cut Loose!, co-written with Stacy Davidowitz. Ali reveals why... more

Texas politician and author Beto O'Rourke joins The Stacks to talk about his book We've Got to Try: How the... more

Award-winning author Jesmyn Ward joins The Stacks to discuss her latest novel Let Us Descend. She reveals how the book... more

Award-winning author Mitchell S. Jackson joins the show to discuss his new book Fly: The Big Book of Basketball Fashion.... more

It's time for our annual Toni Morrison read for The Stacks Book Club! Author, Minda Honey is back to discuss... more

*patron-only bonus episode teaser* This Unabridged episode features audio from our Washington DC stop of The Stacks Tour, featuring bestselling author... more

Children's book author and artist Oliver Jeffers joins to discuss his first all-ages illustrated book Begin Again: How We Got... more

Columnist and commentator Michael Harriot joins The Stacks to talk about his book Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of... more

Political and relationship essayist Minda Honey is here to discuss her new book The Heartbreak Years: A Memoir. We talk... more

We're thrilled to welcome back podcaster Brittany Luse to discuss Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer for The Stacks... more

Myriam Gurba visits The Stacks to discuss her new essay collection Creep: Accusations and Confessions. Myriam describes how a question... more

*patron-only bonus episode teaser* This episode of The Stacks Unabridged features audio from our Chicago show on the Live in The... more

Politician, activist and author Stacey Abrams joins us to discuss her romantic suspense novel The Art of Desire, written under... more

Today we're joined by award-winning journalist and cultural critic Brittany Luse upon her first anniversary as host of NPR's It's... more

Introducing Vibe Check, a podcast where hosts Sam Sanders, Saeed Jones, and Zach Stafford make sense of what’s going on in news... more

Podcaster and journalist Sam Sanders returns to discuss You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi... more

*patron-only bonus episode teaser* This Unabridged features audio from our first stop on The Stacks tour in Oakland with Leila Mottley.... more

Podcaster and author Jennifer Baker discusses her YA novel Forgive Me Not, how she created its alternate juvenile justice system... more

After living with the retinitis pigmentosa for decades, Andrew Leland; writer, audio producer, and teacher, decided to write about blindness... more

Emmy-nominated journalist Nora Neus is here to discuss her illuminating new book 24 Hours in Charlottesville: An Oral History of... more

Sam Sanders, host of the Into It and Vibe Check podcasts, joins us to discuss the history of objectivity in... more

*patron-only bonus episode teaser* Friend of The Stacks David Dennis Jr. is back to help us break down the 2019 HBO... more

Cartoonist and author Joel Christian Gill returns for book club day to discuss the graphic novel Watchmen by Alan Moore... more

Journalist Donovan X. Ramsey joins us to talk about his illuminating narrative nonfiction book When Crack Was King: A People's... more

Physician and writer Ricardo Nuila joins The Stacks to discuss The People's Hospital: Hope and Peril in American Medicine, about... more

Cartoonist and educator Joel Christian Gill joins us to talk about his new book Stamped from the Beginning: A Graphic... more

*patron-only bonus episode teaser* Podcasters and co-authors Jamilah Mapp and Erica Dickerson join Unabridged to talk about their new book A... more

Loyalty Bookstores owner Hannah Oliver Depp returns to discuss our June book club pick Oreo by Fran Ross. We talk... more

Today we speak with Stacey Mei Yan Fong, creator of the project which spawned her new book 50 Pies, 50... more

Award-winning journalist, podcaster, and author Tre'vell Anderson joins The Stacks to discuss their new book We See Each Other: A... more

Today we're joined by the owner of Loyalty Bookstores, Hannah Oliver Depp. We hear about Hannah's road to owning her... more

Author Nicole Chung returns to discuss our May book club selection This Boy We Made: A Memoir of Motherhood, Genetics,... more

*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... more

Journalist and author Roxanna Asgarian joins The Stacks to talk about her new nonfiction book, We Were Once a Family:... more

Bestselling author and illustrator Vashti Harrison joins us to talk about Big, her new storybook educating children on growth and... more

Award-winning author Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah joins us for a spoiler-free discussion of his new novel Chain-Gang All Stars. He shares... more

Bestselling author Nicole Chung joins The Stacks to discuss her new book A Living Remedy: A Memoir. We talk about... more

Poet and Above Ground author Clint Smith returns to discuss our April book club selection Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, a... more

Today marks thirty years since the last day of the FBI siege on the Branch Davidians of Waco, Texas. We... more

Today, award-winning host of NPR's All Things Considered, and now New York Times bestselling author, Ari Shapiro joins us to... more

Today we welcome author Clint Smith to The Stacks to talk about his new poetry collection Above Ground, a tribute... more

Professor and Ride or Die author Shanita Hubbard returns to discuss the 2014 book of essays Bad Feminist by Roxane... more

Writer and Philadelphia native Joseph Earl Thomas joins the show to discuss his new book Sink: A Memoir, about coming... more

Today we're joined by poet, writer and educator José Olivarez to discuss his new book Promises of Gold, a collection... more

Prolific author, historian and educator Dr. Carol Anderson joins us to discuss her book The Second: Race and Guns in... more

Today professor and author Shanita Hubbard speaks with The Stacks about her book Ride or Die: A Feminist Manifesto for... more

It's The Stacks Book Club Day, and we're joined again by Mina Kimes of ESPN, to discuss Louise Erdrich's novel... more

Communications strategist and poet Camonghne Felix joins The Stacks to discuss her brand new memoir Dyscalculia: A Love Story of... more

Today we're joined by Lamya H., who has just released their debut book Hijab Butch Blues - a memoir about... more

Award-winning ESPN reporter Mina Kimes joins the show to share her love of reading and the one book that inspired... more

Chelsea Devantez, host of the Celebrity Book Club podcast, returns to discuss our January Book Club pick The Meaning of... more

Today we're joined by two award-winning journalists from the field of criminal justice and police misconduct. Ali Winston and Darwin... more

Author, activist and podcaster Aubrey Gordon talks to us today about her brand new second book - "You Just Need... more

Comedian and Emmy-nominated TV and film writer Chelsea Devantez joins our first Stacks episode of 2023. Her Celebrity Book Club... more

For our final book club pick of 2022, Greta Johnsen is back to discuss True Biz by Sara Nović, a... more

NPR Arts Desk reporter and Book of the Day podcast host Andrew Limbong joins The Stacks to count down his... more

Washington Post reporters Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa join The Stacks to discuss their book His Name Is George Floyd:... more

Today we're joined by Greta Johnsen, host and producer of the Nerdette podcast from WBEZ Chicago, at host of HBO's... more

Today anti-violence activist and author Mariame Kaba returns to discuss Prison by Any Other Name: The Harmful Consequences of Popular... more

Journalist and academic Steven W. Thrasher joins the show to discuss his eye-opening new book The Viral Underclass: The Human... more

Today Jonathan Abrams joins The Stacks to discuss his third book The Come Up: An Oral History of the Rise... more

Renowned sports journalist Jemele Hill joins the show to discuss her powerful new book Uphill: A Memoir. We talk about... more

Today we welcome Mariame Kaba - activist and author of the book We Do This 'Til We Free Us: Abolitionist... more

Today professor and author Anthony Christian Ocampo returns to unpack the memoir Fairest by Meredith Talusan. The book is about... more

Today we welcome Pakistani-British writer Kamila Shamsie, author of the new novel Best of Friends and past The Stacks Book... more

Actor, activist and Traci's very dear college friend Brandon Kyle Goodman joins The Stacks to talk about their new book... more

This episode, we speak with Anthony Christian Ocampo, Ph.D - sociology professor and author of Brown and Gay in LA:... more

Today, publisher Lisa Lucas returns to help us break down the 2021 crime novel The Trees by Percival Everett. In... more

Today we speak with Saeed Jones - award-winning author of the new poetry collection Alive at the End of the... more

Andrea Elliott joins us to discuss her investigative reporting career and her Pulitzer Prize winning book Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival... more

Lisa Lucas, Senior Vice President at Pantheon and Schocken, is our first ever book publisher to join the podcast. We... more

Author Ingrid Rojas Contreras joins us again to talk about our book club selection How to Write An Autobiographical Novel... more

Award-winning novelist Mohsin Hamid joins this episode of The Stacks to talk about his newest book The Last White Man.... more

Today we're joined by entrepreneur and author Marisa Renee Lee, whose book Grief is Love: Living with Loss offers a... more

Emmy Award winner W. Kamau Bell and bestselling author Kate Schatz visit The Stacks to discuss their joint effort Do... more

We're joined today by novelist and essayist Ingrid Rojas Contreras, whose new book The Man Who Could Move Clouds combines... more

It's The Stacks Book Club day, and we're discussing the classic Sudanese novel, Season of Migration to the North by... more

Poet and author Erika L. Sánchez joins The Stacks to discuss Crying in the Bathroom, her new memoir about growing... more

Today we speak with journalist and professor Caleb Gayle about his new book We Refuse to Forget: A True Story... more

Our guest for this episode is Elamin Abdelmahmoud - political and cultural commentator, Buzzfeed News senior culture writer and author... more

Journalist and author, David Dennis Jr. returns to discuss our June Book Club pick White Negroes: When Cornrows Were in... more

Today we're joined by Justin Tinsley, senior culture writer at ESPN’s Andscape and author of the new book It Was... more

This episode we talk with Oakland native and 2018 youth poet laureate Leila Mottley about writing her debut novel Nightcrawling... more

Today we speak with Dr. Michael Eric Dyson - academic, minister and author - about his new book Unequal: A... more

This episode we hear from cultural critic David Dennis, Jr - Senior Writer at ESPN’s Andscape and author of the... more

It's The Stacks Book Club Day! Novena Carmel, musician and cohost of KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic, joins us again to... more

Today we're joined by Danyel Smith, author of this month's book club pick, Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of... more

This week, we speak with Van Lathan Jr., prolific podcaster, Oscar winning producer, and author of the new memoir Fat,... more

Today we're joined by musician and DJ Novena Carmel, cohost of KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic. We get into our childhood... more

We welcome back Nate Marshall today to discuss Cortney Lamar Charleston's poetry collection Doppelgangbanger, which grapples with the tensions that... more

Today we're speaking with Julie Otsuka, whose nationally-bestselling novel The Swimmers explores what happens to a group of obsessed recreational... more

Today we're joined by the delightful Danny Pellegrino, author of How Do I Un-Remember This?: Unfortunately True Stories, a collection... more

In this episode we speak with the lauded writer, educator and MC Nate Marshall, whose latest poetry collection Finna was... more

Today on The Stacks Book Club we speak again with Imani Perry, author of the New York Times bestselling South... more

Today we're joined by Julissa Arce, author, and education and immigration activist. On this episode we have a conversation around... more

Our guest today is author and poet Destiny O. Birdsong. Destiny's debut novel, Nobody's Magic, is about three Black women... more

Stephanie Foo is a writer and radio producer, most recently on This American Life, and she is the author of... more

Imani Perry is the author of seven books including her latest, the New York Times bestselling, South to America: A... more

Today for The Stacks Book Club we're discussing I Live a Life Like Yours, a memoir by Jan Grue, which... more

Our guest today is Rachel Lindsay, the first Black Bachelorette and author of Miss Me with That: Hot Takes, Tidbits,... more

In light of the recent wave of book bannings taking place across The United of States, The Stacks is spending... more

In light of the recent wave of book bannings taking place across The United of States, The Stacks is spending... more

In light of the recent wave of book bannings taking place across The United of States, The Stacks is spending... more

In light of the recent wave of book bannings taking place across The United of States, The Stacks is spending... more

In light of the recent wave of book bannings taking place across The United of States, The Stacks is spending... more

Today we are joined by Tessa Miller, and author and journalist whose work focuses on chronic illness, disability, and health... more

Today on The Stacks Book Club we're discussing Nella Larsen's 1929 classic novel Passing. We're joined again by Cree Myles,... more

Today we're joined by Kendra James; writer, podcast producer, and editor, to discuss her debut book, Admissions: A Memoir of... more

This week we've got a repeat guest, the unmatched talent that is, Jason Reynolds. We're talking about his new book,... more

Today we're joined by Cree Myles, the creative force behind Penguin Random Houses' All Ways Black, a platform that is... more

It's time for our final episode of The Stacks Book Club of the year, and we're taking on a favorite... more

It's time for The Stacks' annual Best Books of 2021 episode. To help put together this list, we're joined by... more

Kristen Radkte is the author of Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness, a work of graphic nonfiction that uses... more

Angelina Jolie, actor-director-humanitarian, and Indigenous activist Tokata Iron Eyes join Traci to discuss Jolie's book Know Your Rights an Claim Them:... more

Andrew Ti is the creator and co-host of the Yo, Is This Racist podcast, and a comedy and TV writer.... more

It is time for our annual Toni Morrison episode of The Stacks as part of The Stacks Book Club. We... more

On this episode we are joined by author, linguist, and podcast host Amanda Montell. Amanda is the author of Cultish:... more

Our guest today is Dr. Myisha Cherry, a philosopher, professor, and author, whose work focuses on emotions and attitudes in... more

Our guest today is journalist and editor Dawnie Walton, she is the debut author behind one of this year's most... more

The last week of the month means it's time for The Stacks Book Club. This month we're joined again by... more

Today we are joined by debut author and minster, Danté Stewart to discuss his book, Shoutin' in the Fire: An... more

Today we're discussing Abolition for the People: The Movement for a Future Without Policing and Prisons, an anthology edited by... more

We're joined today by cultural critic, poet, podcaster, and author Nichole Perkins. Her new book, Sometimes I Trip on How... more

Today on The Stacks we discuss the book that inspired this podcast, Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising... more

Today we're joined by sportswriter, journalist, and podcaster Dave Zirin to discuss his new book The Kaepernick Effect: Taking a... more

Jill Louise Busby is an writer, filmmaker, and the person behind the now defunct "Jill is Black" account on Instagram.... more

Today we are joined by Pulitzer Prize winning author of Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971... more

Our guest today is lawyer, writer, activist, organizer, and author Derecka Purnell. Derecka joins us to discuss her forthcoming debut... more

It is The Stacks Book Club day, and we are discussing Emergency Contact by Mary H. K. Choi. To help... more

If you’re in America and you love soccer, you know and love today’s guest, Roger “Rog” Bennett, the co-host of... more

Today we welcome Adam Serwer to the podcast. Adam is a staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of... more

Our guest today is Juliet Litman. Juliet is the host of the podcasts Bachelor Party and Jam Session on The... more

It’s The Stacks Book Club day and we’re discussing our first ever graphic memoir on the show. The book is... more

Today we welcome author and decluttering expert Christine Platt, also known as The Afrominimalist. We talk today about Christine’s latest... more

Our guest today is Academy Award winning screenwriter and director Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Django Unchained). He joins us to... more

Mira Jacob is a cultural critics and the author and illustrator of the graphic memoir, Good Talk. Today we talk... more

It’s time for another installment of The Stacks Book Club. This month we’re discussing The Undying: A Meditation on Modern... more

Ashley C. Ford is a host, podcaster, writer, and now author. Her debut book, Somebody’s Daughter, was an instant New... more

Today we are joined by Clint Smith author of How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of... more

Today we are joined by author and activist Marlon Peterson. His book Bird Uncaged: An Abolitionist’s Freedom Song is out... more

Our guest this week is Mychal Denzel Smith, the author of one of Traci’s favorite books from 2020, Stakes is... more