The Stacks is your one stop shop to talk books and reading. Guests will join the host, Traci Thomas for lively discussions... more
This week, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds joins us to discuss his latest book, Twenty-Four Seconds from... more
This week, we’re joined by Justine Kay, one of the hosts of the reality TV show podcast, 2 Black Girls, 1... more
It’s The Stacks Book Club Day, and we’re diving into The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. Franklin Leonard returns as... more
Author and activist Jessica Valenti joins The Stacks to discuss her latest book, Abortion: Our Bodies, Their Lies, and the Truths... more
*Patreon- and Substack-only bonus episode teaser* This is an abridged version of Traci’s live show “One for the Books.” This time,... more
This week, we’re joined by anthropologist and author Jason De León to discuss his latest book, Soldiers and Kings: Survival... more
Journalist and author Jesselyn Cook joins The Stacks this week to discuss her new book, The Quiet Damage: QAnon and... more
Actor and producer Franklin Leonard joins The Stacks this week to discuss his groundbreaking work with The Black List. Known... more
It’s The Stacks Book Club Day, and we’re discussing Jazz by Toni Morrison. Professor Eve Dunbar joins us to explore... more
*Patreon- and Substack-only bonus episode teaser* In this episode of The Stacks Unabridged, we’re joined by George M. Johnson, author of... more
Actor and comedian Laci Mosley (iCarly, A Black Lady Sketch Show) joins The Stacks to discuss her new book, Scam... more
Danzy Senna joins The Stacks to discuss her latest novel, Colored Television, a satirical take on one novelist's attempt to leave... more
English professor Eve Dunbar is here to discuss her forthcoming book, Monstrous Work and Radical Satisfaction: Black Women Writing under Segregation.... more
It’s The Stacks Book Club Day, and we’re discussing Master Slave Husband Wife by Ilyon Woo. We’re joined by actor and author... more
*Patreon- and Substack-only bonus episode teaser* Today we are joined by author Luvvie Ajayi Jones to discuss the all-important topic of... more
Today we’re joined by author Regina Porter to discuss her new book, The Rich People Have Gone Away. She explains what made... more
Today we’re joined by the multitalented LaDarrion Williams about his fantasy debut Blood at the Root, which re-imagines a magical academy... more
Jay Ellis, star of HBO's Insecure, joins The Stacks to discuss his new memoir, Did Everyone Have an Imaginary Friend (or Just... more
It’s The Stacks Book Club Day, and we are discussing the classic post-apocalyptic novel Parable of the Sower, which is... more
Author Mateo Askaripour is back on The Stacks to talk about his sophomore novel, This Great Hemisphere, a work of speculative fiction about... more
*Patreon- and Substack-only bonus episode teaser* This edition of The Stacks Unabridged is dedicated to the New York Times’ 100 Best Books... more
We are joined by journalist and author Adam Higginbotham, whose new book is Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster... more
We are joined by Katherine Lewin, founder of the hosting shop Big Night in NYC, to discuss her new cookbook Big... more
Today author and essayist Emily Raboteau joins The Stacks to discuss her book Lessons for Survival: Mothering Against "The Apocalypse."... more
For this edition of The Stacks Book Club, Melissa Mogollon returns to dissect the popular romantic novel It Ends with Us by... more
*Patreon- and Substack-only bonus episode teaser* Los Angeles photographer Aaron Jay Young visits The Stacks Unabridged to discuss Queen, a portrait book... more
Author and multimedia artist Akwaeke Emezi joins us with their latest novel Little Rot, set in the underworld of a... more
Friend of The Stacks Chelsea Devantez is here to tell us about her debut memoir I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This... more
Today we are speaking with Melissa Mogollon about her debut novel Oye, a tragicomic family drama told in a series of... more
It is The Stacks Book Club Day, and we're celebrating James Baldwin and his centennial year by reading his book, No Name... more
*Patreon- and Substack-only bonus episode teaser* For today’s Unabridged, book lovers Cree Myles (All Ways Black) and Sara Hildreth (Fiction Matters)... more
Sierra Greer is the novelist behind the new speculative fiction book Annie Bot, about what happens when an AI robot designed... more
Writer and podcaster Carvell Wallace joins us to discuss their debut memoir Another Word for Love. Carvell describes the challenge of... more
Today the prolific and award-winning children's book and Young Adult author Paula Yoo joins us. Her new nonfiction book is... more
Today we are joined by Yahdon Israel - writer, founder of Literaryswag Book Club, and Senior Editor at Simon & Schuster.... more
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
In light of the recent wave of book bannings taking place across The United of States, The Stacks is spending all week... more