The Stacks

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 Jay Ellis to explore the story of The Crafts, a husband-and-wife duo who escaped slavery by pretending to be a white man and his slave in 1848. We discuss why we think this story fell out of the collective consciousness, how the horrors of slavery are often minimized, and the complicated nature of familial relationships in the midst of chattel slavery. Be sure to listen to the end of today’s episode to find out what our next book club pick will be. You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/08/28/ep-334-master-slave-husband-wifeConnect with Jay: Instagram | Twitter | WebsiteConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | SubscribeSUPPORT THE STACKSJoin The Stacks Pack on PatreonTo 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.

*Patreon- and Substack-only bonus episode teaser*Today we are joined by author Luvvie Ajayi Jones to discuss the all-important topic of book cover design and book marketing. Luvvie regularly works with aspiring new authors through her Book Academy, guiding them all the way through the publishing process. We also play a game where we predict whether or not a book will sell based on the title and cover (see the covers here).*This episode is exclusive to members of The Stacks Pack on Patreon and our Substack subscribers. To join a community, get inside access to the show, and listen now, click the link below.JOIN PATREON OR SUBSTACK TO LISTENYou can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://www.thestackspodcast.com/unabridged/2024/08/23/tsu-37-luvvie-ajayi-jonesConnect with Luvvie: Instagram | Twitter | WebsiteConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | SubscribeSUPPORT THE STACKSJoin The Stacks Pack on PatreonPurchasing 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 author Regina Porter to discuss her new book, The Rich People Have Gone Away. She explains what made her hesitant to write a COVID novel and why she eventually changed her mind. She shares the role of humor in her work, and what made exploring the trope of missing white women exciting to her. The Stacks Book Club pick for August is Master Slave Husband Wife by Ilyon Woo. We will discuss the book on August 28th with Jay Ellis. You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/08/21/ep-333-regina-porterConnect with Regina: InstagramConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | SubscribeSUPPORT THE STACKSJoin The Stacks Pack on PatreonTo 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 multitalented LaDarrion Williams about his fantasy debut Blood at the Root, which re-imagines a magical academy as an HBCU. LaDarrion explains how being a playwright differs from being a novelist, how he has navigated criticism from readers, and why he wanted to write a Young Adult story for Black boys.The Stacks Book Club pick for August is Master Slave Husband Wife by Ilyon Woo. We will discuss the book on August 28th with Jay Ellis. You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/08/14/ep-332-ladarrion-williamsConnect with LaDarrion: Instagram | Twitter Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | SubscribeSUPPORT THE STACKSJoin The Stacks Pack on PatreonTo 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.

Jay Ellis, star of HBO's Insecure, joins The Stacks to discuss his new memoir, Did Everyone Have an Imaginary Friend (or Just Me)?: Adventures in Boyhood. We talk about how this book came to be, where Jay’s imaginary friend came from and the purpose he served in his life. We also consider productivity versus creativity, and the books that made Jay fall in love with reading.The Stacks Book Club pick for August is Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom by Ilyon Woo. We will discuss the book on August 28th with Jay Ellis. You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/08/07/ep-331-jay-ellisConnect with Jay: Instagram | Twitter | WebsiteConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | SubscribeSUPPORT THE STACKSJoin The Stacks Pack on PatreonTo 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, and we are discussing the classic post-apocalyptic novel Parable of the Sower, which is set now, in July 2024. We’re joined again by Lessons for Survival author Emily Raboteau. We talk about what we think of Lauren, the book’s main character, and what we make of the religious and romantic elements in the story. We also contextualize the book’s iconic author, Octavia E. Butler.Be sure to listen to the end of today’s episode to find out what our August book club pick will be.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/07/31/ep-330-parable-of-the-sowerConnect with Emily: Instagram | Twitter | WebsiteConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | SubscribeSUPPORT THE STACKSJoin The Stacks Pack on PatreonTo 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.

Author Mateo Askaripour is back on The Stacks to talk about his sophomore novel, This Great Hemisphere, a work of speculative fiction about an invisible woman on a mission to solve a high profile political murder. Mateo explains how he built the book’s world - set 500 years in the future - and why he doesn’t think about genre with his work. We also discuss the performance of political discourse and how this book compares to his debut, Black Buck. The Stacks Book Club pick for July is Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler. We will discuss the book on July 31st with Emily Raboteau. You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/07/24/ep-329-mateo-askaripourConnect with Mateo: Instagram | Twitter | WebsiteConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | SubscribeSUPPORT THE STACKSJoin The Stacks Pack on PatreonTo 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.

*Patreon- and Substack-only bonus episode teaser*This edition of The Stacks Unabridged is dedicated to the New York Times’ 100 Best Books of the 21st Century. First we talk with Gilbert Cruz, the editor of the NYT Book Review, about the creation of the list and all the excitement it generated. Then, we welcome a panel of readers - Sara Hildreth, Hunter McClendon and Lupita Aquino - to discuss and debate the list, sharing our biggest takeaways, what we loved and hated, and which books we would add. We also try to figure out what the list says about US culture at large.*This episode is exclusive to members of The Stacks Pack on Patreon and our Substack subscribers. To join a community, get inside access to the show, and listen now, click the link below.JOIN PATREON OR SUBSTACK TO LISTENYou can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://www.thestackspodcast.com/unabridged/2024/07/19/tsu-36-nyt-100Connect with Gilbert: Instagram | Twitter | WebsiteConnect with Sara: Instagram | Novel Pairings | SubstackConnect with Hunter: Instagram | Website | SubstackConnect with Lupita: Instagram | Twitter | SubstackConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | SubscribeSUPPORT THE STACKSJoin The Stacks Pack on PatreonPurchasing 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 are joined by journalist and author Adam Higginbotham, whose new book is Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space. Adam explains why he wanted to tell the story of the Challenger, and the importance of focusing on its crew. He also reveals how he kept all the people and puzzle pieces straight, and tells a wild story about an unpublished memoir that he discovered in his research.The Stacks Book Club pick for July is Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler. We will discuss the book on July 31st with Emily Raboteau. You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/07/17/ep-328-adam-higginbothamConnect with Adam: Twitter | WebsiteConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | SubscribeSUPPORT THE STACKSJoin The Stacks Pack on PatreonTo 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 are joined by Katherine Lewin, founder of the hosting shop Big Night in NYC, to discuss her new cookbook Big Night: Dinners, Parties & Dinner Parties. Katherine explains how she makes hosting feel easy and welcoming and shares the keys to having a successful Big Night. We also learn about her development process and how she decided on which recipes to include in the book.The Stacks Book Club pick for July is Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler. We will discuss the book on July 31st with Emily Raboteau. You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/07/10/ep-327-katherine-lewinConnect with Katherine: Instagram | Website | Big Night IGConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | SubscribeSUPPORT THE STACKSJoin The Stacks Pack on PatreonTo 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.