This month’s Stacks Book Club selection is Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Its the story of star-crossed lovers who fall in love despite the years long grudge of their families. Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays from the time of its writing until the present day. Its universal themes of young love, family feuds and hate have persisted through the ages, and make it ripe for a book club discussion. So dust of your copy from high school, or snag a new one and read our final book club pick of the year with us.
We will discuss Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare on Wednesday, December 27th. You can find out who our guest will be by listening to our December 6th episode. If you’d like even more discussion around the book, consider joining The Stacks Pack on Patreon and participating in The Stacks’ monthly virtual book club.
LA’s indie bookstore Reparations Club offers you 10% off your copy of Romeo and Juliet via this link using the code STACKS10 at checkout! (Or get your copy of our December book on Bookshop.org or Amazon).
To contribute to The Stacks, join The Stacks Pack, and get exclusive perks, check out our Patreon page (https://www.patreon.com/thestacks). We are beyond grateful for anything you’re able to give to support the production of The Stacks.
The Stacks participates in affiliate programs. We receive a small commission when products are purchased through links on this website, and this comes at no cost to you. This in no way effects opinions on books and products reviewed. For more information click here.
Author Mitchell S. Jackson returns for our book club discussion of Ling Ma’s post-apocalyptic novel Severance. On this episode we try to piece together the story’s timeline, unpack the ending, and we cast the TV show adaptation. We also discuss quote marks, capitalism, and the role of religion throughout the novel. There are spoilers on this episode.
Be sure to listen to the end of today’s episode to find out what our December book club pick will be.
To contribute to The Stacks, join The Stacks Pack, and get exclusive perks, check out our Patreon page. If you prefer to support the show with a one time contribution go to paypal.me/thestackspod.
The Stacks participates in affiliate programs. We receive a small commission when products are purchased through links on this website, and this comes at no cost to you. This in no way effects opinions on books and products reviewed here. For more information click here.
The only literary award that matters is The Stackies. A literary award for listeners of The Stacks, voted on by members of The Stacks Pack to celebrate the best (and worst) books of the year. After our inaugural award season in 2022, we’ve made a few changes. This year, we’re announcing our finalists in November and giving you until January to read from our list before voting in 2024. Remember only members of The Stacks Pack can vote on The Stackies, head over to Patreon to join.
To contribute to The Stacks, join The Stacks Pack, and get exclusive perks, check out our Patreon page (https://www.patreon.com/thestacks). We are beyond grateful for anything you’re able to give to support the production of The Stacks.
The Stacks participates in affiliate programs. We receive a small commission when products are purchased through links on this website, and this comes at no cost to you. This in no way effects opinions on books and products reviewed. For more information click here.
This Unabridged is a conversation with author and friend of The Stacks Kiese Laymon from our early show in New York City. We hear from Kiese about how he knows when his work is ready for an audience, and get intel on his forthcoming book. We also get into sports, hot topics, and the unmatched confidence of New Yorkers.
*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 the link below.
To contribute to The Stacks, join The Stacks Pack, and get exclusive perks, check out our Patreon page. If you prefer to support the show with a one time contribution go to paypal.me/thestackspod.
The Stacks participates in affiliate programs. We receive a small commission when products are purchased through links on this website, and this comes at no cost to you. This in no way effects opinions on books and products reviewed here. For more information click here.
Tony Award Winner Ali Stroker discusses her new middle grade novel Cut Loose!, co-written with Stacy Davidowitz. Ali reveals why she avoided having friends with disabilities in her youth, how she translates choreography for her wheelchair, and how her thinking around accommodations has changed over time. We also hear how she thinks about storytelling versus teaching her audience.
The Stacks Book Club selection for November isSeveranceby Ling Ma. We will discuss the book on November 29th with Mitchell S. Jackson.
To contribute to The Stacks, join The Stacks Pack, and get exclusive perks, check out our Patreon page. If you prefer to support the show with a one time contribution go to paypal.me/thestackspod.
The Stacks participates in affiliate programs. We receive a small commission when products are purchased through links on this website, and this comes at no cost to you. This in no way effects opinions on books and products reviewed here. For more information click here.
It’s that time of year again to shop for presents for all the people in your life, and I’m here to help with my 2023 gift guide. I broke it down this year for the kind of people on your shopping list, from homebodies to fashionistas, from food lovers to explorers. I often find lists broken down like “for your husband” or whatever to be reductive by gender stereotypes. I only included a handful of book recommendations here, but if you’re looking for the books I suggest you gift this year you can find that list on bookshop.org and amazon. I hope this takes a little pressure off you this holiday season. Oh, and don’t forget to buy a little something for yourself. Be sure to scroll to the bottom to find The Stacks codes for discounts on many of these great items.
The Book Lover
You know it wouldn’t be a gift guide from The Stacks without a nod to all the book lovers out there. I know it is really hard to shop for book lover because they often have the latest books, so instead of telling you to buy Britney’s memoir (which you should absolutely do) I’ve got a slew of book adjacent gifts for the readers in your life.
THE FOODIE
These gifts are perfect for anyone who loves cooking, hosting, or eating. I myself am a snack queen, but also love to take time in the kitchen to cook up a meal for the people I love most. From cookbooks with the best photos and recipes to kitchen gadgets that will make their lives better, this list is for your favorite kitchenista!
The Homebody
If you’re shopping for the stay at home type it can get tricky because how many throw blankets does any one person need (the answer is there is no limit), so I’m helping with some sweet gifts for around the house from beautiful puzzles to self watering planters.
The Explorer
These gifts are for the person who has their next tripped planned and i always on the go. From cosmetic bag accessories to travel friendly kicks, we’ve got the adventurers in your life covered!
The Workaholic
We all know that person who has no work life balance, and maybe they like it that way. Those people deserve nice things too, so here is a bunch of goodies for the overachievers in your life.
For the Kids (and the Kids at Heart)
If you’re got young people on your holiday list, I’ve got you covered. This list ranges from babies to teens, and even includes some activities for a whole family. A lot of the items on this list also work for the adults in your life who don’t ever want to grow up. I don’t blame them.
To contribute to The Stacks, join The Stacks Pack, and get exclusive perks, check out our Patreon page (https://www.patreon.com/thestacks). We are beyond grateful for anything you’re able to give to support the production of The Stacks.
The Stacks participates in affiliate programs. We receive a small commission when products are purchased through links on this website, and this comes at no cost to you. This in no way effects opinions on books and products reviewed. For more information click here.
Texas politician and author Beto O’Rourke joins The Stacks to talk about his book We’ve Got to Try: How the Fight for Voting Rights Makes Everything Else Possible. We learn why Beto thinks voting rights is the most important battle we’re currently fighting, what he says to people who don’t feel represented or served by politicians, and whether he plans to run for office again.
The Stacks Book Club selection for November isSeveranceby Ling Ma. We will discuss the book on November 29th with Mitchell S. Jackson.
To contribute to The Stacks, join The Stacks Pack, and get exclusive perks, check out our Patreon page. If you prefer to support the show with a one time contribution go to paypal.me/thestackspod.
The Stacks participates in affiliate programs. We receive a small commission when products are purchased through links on this website, and this comes at no cost to you. This in no way effects opinions on books and products reviewed here. For more information click here.
Award-winning author Jesmyn Ward joins The Stacks to discuss her latest novel Let Us Descend. She reveals how the book came to her, and how audience plays into her writing process. We also learn why Jesmyn changed her normal writing process for this book, how she writes to the center of emotions in her fiction, and how her level of success impacts her ability to write.
The Stacks Book Club selection for November isSeveranceby Ling Ma. We will discuss the book on November 29th with Mitchell S. Jackson.
To contribute to The Stacks, join The Stacks Pack, and get exclusive perks, check out our Patreon page. If you prefer to support the show with a one time contribution go to paypal.me/thestackspod.
The Stacks participates in affiliate programs. We receive a small commission when products are purchased through links on this website, and this comes at no cost to you. This in no way effects opinions on books and products reviewed here. For more information click here.
This month’s Stacks Book Club selection is Severance, a novel by Ling Ma. Part post-apocalyptic horror, part office satire – and a biting indictment of late-stage capitalism – it tracks millennial Candace Chen through the outbreak and aftermath of a fever which leaves most Americans dead. Carrying a dangerous secret of her own, a conflicted Candace joins a group of survivors intent on rebuilding society from the ground up. The book is a hilarious, deadpan coming-of-age tale and a poignant family story. Severance is the author’s first novel; it won a 2018 Kirkus Prize, was a New York Times Notable Book of 2018, and was shortlisted for the 2019 Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award.
We will discuss Severance by Ling Ma on Wednesday, November 29th. You can find out who our guest will be by listening to our November 1st episode. If you’d like even more discussion around the book, consider joining The Stacks Pack on Patreon and participating in The Stacks’ monthly virtual book club.
LA’s indie bookstore Reparations Club offers you 10% off your copy of Severance via this link using the code STACKS10 at checkout! (Or get your copy of our November book on Bookshop.org or Amazon.)
To contribute to The Stacks, join The Stacks Pack, and get exclusive perks, check out our Patreon page (https://www.patreon.com/thestacks). We are beyond grateful for anything you’re able to give to support the production of The Stacks.
The Stacks participates in affiliate programs. We receive a small commission when products are purchased through links on this website, and this comes at no cost to you. This in no way effects opinions on books and products reviewed. For more information click here.
Award-winning author Mitchell S. Jackson joins the show to discuss his new book Fly: The Big Book of Basketball Fashion. He explains why he wanted to write about the intersection of basketball and fashion in this hybrid of lookbook and cultural commentary. We also get into basketball’s best and worst dressed, what winning the Pulitzer has meant to Mitchell and why he never reads for pleasure.
The Stacks Book Club selection for November isSeveranceby Ling Ma. We will discuss the book on November 29th with Mitchell S. Jackson.
To contribute to The Stacks, join The Stacks Pack, and get exclusive perks, check out our Patreon page. If you prefer to support the show with a one time contribution go to paypal.me/thestackspod.
The Stacks participates in affiliate programs. We receive a small commission when products are purchased through links on this website, and this comes at no cost to you. This in no way effects opinions on books and products reviewed here. For more information click here.