Ep. 109 Trust Exercise by Susan Choi — The Stacks Book Club (Brandon Taylor)

Its The Stacks Book Club day, and we’re discussing the 2019 National Book Award winner in fiction, Trust Exercise by Susan Choi. Our guest is Brandon Taylor, author of Real Life, and if you missed Brandon’s first episode you can hear it here. Trust Exercise looks at fiction, perspective, and truth as it ventures back to a 1980’s performing arts high school. On this episode we discuss the many twists and turns we experienced as readers and our takes on the characters. We dive deep today, and that means lots of spoilers. You’ve been warned.

LISTEN NOW

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Overcast | Stitcher

Everything we talk about on today’s episode can be found below in the show notes and on Bookshop.org and Amazon.

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Connect with Brandon: Twitter | Instagram | Website
Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Subscribe

To support The Stacks and find out more from this week’s sponsors, click here.

To contribute to The Stacks, join The Stacks Pack, and get exclusive perks, check out our Patreon page. We are beyond grateful for anything you’re able to give to support the production of this show. If you prefer to do 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.

Ep. 108 Priya Parker on Meaningful Gatherings in the Time of COVID

Priya Parker, the author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters, is helping us take a deeper look at how we can create collective meaning in modern life, one gathering at a time. Not only do we discuss Priya’s amazing book, but we also talk about connecting with purpose when we cannot be physically together. She shares insight into her new podcast Together Apart which, is about gatherings in the time of Coronavirus. Then we look ahead to how we will gather after COVID-19.

Remember, The Stacks Book Club selection for April is Trust Exercise by Susan Choi, we will discuss the book with Brandon Taylor on April 29th.

LISTEN NOW

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Overcast | Stitcher

Everything we talk about on today’s episode can be found below in the show notes and on Bookshop.org and Amazon.

Connect with Priya: Twitter | Instagram | Website |Together Apart Podcast
Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Subscribe

To support The Stacks and find out more from this week’s sponsors, click here.

To contribute to The Stacks, join The Stacks Pack, and get exclusive perks, check out our Patreon page. We are beyond grateful for anything you’re able to give to support the production of this show. If you prefer to do 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.

Ep. 107 Abi Daré//The Girl with the Louding Voice

Abi Daré is the debut novelist of The Girl with the Louding Voice. Her book is a coming of age story about a Nigerian girl, Adunni, who is sold into marriage by her father, and the the journey she goes on to find her voice. Today we talk with Daré about how her characters haunt her thoughts, her unique writing process, and her unexpected day job.

Remember, The Stacks Book Club selection for April is Trust Exercise by Susan Choi, we will discuss the book with Brandon Taylor on April 29th.

LISTEN NOW

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Overcast | Stitcher

Everything we talk about on today’s episode can be found below in the show notes and on Bookshop.org and Amazon.

Connect with Abi: Twitter | Instagram
Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Subscribe

To support The Stacks and find out more from this week’s sponsors, click here.

To contribute to The Stacks, join The Stacks Pack, and get exclusive perks, check out our Patreon page. We are beyond grateful for anything you’re able to give to support the production of this show. If you prefer to do 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.

Ep. 106 Samantha Irby//Wow, No Thank You

Wow, No Thank You is the most recent essay collection from the hilarious and charming Samantha Irby. We talk today with Samantha about her new book, how she pitches her collections, and what sort of mood she strikes when she sits down to writes (its not what you think). This episode, like Irby’s writing, is sure to make you laugh out loud.

Remember, The Stacks Book Club selection for April is Trust Exercise by Susan Choi, we will discuss the book with Brandon Taylor on April 29th.

LISTEN NOW

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Overcast | Stitcher

Everything we talk about on today’s episode can be found below in the show notes and on Bookshop.org and Amazon.

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Connect with Samantha: Twitter | Instagram | Website | Newsletter
Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Subscribe

To support The Stacks and find out more from this week’s sponsors, click here.

To contribute to The Stacks, join The Stacks Pack, and get exclusive perks, check out our Patreon page. We are beyond grateful for anything you’re able to give to support the production of this show. If you prefer to do 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 Stacks 2nd Anniversary Superlatives

(Photo: Claire Leahy)

Today marks The Stacks’ second birthday! This little podcast baby is now a toddler!

In that time we have released 134 episodes, had over 70 guests, discussed countless books, and read thousands of pages. It has been an amazing journey and it wouldn’t be anything without all the love of support of this bookish community. I am beyond grateful to all of our guests, the publishers, the publicists, the authors, the readers, and anyone who has ever listened to the show.

This podcast has been one of my lives great joys.

Last year I created The Stacks Superlatives, and I thought we should do it again for year two! I have loved all of my guests and episodes, but there are a few that have stood out for me, so here they are!


Listener’s Favorite
Ep. 89 Staying True to Yourself with Jason Reynolds

This season an overwhelming crowd favorite was my conversation with author Jason Reynolds. Jason came on the show shortly after the release of his middle grade short story collection Look Both Ways. Jason brought with him his infectious and inspiring energy, and ridiculously good taste in books.

Most Therapuetic
Ep. 63 For the Love of Therapy with Lori Gottlieb
Ep. 64 The Unwinding of the Miracle by Julie Yip-Williams — The Stacks Book Club (Lori Gottlieb)

When you want to talk about real life stuff, you must call your therapist, and Lori Gottlieb is just that. The author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone talked with us about therapy, life, and loss. It was a really beautiful conversation about the ways we show up for each other and the ways we could do better. We then talked about Julie Yip-Williams death memoir, The Unwinding of the Miracle for The Stacks Book Club and it was a healing conversation about how we talk about death.

Most Poetic
Ep. 56 Wild Beauty by Ntozake Shange — The Stacks Book Club (Gabrielle Civil)

April is poetry month, and to help us tackle our first ever poetry collection, performance artists and author Gabrielle Civil joined us. We talked about Ntozake Shange’s collection Wild Beauty. Gabrielle made sure to encourage us all to read more poetry and to not worry about “getting it”.

Favorite Fellow Podcaster
Ep. 77 Its OK to Hate a Book with Sarah Enni
Ep. 78 Educated by Tara Westover — The Stacks Book Club (Sarah Enni)

Sarah Enni is an author and the host of The First Draft Podcast. On her show she sits down with authors and storytellers and discusses their creative process. It was such a delight to get together with someone else who does the same kind of show as me and to discuss books and podcasting. Not to mention all the wonderful insights Sarah had for The Stacks Book Club conversation of Educated by Tara Westover.

Book I Want Everyone to Read
Ep. 58 Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed — The Stacks Book Club (Keltie Knight)

If there was ever a book that could make you want to smile and cry at the same time it is Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed. The book is a collection of Strayed’s advice from a column she once wrote for The Rumpus. When we talked about this book with Keltie Knight of The Lady Gang was a total delight. If nothing else I think this book is great reminder to be a littler more empathetic and compassionate when we can be, and to be more of a mother fucker when we need to be.

Most Charming
The Short Stacks 27: Shea Serrano//Movies (and Other Things)

I dare you to listen to this episode and not want to become BFFs with Shea Serrano. He is an author and columnist at The Ringer. His books are super creative and funny, and his latest, Movies (and Other Things) is no exception. Anyone who knows of Shea knows he is hilarious and ridiculously talented with words. He also has the cutest family, and seems like a great hang. He is so smart and thoughtful, and all the things. Look at me I’m gushing. Just go listen to his and then join him on Twitter where he and his followers give to charities and people and need, and sometimes even get called out by BARACK OBAMA!

Bucket List Moment
The Short Stacks 22: Ibram X. Kendi//How to Be and Antiraicst
Ep. 65 Crafting a Compelling Narrative with Dave Cullen

When I first set out to create this show, I had a bucket list of authors I wanted to have on The Stacks. Welp, in our second season, I got TWO of them! Both Dave Cullen (Columbine) and Ibram X. Kendi (Stamped from the Beginning) came on the podcast to talk about their newest books. It was a total dream come true, and you can most certainly hear me fan-girling like crazy over both of them!

Person You Most Want to Get a Drink With
The Short Stacks 23 : Tressie McMillian Cottom//Thick

I had the absolute best time talking with author, podcast host, and professor Tressie McMillan Cottom about her collection of essays Thick. I don’t know what to say about her beside, she is a force and if she ever wanted to grab a drink (or twelve) I would be so down. I know sitting with her would be hilarious and would teach me so much about the world.

Best Book Breakdown
Ep. 60 Beloved by Toni Morrison — The Stacks Book Club (DaMaris B. Hill)

DaMaris B. Hill (A Bound Woman is a Dangerous Thing) joined the show to talk about Beloved by Toni Morrison, and from the first sentence she blew me (and everyone at home) away. She was layering all kinds of history as she broke down the details and implications of this book. DaMaris taught me so much in the hour we sat talking, the whole time I just kept thinking “I would LOVE to be in her classroom”. If you’ve ever read the book, you must listen to this episode. She will blow you away.

Most Sentimental
Ep. 1 Talking Books with Dallas Lopez

You can’t have an anniversary if you never get started, and so this superlative goes to the first ever episode with our guest, and my friend, Dallas Lopez. Dallas, a high school English teacher, joined the show before I ever knew what the show was, and helped shape The Stacks. I would be lost without his ability to talk about books.
(I know this is breaking the rules, but I don’t care)


I would love to hear what books or episodes stick out for you. Share in the comments below. This list is making me want to go back and listen to every single episode of the podcast. Thank you again and again for being a part of this show and this community. Without all of you, there is no The Stacks.


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 here. For more information click here.

The Stacks Book Club — April 2020

April marks the start of our third season of The Stacks. What a joy! Thank you all who have read along with The Stacks over these past two years, the show and the book club wouldn’t be what it is with out all of your enthusiasm and support.

Starting this month, we will have one book club book per month. The discussion of the book will be on the episode that falls on the last Wednesday of the month. This month that will be April 29th. Its a small change that will allow for more people to keep up with reading with The Stacks.

The Stacks will announce the book club selection on the first of the month, but you can find out a week early but tuning into the book club episode of the podcast. For example, we announced the April book on the March 25th episode of the podcast, and are announcing it now here, on April first!

So without further adieu, The Stacks Book Club pick for April 2020 is National Book Award winning novel, Trust Exercise by Susan Choi. The book looks at fiction and truth as it ventures back to a 1980’s performing arts high school. Trust Exercise is sure to inspire conversation about responsibility and desire and the ways we tell our stories.

Be sure to tune into The Stacks on April 29th for our deep dive into this book. There will be spoilers.

As always, we want to hear from you, so please reach out with your thoughts, questions, and things you want to hear discussed on the podcast. You can email us at thestackswithtraci@gmail.com, comment on this post, or reach out through Instagram @thestackspod.

Order your copies of our February books on Amazon or IndieBound.


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 here. For more information click here.

EP. 105 The Union of Science and Art with Brandon Taylor

Today marks the start of our third year here at The Stacks, and there is no better way to celebrate than by talking a whole lot about books! Thank you to all our listeners for their love and support, we can’t wait for year three! Make sure to listen to the introduction today to hear about some exciting changes to the podcast.

Our Guest today is Brandon Taylor, debut author of one of 2020’s buzziest books, Real Life. We talk today about releasing a book into the world, the similarities between science and art, and much more.

The Stacks Book Club selection for April is Trust Exercise by Susan Choi, we will discuss the book with Brandon Taylor on April 29th.

LISTEN NOW

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Overcast | Stitcher

Everything we talk about on today’s episode can be found below in the show notes and on Bookshop.org and Amazon.

Books

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Everything Else

Connect with Brandon: Twitter | Instagram | Website
Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Subscribe

To support The Stacks and find out more from this week’s sponsors, click here.

To contribute to The Stacks, join The Stacks Pack, and get exclusive perks, check out our Patreon page. We are beyond grateful for anything you’re able to give to support the production of this show. If you prefer to do 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.