Month: April 2022

Unabridged: A Book Should Be More Like an Orgasm with Hunter McLendon

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For this Unabridged discussion, we’re joined by Hunter McLendon, the reader behind @shelfbyshelf on bookstagram. Together, we unpack what makes fiction or nonfiction good, and the practice of writing for other writers versus writing for readers. We also get into the legitimacy of star rating systems when everyone has a different idea of what five stars means. Listen out for our Pulitzer predictions!

*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.

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Everything we talk about on today’s episode can be found below in the show notes. You can also find what we talked about on Amazon.

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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. 212 Doppelgangbanger by Cortney Lamar Charleston — The Stacks Book Club (Nate Marshall)

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We welcome back Nate Marshall today to discuss Cortney Lamar Charleston’s poetry collection Doppelgangbanger, which grapples with the tensions that impact a Black boy’s struggle through self-destructive definitions of manhood. We discuss the narratives around coming of age in the suburbs and the city, and ask ourselves, is there really such a thing as an objectively good poem?

Be sure to listen to the end of today’s episode to find out what our May book club pick will be!

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Everything we talk about on today’s episode can be found below in the show notes. You can also find everything we talked about on Amazon.

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Connect with Nate: Twitter | Instagram | Website
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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. 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.

Ep. 211 A Radical Shift with Julie Otsuka

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Today we’re speaking with Julie Otsuka, whose nationally-bestselling novel The Swimmers explores what happens to a group of obsessed recreational swimmers when a crack appears at the bottom of their local pool. Our conversation covers the art of crafting sentences and finding the right voice. We also discuss the joy of writing in cafes, and the element of surprise.
There are no spoilers on this episode.

The Stacks Book Club selection for April is Doppelgangbanger by Cortney Lamar Charleston. We will discuss the book on April 27th with Nate Marshall.

LISTEN NOW

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Overcast | Stitcher | Transcript

Everything we talk about on today’s episode can be found below in the show notes. You can also find everything we talked about on Amazon.

Connect with Julie: 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. 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.

Ep. 210 A Warm Hug with Danny Pellegrino

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Today we’re joined by the delightful Danny Pellegrino, author of How Do I Un-Remember This?: Unfortunately True Stories, a collection of essays about growing up as a closeted gay kid in small-town Ohio. We discuss the need to spotlight books in pop culture, the responsibility of media to tell stories that include gay characters, and how we handle grief. Traci also urges Danny to start his own LGBTQIA+ book club, watch out Reese!

The Stacks Book Club selection for April is Doppelgangbanger by Cortney Lamar Charleston. We will discuss the book on April 27th with Nate Marshall.

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. You can also find everything we talked about on Amazon.

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Connect with Danny: Instagram | Twitter | Podcast | 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. 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.

Ep. 209 A Poem is About Wonder with Nate Marshall

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In this episode we speak with the lauded writer, educator and MC Nate Marshall, whose latest poetry collection Finna was named one of NPR’s best books of 2020. We discuss poetry’s early-2000s pop culture heyday, its evolving cultural voice and our first introductions to the oft-intimidating, wonder-evoking art form.

The Stacks Book Club selection for April is Doppelgangbanger by Cortney Lamar Charleston. We will discuss the book on April 27th with Nate Marshall.

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. You can also find everything we talked about on Amazon.

Books

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Everything Else

Connect with Nate: 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. 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 Stacks Book Club — April 2022

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April is National Poetry Month! To celebrate, we’re reading Cortney Lamar Charleston’s Doppelgangbanger for The Stacks Book Club. The author’s second poetry collection unpacks American Black masculinity and its intersection with love, community and family. Charleston’s voice and sensibility are informed by his upbringing in 90s Southside Chicago during hip hop’s heyday. His playful but vulnerable writing explores a Black boy’s struggle to authentically redefine his own manhood amid traditional, self-destructive influences.

We will be discussing Doppelgangbanger by Cortney Lamar Charleston on Wednesday, April 27th. You can find out who our guest will be for that discussion by listening to the podcast on April 6th. 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.

Order your copy of our April 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.