Mireille C Harper, author and Editorial Director at Tonic, Bloomsbury, joins us for a conversation about bell hooks’ black feminist text Sisters of the Yam, a book that’s as relevant today as when it was published 30 years ago.

Mireille shares how discovering this text in her twenties reshaped her understanding of Black womanhood, healing, and the radical act of self-care, and together, we explore why hooks' blend of theory and practical wisdom continues to resonate with us today. She also shares some insights from her decade long career in the publishing industry.

We also discuss:

✨How self-care got hijacked by capitalism and Big Dopamine

✨That time bell hooks came for Beyoncé 

✨Community as survival and praxis, not just a nice idea

✨FKA Twigs' timely question; ‘where are the thinkers??'

Book: Sisters of the Yam by bell hooks

Guest: Mireille C Harper

You can follow Mireille on instagram @mireillecharper and on Substack at https://mireilleharper.substack.com/ for more of her writing and publishing insights.

DISCLAIMER; I do call the book ‘Sisterhood of the Yam’ a few times through the episode, forgive me, I had travelling pants on the brain.

You can find us on Instagram @thestackedpod and drop us an email at [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tamara Lawrence & Amanda join us this week for a book chat about Chukwuebuka Ibeh’s beautiful debut Blessings.

We explore how Ibeh captures the complexities of growing up queer in contexts that don’t always make space for you; from the tender moments of becoming, to the weight of family expectations, as well as what makes this coming-of-age story so particularly moving to us.

Book: Blessings by Chukwuebuka Ibeh

Guests: Tamara Lawrence & Amanda Kingsley

You can find us on Instagram @thestackedpod and drop us an email at [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bolu Babalola joins us this week to discuss love, literature, and the enduring power of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice.

Bolu & Ziporah explore why Austen’s masterpiece remains the blueprint for modern romance (hello, enemies-to-lovers!), faithful screen adaptations, and how our personal circumstances and social conditions can shape our expectations for ourselves. 

We also discuss Bolu’s highly anticipated new release, Sweet Heat and get exclusive insights into this steamy sequel to Honey & Spice as Bolu shares what’s in store for fan-favourites Kiki and Malakai, as well as her thoughts on writing authentic Black love stories that celebrate joy, passion and community.

Featured Book: Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen

Guest: Bolu Babalola

Follow us on instagram @thestackedpod to join in on the conversation, and you can also drop us an email at [email protected]

You can also follow Bolu on Instagram @boluberry

You can find us on Instagram @thestackedpod and drop us an email at [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This season we’re kicking off with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's long-awaited novel, Dream Count.

We get into Adichie's exploration of the search for romantic fulfillment and marriage as achievement in the African context. We also touch on how Adichie has shaped perceptions of African feminism and storytelling, and the evolution of her characters and themes over time….as well as how we react to them now, all things considered.

Featured Book: Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Guest: Amanda Kingsley

You can find us on Instagram @thestackedpod and drop us an email at [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi friends…👀

Stacked is back with a fresh format, and the same old fun.

Join us for our fourth season where we'll be joined by various guests (friends, writers, readers, publishers!) for conversations on some of their favourite reads, old and new.

New episodes out every other Thursday! Don't forget to follow the podcast so you never miss them.

You can find us on Instagram @thestackedpod and drop us an email at [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for the last episode of season 3! We're discussing why we love our hometown fave Zadie Smith and her sprawling novels. We covered 'White Teeth', 'On Beauty' and her essay collection 'Intimations'. We also took a moment to reflect on the season and all that we've learned.

Thank you for joining us along the way friends x

Follow us on instagram: thestackedpod

Sign up for our newsletter: Stacked Weekly

Produced by AiAi Studios:

www.aiaistudios.com

https://www.instagram.com/aiai.studios/

You can find us on Instagram @thestackedpod and drop us an email at [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for the penultimate episode of the season as we explore identity, gender fluidity, and the power of creative expression through the works of the inimitable Akwaeke Emezi. We'll be discussing the semi-autobiographical "Freshwater," the passionate romance "You Made A Fool of Death With Your Beauty", and the memoir "Dear Senthuran."

Follow us on instagram: thestackedpod

Sign up for our newsletter: Stacked Weekly

Produced by AiAi Studios:

www.aiaistudios.com

https://www.instagram.com/aiai.studios/

You can find us on Instagram @thestackedpod and drop us an email at [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we took a break from fiction and read the work of writer, activist and academic Angela Davis. The thing that concerned us the most was just how relevant her work is today. Join us as we discuss 'Freedom Is A Constant Struggle', 'Are Prisons Obsolete?' and 'Women, Race and Class' and how they've informed the ways we want to engage with politics and contribute to change.

Follow us on instagram: thestackedpod

Sign up for our newsletter: Stacked Weekly

Produced by AiAi Studios:

www.aiaistudios.com

https://www.instagram.com/aiai.studios/

You can find us on Instagram @thestackedpod and drop us an email at [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're discussing Buchi Emecheta who was a social worker and writer (often considered the first successful black woman novelist living in Britain after 1948). We've actually discussed her on the pod before and talked a lot about motherhood, but this episode was a great opportunity to talk about the other themes and contexts that come up in Emecheta's work like the immigrant experience in Britain during the 60s.

Join us as we discuss 'In The Ditch' and 'The Bride Price'!

Follow us on instagram: thestackedpod

Sign up for our newsletter: Stacked Weekly

Produced by AiAi Studios:

www.aiaistudios.com

https://www.instagram.com/aiai.studios/

You can find us on Instagram @thestackedpod and drop us an email at [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we read the incredible Jamaica Kincaid, Antiguan-American novelist & essayist (& gardener!), and she got us thinking about parent-child relationships, the nature of British tourism, and as always we end up circling right back to colonialism.

In this episode, we discuss her debut novel, 'Lucy', her collection of short stories 'At the Bottom of the River' and her anti-colonial essay 'A Small Place'

Follow us on instagram: thestackedpod

Sign up for our newsletter: Stacked Weekly

Produced by AiAi Studios:

www.aiaistudios.com

https://www.instagram.com/aiai.studios/

You can find us on Instagram @thestackedpod and drop us an email at [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.