Today is The Stacks Book Club Day, and we’re joined by bestselling author Mary H.K. Choi (Pool House) to discuss our June pick, The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. This allegorical novel follows Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy whose quest from Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of buried treasure transforms into a life-changing journey of self-discovery. We discuss the book’s legacy, how it relates to the cultural phenomena of “girl boss” and “the manosphere,” and which parts we loved and hated.

There are spoilers in this episode.

Make sure you listen to the end of the episode to find out our July book club pick!

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/6/24/ep-430-the-alchemist

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*Patreon and Substack-only bonus episode teaser, click here for the full episode*

Now that we’re officially halfway through 2026, it’s time for a little mid-year book check-in with friends of the pod, Cree Myles (All Ways Black) and Sara Hildreth (Fiction Matters)! Together, we gush about the books we loved (and hated) from the first half of the year, the titles we’re most excited for in the second half of the year, and all the bookish trends defining 2026. Get ready for lots of reading inspo, juicy hot takes, and of course, book gossip.

You can find links to everything we discuss on today’s show on The Stacks Website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/unabridged/2026/6/19/tsu-60-sara-hildreth-cree-myles

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Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by award-winning independent journalist and author Justine van der Leun to talk about her newest book, Unreasonable Women: Three Stories of Violence, Imprisonment, and Extraordinary Survival. Based on seven years of reporting, research, and interviews with over 1000 incarcerated women, this book explores criminalized survival—a phenomenon in which people who defend themselves against abuse are subsequently prosecuted and even imprisoned—through the stories of three women who had to kill their attackers to survive. We talk about how Justine came to these types of stories, the details of the survey she conducted, and what she looked for in the women she spotlighted.

The Stacks Book Club pick for June is The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. We’ll be discussing the book with Mary H.K. Choi on Wednesday, June 24th.

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/6/17/ep-429-justine-van-der-leun

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Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by legendary former major league baseball player and manager, Johnnie B. “Dusty” Baker Jr., to talk about his new memoir, Crossroads: A Memoir in Baseball and Life. In this book, Dusty reflects on his extraordinary life and baseball career while sharing the hard-earned wisdom and lessons he learned along the way. We discuss his thoughts on baseball's evolution over the years, his perspectives on winning and losing, and whether he thinks we’ll see a resurgence of Black American players in the MLB.

The Stacks Book Club pick for June is The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. We’ll be discussing the book with Mary H.K. Choi on Wednesday, June 24th.

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/6/10/ep-428-dusty-baker

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Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by best-selling author Mary H.K. Choi to discuss her newest novel, Pool House. Set against the backdrop of Hollywood, this book explores the complex relationship between Stevie and her mother, Moon, as they share their glass-walled pool house when financial struggles force them to rent out their home. We chat about what it’s like publishing a book in today’s literary landscape, her very specific snack and beverage lineup, and her journey into adult novels after establishing a YA career.

The Stacks Book Club pick for June is The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. We’ll be discussing the book with Mary H.K. Choi on Wednesday, June 24th.

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/6/3/ep-427-mary-hk-choi

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It’s The Stacks Book Club Day, and we’re once again joined by award-winning author, theoretical physicist, and cosmologist, Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, to discuss Lonely Crowds by Stephanie Wambugu. Set in the early ‘90s, this book traces the decades-long friendship between Ruth and Maria, whose intense childhood bond is tested in adulthood by the glamorous yet competitive nature of the New York City art world. Chanda and I chat about the complicated balance of making art and making money, discuss how first-person writing plays into the unreliable narrator trope, and try to figure out who exactly is on the cover.

There are spoilers on this episode.

Listen to the end of the episode to hear what our June book club pick will be!

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/5/27/ep-426-lonely-crowds

Connect with Chanda: Instagram | Website | Bluesky

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Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by author Imani Thompson to discuss her debut novel, Honey. This book follows Yrsa, a Black PhD student whose accidental murder of a problematic male professor awakens her thirst for killing men in the name of feminism. We talk about her journey of writing this book, the academic theory that inspired it, and the key differences between individual and state-sanctioned violence.

The Stacks Book Club pick for May is Lonely Crowds by Stephanie Wambugu. We’ll be discussing the book with Chanda Prescod-Weinstein on Wednesday, May 27.

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/5/20/ep-425-imani-thompson

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*Patreon and Substack-only bonus episode teaser, click here for the full episode*

In this bonus episode, I’m joined by writer, editor, and translator Daniel Hahn to discuss his newest book, If This Be Magic: The Unlikely Art of Shakespeare in Translation. Today, we chat about Daniel’s approach to this work, how studying Shakespeare in translation helps us understand language, and the various quirks that come up when translating.

You can find links to everything we discuss on today’s show on The Stacks Website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/unabridged/2026/5/15/tsu-59-daniel-hahn

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Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by writer, psychotherapist, podcast host, and creator of The Kardashian Kolloquium, MJ Corey, to discuss her debut book, Dekonstructing the Kardashians: A New Media Manifesto. In this book, MJ uses the rise of the Kardashians to analyze the evolution of media and celebrity culture in the internet age. We talk about how MJ began studying the Kardashians through a postmodern lens, whether the family shapes or responds to trends, and the factors that make an American icon.

The Stacks Book Club pick for May is Lonely Crowds by Stephanie Wambugu. We’ll be discussing the book with Chanda Prescod-Weinstein on Wednesday, May 27.

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/5/13/ep-424-mj-corey

Connect with MJ: Website | Instagram | Substack | TikTok

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Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by award-winning theoretical physicist and cosmologist, Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, to discuss her newest book, The Edge of Space-Time: Particles, Poetry, and the Cosmic Dream Boogie. In it, Chanda uses poetry, pop culture, and Black feminism to explore some of the most abstract concepts and mysteries of the universe, from black holes to dark matter. We talk about why she wants us all to know about advanced scientific concepts, how she simplifies these topics for lay readers, and how all this high-level science relates to the social and political issues of our time.

The Stacks Book Club pick for May is Lonely Crowds by Stephanie Wambugu. We’ll be discussing the book with Chanda Prescod-Weinstein on Wednesday, May 27.

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/5/6/ep-423-chanda-prescod-weinstein

Connect with Chanda: Instagram | Website | Bluesky

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.