It’s The Stacks Book Club Day, and we’re unpacking Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov with returning guest Ira Madison III. This literary classic is widely studied, but why? We explore what makes this novel a classic, why it’s still taught today, and what Nabokov wanted readers to take away from his most infamous work.

There are spoilers on this episode.

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

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:

https://thestackspodcast.com/2025/2/26/ep-360-lolita

Connect with Ira: Instagram | Website

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Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission.

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

This week, journalist and activist Rebecca Nagle joins us to discuss her debut book, By the Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight for Justice on Native Land. We discuss her decision to expand her podcast, This Land, into a book, the deliberate erasure of Indigenous people in the United States, and how she approaches the idea of "objectivity" in journalism.

The Stacks Book Club pick for February is Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. We will discuss the book on February 26th with Ira Madison III returning as our guest.

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:

https://thestackspodcast.com/2025/2/19/ep-359-rebecca-nagle

Connect with Rebecca: Instagram | Twitter

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

SUPPORT THE STACKS

Join The Stacks Pack on Patreon

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

Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission.

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

*Patreon- and Substack-only bonus episode teaser*

In this episode of The Stacks Unabridged, author and ESPN writer David Dennis Jr. joins us to break down Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show. We get into the performance itself, the layers behind it, and how it fits into his ongoing beef with Drake. Plus, we discuss the reaction to the show and what it says about Kendrick’s place in music and culture.

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:

https://www.thestackspodcast.com/unabridged/2025/2/14/tsu-43-david-dennis-jr

Connect with David: Instagram | Twitter

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

Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission.

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

This week, scholar and author Eve L. Ewing joins us to discuss her new book, Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism. We examine the differences between schooling and education, the purpose of schools and how their design perpetuates inequality, and how we can change them for the better. Eve also shares how her experience as a middle school teacher has shaped her as a writer.

The Stacks Book Club pick for February is Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. We will discuss the book on February 26th with Ira Madison III returning as our guest.

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:

https://thestackspodcast.com/2025/2/12/ep-358-eve-ewing

Connect with Eve: Instagram | Website | Twitter

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

SUPPORT THE STACKS

Join The Stacks Pack on Patreon

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

Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission.

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

This week, writer and host of the podcast Keep It!, Ira Madison III joins us to discuss his essay collection, Pure Innocent Fun. We talk about nostalgia, how the book has changed Ira’s identity as a writer, and why he considers literature to be the ultimate form of gossip.

The Stacks Book Club pick for February is Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. We will discuss the book on February 26th with Ira Madison III returning as our guest.

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:

https://thestackspodcast.com/2025/2/5/ep-357-ira-madison-iii

Connect with Ira: Instagram | Website

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

SUPPORT THE STACKS

Join The Stacks Pack on Patreon

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

Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission.

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

It’s The Stacks Book Club Day, and we’re diving into The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley with returning guest J Wortham. We explore the book’s layered genres, discuss its most compelling moments, and reflect on the parts that didn’t quite land. Plus, we consider the question: is it possible to unplug from empire?

There are spoilers on this episode.

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

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:

https://thestackspodcast.com/2025/1/29/ep-356-the-ministry-of-time

Connect with J: Instagram | Twitter

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

SUPPORT THE STACKS

Join The Stacks Pack on Patreon

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

Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission.

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

This week, we're joined by journalist and debut author Michael Waters to discuss his book, The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports. We explore the history of gender surveillance and sex testing for athletes, as well as how sports have become the frontier for transgender political battles. Michael also shares his approach to navigating the evolving landscape of language in gender identity.

The Stacks Book Club pick for January is The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley. We will discuss the book on January 29th with J Wortham returning as our guest.

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:

https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2025/1/22/ep-355-michael-waters

Connect with Michael: Instagram | Twitter | Website

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

Inclusive Action for the City Fundraiser | Ways to Help with Fire Relief

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

In today's special bonus episode, we’re offering some counterprogramming to the inauguration with a discussion of Toni Morrison’s lecture, “Goodness: Altruism and the Literary Imagination.” Saeed Jones joins us to explore Morrison’s thoughts on how goodness sustains itself in the face of evil and what it means to lean into our own goodness as we move into 2025 and beyond.

The Stacks Book Club pick for January is The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley. We will discuss the book on January 29th with J Wortham returning as our guest.

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:

https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2025/1/20/bonus-saeed-jones

Connect with Saeed: Instagram | Twitter | Bluesky | Threads | Vibe Check | Substack

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

Inclusive Action for the City Fundraiser | Ways to Help with Fire Relief

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

*Patreon- and Substack-only bonus episode teaser*

In this episode of The Stacks Unabridged, Cree Myles (All Ways Black) and Sara Hildreth (Fiction Matters) are back to reflect on 2024 as a year in books and share the titles they’re most excited to read in the first half of 2025. From last year’s standouts to exciting new releases, this conversation is a must-listen for book lovers updating their TBRs.

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:

https://www.thestackspodcast.com/unabridged/2025/1/17/tsu-42-2025-book-preview

Connect with Cree: Instagram | Twitter | Substack

Connect with Sara: Instagram | Fiction Matters | Novel Pairings | Substack

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

Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission.

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

This week, we're joined by debut author Kaliane Bradley to discuss her novel, The Ministry of Time, which is The Stacks Book Club pick for January. We talk about how her pandemic obsession inspired this book, how she feels about her novel being called "genre-breaking", and what it was like to land on Obama’s summer reading list.

The Stacks Book Club pick for January is The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley. We will discuss the book on January 29th with J Wortham returning as our guest.

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:

https://thestackspodcast.com/2025/1/15/ep-354-kaliane-bradley

Connect with Kaliane: Website

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

Inclusive Action for the City Fundraiser | Ways to Help with Fire Relief

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