The Stacks

Writer, poet and psychologist Hala Alyan joins this episode to discuss her newest poetry collection The Moon That Turns You Back. We hear about how she thinks about form, and cultivating empathy in art. Hala also talks about her experience promoting a book during the ongoing violence attacks on Gaza, and what it's like for her therapy patients to read her work.

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

https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/04/03/ep-313-hala-alyan

Connect with Hala: Instagram | Website

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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.

*Patreon- and Substack-only bonus episode teaser*

This episode of The Stacks Unabridged is a special AMA session with your host in the hot seat. We collected questions from social media and our Patreon and Substack communities, and Mr. Stacks asked Traci everything you wanted to know. You'll hear about how Traci reads for work versus pleasure, her favorite musicals, 2024 baseball predictions, and much more.

*This episode is exclusive to members of The Stacks Pack on Patreon and our Substack subscribers. To join a community, get inside access to the show, and listen now, click the link below.

JOIN PATREON OR SUBSTACK TO LISTEN

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

https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/03/29/tsu-32-ask-me-anything

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

SUPPORT THE STACKS

Join The Stacks Pack on Patreon

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.

Flawless author Elise Hu returns to discuss our March book club pick Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu. We talk about the satirical novel's themes of assimilation, the performance of imposed identity and the myth of the model minority. We also ask, who gets to be "American"?

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

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

https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/03/27/ep-312-interior-chinatown

Connect with Elise: Instagram | Twitter | Website | Substack | TED Talks Daily

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.

Sociologists and co-authors Pamela Prickett and Stefan Timmermans join The Stacks to talk about their book The Unclaimed: Abandonment and Hope in the City of Angels. The book follows four people whose bodies go unclaimed after their deaths, and how and why this happens. We also discuss how Pamela and Stefan think ethically about reporting and writing about the dead, why being claimed matters, and how they took care of themselves while spending eight years with this subject matter.

The Stacks Book Club selection for March is Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu. We will discuss the book on March 27th with Elise Hu.

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

https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/03/20/ep-311-pamela-prickett-stefan-timmermans

Connect with Pamela: Twitter | Website

Connect with Stefan: Twitter | 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.

Tommy Orange joins The Stacks today to discuss his new novel Wandering Stars. We talk about writing this prequel/sequel to his debut nove,l the Pulitzer Prize finalist, There There. Tommy reveals how he thinks about the relationship between faith and addiction, and why he writes about Oakland. He also talks about waiting until adulthood to finally see himself represented in popular culture, and how not seeing himself is a driving force in his work. Traci also asks Tommy if he has any plans to write nonfiction.

There are no spoilers in this episode.

The Stacks Book Club selection for March is Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu. We will discuss the book on March 27th with Elise Hu.

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

https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/03/13/ep-310-tommy-orange

Connect with Tommy: 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.

Author and TED Talks Daily host Elise Hu joins The Stacks to discuss her book Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital. Elise explains how Korea became a pop culture superpower, and how she approached writing about a culture outside of her own. We also discuss "cultural technology" and anti-Blackness in Korean beauty standards, and Elise slips into journalist mode to interview Traci.

The Stacks Book Club selection for March is Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu. We will discuss the book on March 27th with Elise Hu.

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

https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/03/06/ep-309-elise-hu

Connect with Elise: Instagram | Twitter | Website | Substack | TED Talks Daily

Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | 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.

Physician and bestselling author Uché Blackstock returns to discuss the memoir-manifesto Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want by Ruha Benjamin. We talk about viral justice and viral injustice, and how American individualism is one of the biggest challenges to the work of abolition. We also unpack why we struggle with owning the power we have, and how viral justice can show up in our communities, from education to labor and beyond.

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/2024/02/28/ep-308-viral-justice

Connect with Uché: Instagram | Twitter

Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | 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.

*patron-only bonus episode teaser*

This episode features audio from a February live show at Vroman's Bookstore with NYT bestselling novelist Kiley Reid (Such a Fun Age, Come and Get It). Kiley talks about her approach to character development and satire; she also reveals what she hopes her audiences take away from her work, and why she primarily cares about being entertaining.

*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.

JOIN THE STACKS PACK TO LISTEN

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

https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/02/23/tsu-31-kiley-reid

Connect with Kiley: Instagram | Twitter | Website

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

SUPPORT THE STACKS

Join The Stacks Pack on Patreon

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 episode features a discussion with journalist and writer Lauren Markham about her new book A Map of Future Ruins: On Borders and Belonging. She explains why Greece interested her as a base for her writing about immigration, and how the border is used as a tool for autocracy. We also talk about the criminalization of migrants and refugees and what abolition in immigration could look like.

The Stacks Book Club selection for February is Viral Justice by Ruha Benjamin. We will discuss the book on February 28th with Uché Blackstock.

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

https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/02/21/ep-307-lauren-markham

Connect with Lauren: Instagram | Twitter | Website

Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | 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.

Romance novelist Tia Williams visits the show to discuss her latest book A Love Song for Ricki Wilde. Tia shares why she wanted to venture into historical romance, how being a beauty editor has helped her create characters, and why telling this fated-mates story forced her to work even harder than usual. Plus, we break down trends in romance covers.

The Stacks Book Club selection for February is Viral Justice by Ruha Benjamin. We will discuss the book on February 28th with Uché Blackstock.

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

https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/02/14/ep-306-tia-williams

Connect with Tia: Instagram | Twitter | Website

Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | 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.