Ep. 417 Paradise by Toni Morrison — The Stacks Book Club (Namwali Serpell)

It’s The Stacks Book Club day and Morrison Month here on The Stacks, and today, we're diving into Paradise by Toni Morrison with award-winning writer, professor, and On Morrison author, Namwali Serpell. This book tells the story of Ruby, a small, all-black town in rural Oklahoma founded by the descendants of freed slaves, and its violent conflict with a nearby convent of women. We chat about the novel’s complexity, how it tackles faith and gender, and its connection to Beloved and Jazz.There are spoilers in this episode.Listen to the end of the episode to hear what our April book club pick will be!You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/3/25/ep-417-paradiseConnect with Namwali: Website | X/TwitterConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | Youtube | SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The 98th Academy Awards ceremony was this past Sunday, and we’ve got a lot to talk about. Today, I’m joined by Vibe Check co-hosts and friends of the pod, Saeed Jones and Zach Stafford, to recap all things Oscars, discussing everything from our Timothée Chalamet burnout to why people pitted Sinners and One Battle After Another against each other, and a whole lot more. This is a follow-up to my pre-Oscars chat with Saeed and Zach last week on Vibe Check—you can listen to that episode here.*This episode is exclusive to members of The Stacks Pack on Patreon and our Substack subscribers. You can find links to everything we discuss on today’s show on The Stacks Website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/unabridged/2026/3/20/tsu-57-saeed-jones-zach-staffordConnect with Saeed: Instagram | BlueSky | WebsiteConnect with Zach: Instagram | ThreadsConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | Youtube | SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by award-winning author T Kira Madden to discuss her newest book, Whidbey. This novel follows three women whose lives intersect in the wake of a man’s murder. We chat about the questions that are left in the wake of trauma, her unique writing process, and how she tricks herself to keep writing fun.The Stacks Book Club pick for March is Paradise by Toni Morrison. We’ll be discussing the book with Namwali Serpell on March 25th.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/3/18/ep-416-t-kira-maddenConnect with T Kira: Instagram | Website | Threads Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | Youtube | SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by bestselling author Tayari Jones to talk about her newest book, Kin. This novel follows the lifelong friendship between Vernice and Annie, two motherless girls whose paths diverge in adulthood. In our conversation, Tayari shares how Kin was the book she had to write, even though it was not the one she was contracted to write, why she avoided writing a historical novel until now, and how coming home to Atlanta has impacted her as a person and a novelist.  The Stacks Book Club pick for March is Paradise by Toni Morrison. We’ll be discussing the book with Namwali Serpell on March 25th.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/3/11/ep-415-tayari-jonesConnect with Tayari: Instagram | Threads | Website | FacebookConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | Youtube | SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the show, we’re joined by writer, literary critic, and Harvard University professor Namwali Serpell to discuss her latest book, On Morrison. In this book, Namwali offers a deep dive into Toni Morrison’s career, guiding readers through close readings of everything from her well-known fiction and literary criticism to her lesser-known dramatic works and poetry. We talk all about why Namwali wanted to write about one of the most beloved—and misunderstood—authors of all time, exploring Morrison's place in the literary canon, why she and her work have been considered "difficult," and how her novels can teach us how to read them.The Stacks Book Club pick for March is Paradise by Toni Morrison. We’ll be discussing the book with Namwali Serpell on March 25th.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/3/4/ep-414-namwali-serpellConnect with Namwali: Website | X/TwitterConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | Youtube | SubscribeSee 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 joined by New York Times bestselling romance novelist Jasmine Guillory to discuss Indigo by Beverly Jenkins. Set in 1858, this book follows Hester Wyatt, a conductor on Michigan’s Underground Railroad, who is tasked with protecting Galen Vachon, a vital member of the Northern network. As he recovers from his injuries, their initial clash gives way to a deepening romance, forcing them to navigate their relationship while fighting for freedom. Today, we go through the book, plot point by plot point, to discuss how Beverly Jenkins skillfully infuses history into the narrative, the book’s tropes, and the relationship between the author and reader in romance novels.There are spoilers in this episode.Make sure you listen to the end to hear what our March book club pick will be!You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/2/25/ep-413-indigoConnect with Jasmine Guillory: Website | Instagram | Threads | Twitter/XConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | Youtube | SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by author, sociologist, law professor, and social justice advocate Dorothy E. Roberts to discuss her newest book, The Mixed Marriage Project: A Memoir of Love, Race, and Family. In this powerful memoir, Dorothy recounts her experiences growing up in an interracial family in 1960s Chicago, exploring how her parents’ marriage—and their dedicated research on interracial relationships—shaped her understanding of her own identity. We talk about why she identifies as a Black woman with a white father, how her parents’ work has shaped her work in the family policing system, and the myth of mixed kids saving the world.The Stacks Book Club pick for February is Indigo by Beverly Jenkins. We’ll be discussing the book with Jasmine Guillory on February 25th.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/2/18/ep-412-dorothy-robertsConnect with Dorothy: Website | Instagram | Threads | X/TwitterConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | Youtube | SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We're back for the second annual Super Bowl breakdown bonus episode. That's right, we're digging into Bad Bunny's incredible performance at this year's Super Bowl. I’m joined by Vanessa Díaz and Petra Rivera-Rideau, authors of P FKN R: How Bad Bunny Became the Global Voice of Puerto Rican Resistance, creators of the Bad Bunny Syllabus Project, and Associate Professors of two different university-level Bad Bunny courses. We share our thoughts on the performance overall, and then break it all down, beat by beat, from the flags to the telephone poles to Lady Gaga and so much more.You can find links to everything we discuss on today’s show on The Stacks Website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/unabridged/2026/2/13/tsu-56-vanessa-diaz-petra-rivera-rideau*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.Connect with Vanessa: Instagram Connect with Petra: InstagramConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | Youtube | SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning author, historian, activist, and professor, Heather Ann Thompson, to discuss her new book Fear and Fury: The Reagan Eighties, the Bernie Goetz Shootings, and the Rebirth of White Rage. This book explores the ways that Bernhard Goetz's 1984 shooting of four Black teenagers on the New York City subway exposed the deep racial tensions of the Reagan era and set the tone for the politics of white rage we see today. In our conversation, Heather reveals why she wanted to tell this story right now, how the media’s role in this case mirrors the fear and power of the media landscape today, and how she transforms dense historical documents into accessible nonfiction.The Stacks Book Club pick for February is Indigo by Beverly Jenkins. We’ll be discussing the book with Jasmine Guillory on February 25th.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/2/11/ep-411-heather-ann-thompsonConnect with Heather: Website | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | X/TwitterConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | Youtube | SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by New York Times bestselling romance novelist Jasmine Guillory. We chat about her journey from high-powered attorney to successful contemporary romance writer, her favorite and least favorite tropes, and how people’s desire to escape through romance increases amid political unrest.The Stacks Book Club pick for February is Indigo by Beverly Jenkins. We’ll be discussing the book with Jasmine Guillory on February 25th.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/2/4/ep-410-jasmine-guilloryConnect with Jasmine Guillory: Website | Instagram | Threads | Twitter/XConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | Youtube | SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.