Ep. 414 Toni Morrison Broke the Novel Form Open with Namwali Serpell

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.

It’s The Stacks Book Club day, and I'm joined by Emmy-nominated TV writer, journalist, and host of Pop Syllabus, Christiana Mbakwe Medina, to discuss Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves by Sophie Gilbert. In this book, Sophie Gilbert highlights the ways the rampant misogyny of '90s and early 2000s pop culture continues to shape attitudes toward women today. We talk today about how the book tackles reality TV, postfeminism, incel culture, porn, and more.Make sure you listen to the end of the episode to hear what our February book club pick will be!You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/1/28/ep-409-girl-on-girlConnect with Christiana: Instagram | Pop Syllabus Podcast | Substack | 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.

It's time for a Stacks Unabridged favorite: Our Most Anticipated Books of 2026...at least the first half anyway. I'm once again joined by two of my favorite book people, Cree Myles (All Ways Black) and Sara Hildreth (Fiction Matters), to gush about the books we can't wait to dive into in the first half of the year, sharing our top picks month by month. Plus, we do a little post-mortem on 2025 and set some semi-realistic reading goals for 2026. Get your TBR lists ready—you’ll have a lot of new additions.You can find links to everything we discuss on today’s show on The Stacks Website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/unabridged/2026/1/23/tsu-55-sara-hildreth-cree-myles*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 Cree: Instagram | Twitter | All Ways Black | PatreonConnect with Sara: Instagram | Fiction Matters | Novel Pairings | SubstackConnect 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 are joined by Associated Press reporter Mary Clare Jalonick to discuss her new book Storm at the Capitol: An Oral History of January 6th. In this book, Mary Clare offers a comprehensive retelling of the January 6th insurrection through firsthand accounts from the rioters, police officers, journalists (including herself), and lawmakers who were forced to flee the violence. We talk about why she frames this as an oral history, how she captured the violence of that day, and how the narrative surrounding January 6th has evolved over the past five years.The Stacks Book Club pick for January is Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves by Sophie Gilbert. We will discuss the book on Wednesday, January 28th, with Christiana Mbakwe Medina.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/1/21/ep-408-mary-clare-jalonickConnect with Mary Clare: WebsiteConnect 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.