Ep. 443 The Dark Underside of America with Kai Bird

*Patreon and Substack-only bonus episode teaser, click here for the full episode*Y’all know how much I love being a hater and how easily things annoy me, so we’re dedicating a whole episode to the most annoying trends in books these days! I’ve invited Sara Hildreth (Fiction Matters), friend of the pod and one of my favorite book people, to rant with me about secrets, tropes, and the state of literary awards. You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/unabridged/2026/9/25/tsu-63-sara-hildrethConnect with Sara: Instagram | Fiction Matters | Novel Pairings | Substack Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | Youtube See 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 biographer, journalist, and author Kai Bird to discuss his new book, American Scoundrel: Roy Cohn's Dark Journey from Joe McCarthy to Donald Trump. This book explores the life of high-powered lawyer and fixer, Roy Cohn, and how his controversial four-decade career directly influenced modern politics. In this episode, we talk about why he chose to cover Roy Cohn’s life now, how biographers shape stories, and the most surprising source for the book. Our book club pick for September is Brother, I’m Dying by Edwidge Danticat. We will be discussing the book with Natalie Green on Wednesday, September 30th.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/9/23/ep-443-kai-birdConnect with Kai: Website | X/TwitterConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | YoutubeSee 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 Booker Prize–winning novelist Marlon James to talk about his newest book, The Disappearers. This novel follows a brutal attack on eight gay actors in 1980s Jamaica and the ways it impacts each of the victims. We chat about how he infuses his books with pop culture, what he thinks about people calling his work “difficult,” and why 2026 is the year of the revenge novel. Our book club pick for September is Brother, I’m Dying by Edwidge Danticat. We will be discussing the book with Natalie Green on Wednesday, September 30th.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/9/16/ep-442-marlon-jamesConnect with Marlon: Instagram | Website | X/TwitterConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | Youtube See 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 facilitator, strategic advisor, and best-selling author, Priya Parker to talk about her new book, The Art of Fighting: The Transformative Power of Conflict. In this book, Priya draws on research and her personal experience as a conflict facilitator to explore the ways that building healthy conflict can strengthen our friendships, relationships, and communities. We talk about how to build spaces that can thrive with conflict, , why “renovation” is a powerful model for approaching fights, and why it’s important to prioritize both self-help and group help.Our book club pick for September is Brother, I’m Dying by Edwidge Danticat. We will be discussing the book with Natalie Green on Wednesday, September 30th.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/9/9/ep-441-priya-parker Connect with Priya: Instagram | Website | Threads | SubstackConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | Youtube See 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 Natalie Green, the Director of Programs and Partnerships at The National Book Foundation. We talk about what The National Book Foundation does, the details of Natalie’s role, and the NBF programming that’s been resonating most with readers.Our book club pick for September is Brother, I’m Dying by Edwidge Danticat. We will be discussing the book with Natalie Green on Wednesday, September 30th.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/9/2/ep-440-natalie-greenConnect with the National Book Foundation: Instagram | WebsiteConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | YoutubeSee 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 Sequoia Holmes, host of the Black People Love Paramore and Freshly Pop’d podcasts, is back to chat about our August pick, Fish Tales by Nettie Jones. Set in the 1970s, this dark, satirical novel-in-vignettes follows Lewis Jones, a freewheeling young woman partying her way through NYC and Detroit until her independent lifestyle is upended by her relationship with the handsome yet cruel Brook. In this episode, Sequoia and I discuss the difference between the book’s marketing and its actual content, the distinction between an unlikable character and an anti-hero, and the ways this book is in conversation with the work of its original editor, Toni Morrison.Listen to the end of the episode to find out what our September book club pick is!You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/8/26/ep-439-fish-talesConnect with Sequoia: Instagram | Substack | TikTokConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | YoutubeSee 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, click here for the full episode*On today’s bonus episode, I’m talking all things translated lit with Martha Adams, the author of Martha’s Monthly, a Substack that highlights translated lit. We chat about how Martha began reading books in translation, why she loves them, and how they differ from English-language works. Plus, she shares her top recommendations for those looking to read more translated fiction, and the publishers she thinks release the best ones.You can find links to everything we discuss on today’s show on The Stacks Website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/unabridged/2026/8/21/tsu-62-martha-adamsConnect with Martha: Substack | 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 award-winning author Paul Yoon to talk about his latest book, Etna. Told from the perspective of Etna, an ex-military dog, this book follows his long journey home after years spent fighting in a devastating war. We talk about why Paul wanted to write from a dog's point of view, how his love of reading led him to writing, and the movie he's shockingly never seen.Our book club pick for August is Fish Tales by Nettie Jones. We will be discussing the book with Sequoia Holmes on Wednesday, August 26th.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/8/19/ep-438-paul-yoonConnect with Paul: WebsiteConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | Youtube See 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 De’Shawn Charles Winslow to talk about his latest book, The Fervent Whites. Set in 1982 in the Hudson Valley community of Fervent, this book explores the long-simmering tensions that erupt when their former neighbors, James and Ella White, return with a vengeance after being exonerated of a homicide that once rocked the small town. We chat about how De’Shawn writes his endings, the lack of Black authors in the thriller genre, and how he became a nostalgic person.Our book club pick for August is Fish Tales by Nettie Jones. We will be discussing the book with Sequoia Holmes on Wednesday, August 26th.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/8/12/ep-437-deshawn-charles-winslowConnect with De’Shawn: Instagram | Threads | WebsiteConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | YoutubeSee 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 Sequoia Holmes, the award-winning host of the Black People Love Paramore and Freshly Pop’d podcasts. We’re chatting about bouncing back from professional setbacks, how Sequoia got into reading, and why she hasn’t been able to get into romance novels.Our book club pick for August is Fish Tales by Nettie Jones. We will be discussing the book with Sequoia Holmes on Wednesday, August 26th.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/8/5/ep-436-sequoia-holmesConnect with Sequoia: Instagram | Substack | TikTokConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | YoutubeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.