The Case For Self-Help

Join us for the last episode of season 3! We're discussing why we love our hometown fave Zadie Smith and her sprawling novels. We covered 'White Teeth', 'On Beauty' and her essay collection 'Intimations'. We also took a moment to reflect on the season and all that we've learned.Thank you for joining us along the way friends xFollow us on instagram: thestackedpodSign up for our newsletter: Stacked WeeklyProduced by AiAi Studios:www.aiaistudios.comhttps://www.instagram.com/aiai.studios/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for the penultimate episode of the season as we explore identity, gender fluidity, and the power of creative expression through the works of the inimitable Akwaeke Emezi. We'll be discussing the semi-autobiographical "Freshwater," the passionate romance "You Made A Fool of Death With Your Beauty", and the memoir "Dear Senthuran."Follow us on instagram: thestackedpodSign up for our newsletter: Stacked WeeklyProduced by AiAi Studios:www.aiaistudios.comhttps://www.instagram.com/aiai.studios/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we took a break from fiction and read the work of writer, activist and academic Angela Davis. The thing that concerned us the most was just how relevant her work is today. Join us as we discuss 'Freedom Is A Constant Struggle', 'Are Prisons Obsolete?' and 'Women, Race and Class' and how they've informed the ways we want to engage with politics and contribute to change.Follow us on instagram: thestackedpodSign up for our newsletter: Stacked WeeklyProduced by AiAi Studios:www.aiaistudios.comhttps://www.instagram.com/aiai.studios/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're discussing Buchi Emecheta who was a social worker and writer (often considered the first successful black woman novelist living in Britain after 1948). We've actually discussed her on the pod before and talked a lot about motherhood, but this episode was a great opportunity to talk about the other themes and contexts that come up in Emecheta's work like the immigrant experience in Britain during the 60s. Join us as we discuss 'In The Ditch' and 'The Bride Price'!Follow us on instagram: thestackedpodSign up for our newsletter: Stacked WeeklyProduced by AiAi Studios:www.aiaistudios.comhttps://www.instagram.com/aiai.studios/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we read the incredible Jamaica Kincaid, Antiguan-American novelist & essayist (& gardener!), and she got us thinking about parent-child relationships, the nature of British tourism, and as always we end up circling right back to colonialism.In this episode, we discuss her debut novel, 'Lucy', her collection of short stories 'At the Bottom of the River' and her anti-colonial essay 'A Small Place'Follow us on instagram: thestackedpodSign up for our newsletter: Stacked WeeklyProduced by AiAi Studios:www.aiaistudios.comhttps://www.instagram.com/aiai.studios/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this week's episode (coincidently landing on World Poetry Day!) we dive into the world of Vietnamese American poet and novelist Ocean Vuong, and explore some of the key themes that resonate throughout his work - the immigrant experience, the complexities of mother-child relationships, and the lingering shadows of war.In this episode, discuss Ocean Vuong's poetry collections 'Night Sky with Exit Wounds' and 'Time is a Mother', as well as his critically-acclaimed debut novel, 'On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous.'Follow us on instagram: thestackedpodSign up for our newsletter: Stacked WeeklyProduced by AiAi Studios:www.aiaistudios.comhttps://www.instagram.com/aiai.studios/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're cracking open the pages of a truly under-appreciated legend: Zora Neale Hurston. We'll be diving into respectability politics and the complexities of her relationship with the Harlem Renaissance, her choice to write in vernacular, and the heartbreaking lack of recognition she received during her lifetime (and the work Alice Walker did to remedy this!)Follow us on instagram: thestackedpodSign up for our newsletter: Stacked WeeklyProduced by AiAi Studios:www.aiaistudios.comhttps://www.instagram.com/aiai.studios/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for our first live episode ever in collaboration with the Africa Writes festival and the Royal African Society! We spoke to Peace Adzo Medie about her latest novel Nightbloom, the power of walks and life in Ho, Ghana. We wanted to celebrate International Women's Day with Nightbloom because it explores the strength in female friendship and we're doubly excited that it has been longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2024!Follow us on instagram: thestackedpodSubscribe to our Substack: Stacked WeeklyProduced by AiAi Studios:www.aiaistudios.comhttps://www.instagram.com/aiai.studios/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Things got a little deep in the studio this week as we discussed the life and works of Joan Didion. Join us as we explore her most impactful works, including ‘Play It As It Lays’ & ’The Year of Magical Thinking’, and Ziporah comes to terms with maybe being a bit of a nihilist (and maybe that’s okay!)Follow us on instagram: thestackedpodSign up for our newsletter: Stacked WeeklyProduced by AiAi Studios:www.aiaistudios.comhttps://www.instagram.com/aiai.studios/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're talking all things Sally Rooney and asking ourselves where IS the beautiful world we were promised as adolescents? What we enjoy most about Sally Rooney's books is how she's able to hone in on how class impacts the details of our lives and relationships, and how she prioritises women's issues. Join us for an exploration of Ms Rooney's favourite themes, and her past life as a champion debater! (Seriously, who knew?)Follow us on instagram: thestackedpodSign up for our newsletter: Stacked WeeklyBooks: Conversations With Friends, Normal People & Beautiful World Where Are YouProduced by AiAi Studios:www.aiaistudios.comhttps://www.instagram.com/aiai.studios/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.