The Stacks

It's The Stacks Book Club Day, and we're talking about the plant world and nature with this month’s pick, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. The wonderful journalist and author Alexis Madrigal is back for this conversation on this modern nonfiction classic. We discuss the influence this book has had on writers and readers alike, as well as the essays that stuck with us most. We also dig into Kimmerer's relationship with city people and how she pushes the boundaries of what is possible.There are no spoilers in this episode.Be sure to listen to the end of today’s episode to find out what our September book club pick will be.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2025/8/27/ep-386-braiding-sweetgrassConnect with Alexis: Instagram | WebsiteConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | SubscribeSee 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*Another bonus episode this month? Heck yes! We're doing a deep dive into oral history with friend of the pod, journalist, and oral historian, Garrett M. Graff. He has written three stellar books of oral history: The Devil Reached Toward the Sky: An Oral History of the Making and Unleashing of the Atomic Bomb, When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day, and The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11. Today we get Garrett's insights into the key characteristics and importance of oral history, and the challenges that come with the form. We also spend some time on the decision to drop the atomic bomb, and workshop future oral history projects for Garrett.You can find links to everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' Website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/unabridged/2025/8/22/tsu-50-garrett-graffConnect with Garrett: Website | Twitter | FacebookConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Debut novelist, Addie E. Citchens, joins us this week to discuss her book, Dominion—a Black Southern family drama told through the eyes of two women. Addie talks about how growing up in the church in Mississippi inspired her writing, and why she feels like she’s been writing this story her whole life. We also talk about humor, a writing teacher who stifled her style, and how the ending of Dominion clicked into place. For the month of August, the Stacks Book Club pick will be reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. We will discuss the book on Wednesday, August 27th with Alexis Madrigal returning as our guest.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2025/8/20/ep-385-addie-citchensConnect with Addie: InstagramConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tre Johnson, an essayist and culture critic, joins to discuss his debut book, *Black Genius: Essays on an American Legacy*. He shares how his grandfather inspired the book and the evolution of his writing process. The conversation dives into the challenge of balancing a 9-5 job with writing and the emotional toll of addressing trauma in his work. Tre also explores the importance of recognizing everyday Black ingenuity beyond famous figures and the nuances of cultural validation. His reflections on leaving a corporate job to focus on writing reveal a profound shift in his creative journey.

*Patreon and Substack-only bonus episode teaser, click here for the full episode*This month you're getting a bonus bonus episode of The Stacks Unabridged. Because we love summer and books, Sara Hildreth of Fiction Matters is here to talk about summer reading guides. We hand out a few literary superlatives like, best book to read on an airplane and most dramatic. Plus we share some books we've read since the guides were dropped that we think you should at to your reading lists. If you haven't gotten The Stacks’ Nonfiction Reading Guide or Sara's Paperback Summer Reading Guide, be sure to grab those and get to listening.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://www.thestackspodcast.com/unabridged/2025/8/8/tsu-49-sara-hildrethCConnect with Sara: Instagram | Fiction Matters | Novel Pairings | SubstackConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Journalist, Alexis Madrigal, joins the Stacks to discuss his debut book, The Pacific Circuit: A Globalized Account of the Battle for the Soul of an American City—the “American city” in question being Oakland, CA. Today, Alexis gives us insight into why he wanted to tell the story of Oakland in particular, and why it matters in broader national and global context. He also explains how COVID impacted this book, both his personal writing process and the city of Oakland at large.For the month of August, the Stacks Book Club pick will be Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. We will discuss the book on Wednesday, August 27th with Alexis Madrigal returning as our guest.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2025/8/6/ep-383-alexis-madrigalConnect with Alexis: Instagram | WebsiteConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Dana A. Williams, a scholar expert on Toni Morrison, as she unpacks the powerful themes in Morrison's *God Help the Child*. They dive into generational trauma and the concept of racialized beauty, exploring why Morrison opted for a contemporary setting. The discussion touches on the book’s fairy-tale structure, real-life events influencing the narrative, and complex characters facing taboo subjects. With insights on symbolism, gendered relationships, and potential film adaptations, this conversation beautifully reveals Morrison's profound impact.

Haley Cohen Gillian, the director of the Yale Journalism Initiative, joins us this week to discuss her new book, A Flower Traveled in My Blood: The Incredible True Story of the Grandmothers Who Fought to Find a Stolen Generation of Children, which chronicles the grandmothers who searched for their children and grandchildren who were disappeared by Argentina's brutal dictatorship. In this episode, Haley gives us insight into how she came across this history and how she grappled with the moral complexities throughout. She also talks about the subjectivity of truth and details her research process and organization.The Stacks Book Club pick for July is God Help the Child by Toni Morrison. We will discuss next Wednesday, July 30th with Dana A. Williams.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2025/7/23/ep-381-haley-cohen-gillilandConnect with Haley: Instagram | WebsiteConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | SubstackSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on the Stacks, journalist Megan Greenwell joins to discuss her debut book, Bad Company: Private Equity and the Death of the American Dream. She breaks down the ins and outs of private equity, how it works, why it harms communities, and if there is an ethical path for the industry.The Stacks Book Club pick for July is God Help the Child by Toni Morrison. We will discuss next Wednesday, July 30th with Dana A. Williams.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2025/7/16/ep-378-megan-greenwellConnect with Megan: Instagram | WebsiteConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | SubstackSee 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*For this month’s bonus episode, we’re mixing things up a little—this time, Traci is the one being interviewed! The fine folks at LARB Radio Hour, Medaya Ocher and Eric Newman, speak with Traci to discuss the impact of social media on publishing, the content creator life, and the way readers discover books today. At the end of the episode, Medaya, Eric, and Traci offer readers a rundown of recommendations for the books getting us through 2025.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://www.thestackspodcast.com/unabridged/2025/7/11/tsu-48-larbConnect with LARB Radio: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Youtube | PodcastConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.