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The Stacks

Traci Thomas
Toni Morrison
Identity
Books
Poetry
Mental Health
Climate Change
Pop Culture
Literature
Harlem Renaissance
Literary Fiction
Family Dynamics
Parable Of the Sower
Romance Novels
Racism
Jazz
Book Recommendations
Shakespeare
Social Media
Domestic Violence
Education

The Stacks is your one stop shop to talk books and reading. Guests will join the host, Traci Thomas for lively discussions about books and the ways they have shaped their lives, and they way we all understand culture, race, politics, and more. The last Wednesday of each month Traci and guest will break down a book in detail as part of The Stacks Book Club.

Make sure to check the website www.thes... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes531Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BooksArtsSociety & Culture

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Artwork for The Stacks

Latest Episodes

Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by talented multi-hyphenate Phoebe Robinson. Phoebe is a stand-up comedian; the bestselling author of You Can’t Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain, Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay, and Please D... more

YouTube

It’s The Stacks Book Club Day, and we’re once again joined by DEI consultant, friend of the pod, and the reader behind Literary Intersections, Jess Lee, to chat about our October pick, Last Chance Live! by Helena Haywoode Henry. This dystopian novel ... more

YouTube

*Patreon and Substack-only bonus episode teaser, click here for the full episode*

On today’s bonus episode, we’re joined by writer, editor, and voice actor Tajja Isen to talk about the decline in nonfiction. Tajja wrote the recent piece, “Nonfiction... more

YouTube

Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by author, speaker, and National Book Award finalist Deesha Philyaw to talk about her newest book, The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman. This novel follows Scharisse Freeman, the successful wife of a megachurch... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Jess Lee
DEI consultant and reader behind Literary Intersections.
Literary Intersections
Episode: Ep. 448 Last Chance Live! by Helena Haywoode Henry — The Stacks Book Club (Jess Lee)
Tajja Isen
Writer, editor, voice actor, and author of Some of My Best Friends
The Walrus
Episode: Unabridged: The Death of Nonfiction with Tajja Isen
Deesha Philyaw
Author, speaker and National Book Award finalist.
Episode: Ep. 447 The Church Never Apologizes with Deesha Philyaw
Min Jin Lee
Best-selling author and National Book Award finalist
Episode: Ep. 446 Hope Comes From Knowing Your Values with Min Jin Lee
Natalie Green
Director of Programs and Partnerships at The National Book Foundation
National Book Foundation
Episode: Ep. 444 Brother, I’m Dying by Edwidge Danticat — The Stacks Book Club (Natalie Green)
Sara Hildreth
Friend of the host, discussing trends in fiction and book awards
Independent/Guest
Episode: Unabridged: The Book Trends That Are Annoying Us
Kai Bird
Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer and author of American Scoundrel
Author, American Scoundrel
Episode: Ep. 443 The Dark Underside of America with Kai Bird
Marlon James
Book author, The Disappearers
Riverhead Books
Episode: Ep. 442 I Put My Readers Through the Ringer with Marlon James
Priya Parker
Facilitator, strategic advisor, bestselling author
Priya Parker (author of The Art of Fighting)
Episode: Ep. 441 Finding Healthy Heat with Priya Parker

Host

Traci Thomas
Host of The Stacks; engages in lively conversations about books, culture, and publishing.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 2.4k ratings
  • Mean girl, who talks fast

    Traci is an archetypal mean girl. She also uses people for her own self promotion and really doesn’t care what others have to say. She simply uses them as an opportunity to launch in her discussion opinions without really taking in the other side of a conversation. Super narcissistic, incredibly biased towards certain points of view and perspective. Every time I get a mention of her or see her face, my stomach sours.. I don’t even know where we’d overlap fiction or non-fiction and I don’t want t... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Generic Reader
    United States2 months ago
  • Get more out of my reading

    I love the Stacks podcast! I got so much out of her recent interview with Tayari Jones about Kin, and have gotten some great book recommendations.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Nora R B
    United States2 months ago
  • Finally, a book podcast

    I really love Traci’s clear voice and opinions and the mix of interviews and book recaps. I have gotten so many recommendations from this podcast

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    krcola
    United States3 months ago
  • Hooked!

    I was drawn to the title, who doesn’t love to be wandering in a stack of books and decided to give it a listen. Traci and her guests are phenomenal! All different, but concise, in how they see the world, writing and reading. Genuine and good people, which for me is essential when giving my time. Thank you Traci for all the work you and the team put in making this wonderful podcast!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Evangabriel1
    United States4 months ago
  • Traci is the BEST

    An excellent show if you're into books, especially non-fiction and literature... But honestly, Traci is such a compelling interviewer... I think any book person will find something here.

    Traci is my favorite interviewer in book land currently. She's smart and responsive and also has some wonderful questions she asks everybody.

    Seriously why aren't you listening already?!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    James-X-W
    United States7 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Thoughtful, engaging author interviews and book club discussions.
Great mix of book recommendations and cultural commentary, with a welcoming community around book clubs.
Consistently high-quality guests and conversations that go beyond surface-level reviews.
Listeners appreciate Traci's interviewing style and fresh perspectives on literature and culture.
The show offers deep dives into editing, publishing, and narrative nonfiction.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#110
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#220
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#230
France/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#50
Singapore/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#107
India/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#136
Singapore/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ep. 447 The Church Never Apologizes with Deesha Philyaw
Q: Why did you want to include AIDS in the story?
Philyaw says AIDS shaped the lives and sexual knowledge of people growing up in the 1980s, including Black girls who were not adequately taught about protection. She also wanted to address how churches stigmatized people with AIDS and failed to support them.
Ep. 447 The Church Never Apologizes with Deesha Philyaw
Q: What was the spark of this book?
Philyaw had worked on the novel for years, then decided to make it satirical and amplify the pomp and performance of Black church life through a pageant for pastors' wives. The pageant gave Scharisse a clear goal: to win and gain acceptance from the other first ladies.
Unabridged: The Death of Nonfiction with Tajja Isen
Q: Why do you think that publishers feel that non-fiction isn't, what was the shift on their end? Why did they turn their back on publishing non-fiction?
Isen describes the 2024 election as an inflection point in the latest downturn, with a subsequent sense that readers wanted escapism. She says reader fatigue is only part of the picture, alongside high book prices, fewer affordable paperback editions, publisher reluctance, and competition from other sources of information.
Unabridged: The Death of Nonfiction with Tajja Isen
Q: When did you decide you wanted to start writing this piece about nonfiction?
Isen says the idea grew out of her difficulty selling her own memoir and repeated conversations with publishing professionals who described memoir as a difficult category. Her reporting showed her that the challenges extended beyond memoir to nonfiction more broadly.
Ep. 446 Hope Comes From Knowing Your Values with Min Jin Lee
Q: So I'm wondering how you think about hope.
Lee said hope comes from knowing one's values and acting on them consistently. Even when larger systems fail, people can find grounds for hope by treating one another with integrity and decency.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
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Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Stacks

What is The Stacks about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show features in-depth author interviews, book club style discussions, and thoughtful commentary on literature, culture, and current events. Across recent episodes, conversations center on writing craft, narrative nonfiction, memoir, and fiction that engages with race, gender, politics, and social justice, often tying books to broader societal themes. The format blends intimate author chats, live book-club style analyses, and personal storytelling from hosts and guests, with recurring emphasis on editing, publishing, and the lived realities of writers. A standout is the consistent pairing of high-profile authors with pressing cultural topics, along with regular book club installments that unpack complex texts for engaged listeners and p... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Stacks?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Stacks:

1. Vibe Check
2. The Sam Sanders Show
3. Happy To Be Here
4. Book Riot - The Podcast
5. Sarah's Bookshelves Live

How many episodes of The Stacks are there?

The Stacks launched 9 years ago and published 531 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Stacks?

Recent guests on The Stacks include:

1. Jess Lee
2. Tajja Isen
3. Deesha Philyaw
4. Min Jin Lee
5. Natalie Green
6. Sara Hildreth
7. Kai Bird
8. Marlon James

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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