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Artwork for The Stacks

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
Social Media
K-Pop
A Love Song For Ricki Wilde
Shakespeare

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes500Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ArtsSociety & CultureBooks

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Artwork for The Stacks

Latest Episodes

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

In this bonus episode, I’m joined by writer, editor, and translator Daniel Hahn to discuss his newest book, If This Be Magic: The Unlikely Art of Shakespeare in Transl... more

Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by writer, psychotherapist, podcast host, and creator of The Kardashian Kolloquium, MJ Corey, to discuss her debut book, Dekonstructing the Kardashians: A New Media Manifesto. In this book, MJ uses the rise of the Ka... more

YouTube

Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by award-winning theoretical physicist and cosmologist, Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, to discuss her newest book, The Edge of Space-Time: Particles, Poetry, and the Cosmic Dream Boogie. In it, Chanda uses poetry, pop cul... more

YouTube

It’s The Stacks Book Club Day, and we’re joined by Mahogany L. Browne to discuss our April pick, Room Swept Home by Remica Bingham-Risher. In this beautiful poetry collection, Remica explores themes of race, lineage, faith, and mental health through ... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

MJ Corey
Writer, psychotherapist, podcast host and creator of the Kardashian Colloquium
Kardashian Colloquium; author of Deconstructing the Kardashians
Episode: Ep. 424 Why Kim Kardashian Is the Icon of Our Time with MJ Corey
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
Award-winning theoretical physicist and cosmologist
University affiliations referenced in episode (as discussed) and author of The Edge of Space-Time
Episode: Ep. 423 Normalize Bringing Up Quantum Field Theory with Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
Adrienne Thurman
Debut romance novelist
Episode: Ep. 421 What I Love About Love with Adrienne Thurman
Ada Limón
award-winning poet, former U.S. Poet Laureate
U.S. Poet Laureate, Book: Against Breaking
Episode: Ep. 420 We Read One Poem at a Time with Ada Limón
Patrick Radden Keefe
Award-winning New Yorker staff writer and investigative journalist
The New Yorker
Episode: Ep. 419 I Don’t Want You to Know Where I’m Going with Patrick Radden Keefe
Mahogany L. Browne
Poet, author, organizer, educator
Poet and author; The Stacks guest
Episode: Ep. 418 I Write and Speak Unlawfully with Mahogany L. Browne
Namwali Serpell
Award-winning writer, professor and author of On Morrison
University affiliation mentioned: Author of On Morrison
Episode: Ep. 417 Paradise by Toni Morrison — The Stacks Book Club (Namwali Serpell)
T Kira Madden
Award-winning author
Episode: Ep. 416 I Only Wrote By Lava Lamp with T Kira Madden
Tayari Jones
Bestselling author
Author
Episode: Ep. 415 The Feeling of Being Known with Tayari Jones

Host

Traci Thomas
Host of The Stacks

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 2.3k ratings
  • 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 Statesa month ago
  • Enriches my reading life

    I’ve been listening to the Stacks for years. This podcast has helped me discover so many new books and has encouraged me to read more non-fiction. Traci is a great interviewer. Often I listen to an author interview for a book I haven’t read yet. Then, when reading the book, my reading is enriched by the authors thoughts and process. Often, I’ll go back and re-listen to an author interview after finishing the book. I just finished Tayari Jones’s Kin and kept thinking about character names which w... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Abshammy
    United Statesa month 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 kidding already?!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    James-X-W
    United States2 months ago
  • The book club I wish I was in

    Traci is so much smarter than any of my dumb friends (sorry if you’re my friend and reading this, but also you are welcome for the podcast recommendation). Excellent book recommendations, and hearing their conversations are such a good treat after reading each book. It’s like I’m in school again but this time I did the reading. Thanks for a great show!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LaurenFern
    United States2 months ago
  • Not worth my money

    The episode was supposed to be ALL THINGS Bad Bunny and a review of the halftime show. I never heard another point of view as these two ladies are clearly fans.

    I was hoping to hear something a little more moderate esp in light of the outrage over the Epstein files and children being trafficked that there would be a discussion about scantily clad young girls twerking while a man stood over them grabbing his crotch and then we broadcast this during a family show?

    Point well taken about Puerto Ri... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    DelsneyJane
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Episodes are accessible, insightful, and great for discovering new reads.
Listeners praise the host's thoughtful, engaging interview style and deep book knowledge.
Guests are top-tier, with a mix of authors and journalists.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#64
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#180
United States/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#174
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#174
New Zealand/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#2
New Zealand/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#4
New Zealand/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ep. 421 What I Love About Love with Adrienne Thurman
Q: But you had like a whole life before this. What was it that you did? What was your world and how did you decide I want to write books, I want to write a romance novel?
Adrienne describes a winding path—from pre-med to various jobs across cities, marriage, motherhood, and finally writing picture books before venturing into romance, driven by a love of words and a desire to tell deeply human stories.
Ep. 421 What I Love About Love with Adrienne Thurman
Q: Okay. Let's talk about your book. Don't Tell Me How It Ends. Tell people in like 30 seconds or so what this book is about.
It's a contemporary romance about Kaia Harper, a recent graduate who is wary of love until her sister starts a matchmaking business and Kaia becomes the first client, leading to a summer of bad dates, a pivotal connection, and a journey toward reconciling what she wants with who she is.
Ep. 420 We Read One Poem at a Time with Ada Limón
Q: What makes poetry's musicality so effective at unlocking emotion, and how does that differ from prose in terms of engaging readers?
Poetry taps into breath, rhythm, and incantatory qualities, unlocking feeling and engaging the heart as well as the intellect, which can unify and move people in ways prose often does not.
Ep. 420 We Read One Poem at a Time with Ada Limón
Q: How do you balance writing for poetry readers with inviting non-poets into poetry, and what does that mean for your work and outreach?
I aim to be a gateway for non-poets, writing in a way that invites everyone in and treats poetry as accessible and human, not only as a craft for experts.
Ep. 420 We Read One Poem at a Time with Ada Limón
Q: Did the role of poet laureate feel like a natural fit or more of a surprise, and how did that shape your approach to the position?
It was a great surprise; I hadn't expected to be asked in my forties, and the experience pushed me to think about serving the public, literacy, and how to bring poetry into wider circles beyond academic audiences.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Professions
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Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Stacks

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

A thoughtful literary interview show centered on books, authors, and their broader cultural implications. Across episodes, the host guides conversations with writers, journalists, and scholars, blending close readings, author insights, and discussions about race, gender, and society, often tying fiction to current events and cultural trends. A standout element is the long-running book club format and a warm, curious interviewing style that surfaces personal readings, archival discoveries, and book recommendations, making it a rich resource for listeners seeking deeper literary context and diverse perspectives.

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To see how many followers or subscribers The Stacks has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

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. Book Riot - The Podcast
4. Poured Over
5. Culture Study Podcast

How many episodes of The Stacks are there?

The Stacks launched 8 years ago and published 500 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Stacks?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Stacks?

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What guests have appeared on The Stacks?

Recent guests on The Stacks include:

1. MJ Corey
2. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
3. Adrienne Thurman
4. Ada Limón
5. Patrick Radden Keefe
6. Mahogany L. Browne
7. Namwali Serpell
8. T Kira Madden

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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