Today marks seven years of The Stacks. I can’t believe my little baby podcast is now in 2nd grade1. I’ve been making the show for 365 Wednesday, and no, I have never missed a week2.
Originally, I was going to do an anniversary “ask me anything” but the truth is you asked a lot of good questions and I didn’t feel like I could really tackle them all on top of my March reads ranked. And if you remember, I am trying to do less so, I will hold off on that until next Friday. If you didn’t ask me a question yet, it’s not too late.
Instead, of the AMA, I am going to give myself a very quick Q1 evaluation (like the good little girl boss I am) by checking in on my 2025 reading goals. I will also share the best 2025 books I’ve read so far this year. After that I’ve got my rankings of my 10 March reads. Those are reserved for all you paid subs, so if you want the tea, you know what to do.
Q1 Evaluation
Below I have listed out my reading goals with a little progress report to keep me honest.
Goals
Read 100 Books - I am currently at 28 books read. So barely ahead of schedule but certainly hanging in there. ✅
Read 10 Pages a Day - I know I’ve missed a few days. I don’t track this goal, it is really more something I keep in the back of my mind to stay consistent.
Read more “classics” - This goal was to read at least 24 classics in the year and that could include books by “living legends”3. I am currently at four, so behind schedule by two books, but if you count the two Hunger Games books I've read this year, then I am right on track4. I did put together a fantastic list for this prompt though, and hope to get to it as soon as Katniss Everdeen is done wreaking havoc on my TBR and deadlines. ❌
Read the work of our living legends - I wanted to read the work of authors who (1) are over 65 years old and (2) feel like household names and/or literary greats. I have so far read one book that fits, so that is not ideal. In retrospect I should’ve quantified this goal. ❌
Complete the 2025 Mega Challenge - Ok, I am at 19 books read out of 52, which puts me way ahead of schedule here since we are only 13 weeks into the year. ✅
Talk about nonfiction more - Yes! I launched The Nonfiction Files. We’re two installments in. I have no clue where this project is going, but it is in fact going. ✅
Be a guest - I didn’t realize how quickly I would tackle this goal but I feel like I have been guesting like crazy on other people’s podcasts and it is a blast! You can see most of the podcasts I’ve been on here5. ✅
Work less - I have stuck to only posting twice a week here on Substack aka not making more work for myself. You see I pushed the AMA back a week to spread out the work. I would say we’re off to a good start. ✅
Teach the Mini Stacks to read - My kids can’t read. But, they can apparently memorize all their books and fake read. This is not a win for me, but it is an incredibly impressive party trick. ❌
Engage more with you all in the comments - The comments are not popping yet, but I want them to be. I should’ve known better than to set a goal that relies on other people for my success. But I did it anyway, so now I need you all to help me not fail. I am trying to give you all prompts, please take the bait. ❌
2025 Notables
At a quarter through the year, there have a been a handful of titles that stand out above the rest. The below list only includes my cream of the crop for 2025 releases6. Listed in publication order.
Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People by Imani Perry
Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of AmericanRacism by Eve L. Ewing
One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad
There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America by Brian Goldstone
Yes, they are all nonfiction, no that wasn’t on purpose, but yes, I am still in fact who the fuck I am. I am sort of struck that there doesn’t seem to be any fiction darling(s) yet this year. Neither critically nor in online spaces.
Now, this is the part where you all have to comment so I can achieve my goals. Which 2025 books are topping off your list of the best of Q1?
In March, I read 10 books. I hate to feel like I’ve gone soft, but every book I read this month I am rating on a scale of “I liked it” to “Hunger Games great”7. I guess some months I just have to be nice and enjoy the books. Who knew?
