Show & Tell: A Speed Round on Vacation. Oh and FDT.

Unstacked Digest for the week of June 9-15

This is Show & Tell where I tell you some things I loved from the week and the one thing I hated, plus round up everything else going on around these parts. The first half of Show & Tell is free to all. The adoration and hateration are for paid subscribers only.

I had these plans that while I was on vacation, with my family, I would still have time/want to write these Show and & Tells each week. Why did I think that? I have no clue. I am delusional. But, in an effort to stick true to my do less ethos for 2025, I’m going to be giving you mini speed Grown-Up Show & Tells for the next three weeks.

I know you all will understand, you truly value my rest more than I value my own rest. I will talk to my therapist about this. And for those wondering there was nothing profound for my mental health in that Costco episode of the Acquired podcast.

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This Week in The Stacks

Show & Tell: Coco Gauff Won, and so Did Sam Pinkleton!!!!

Mostly bad things, but my friend won a Tony so, you know, that’s not nothing.

S. A. Cosby charmed me and everyone who listened to this episode with his love of books and infectious giggle. Oh, and we also talked about his newest book King of Ashes which is a fun thriller with a lot of violence (I reviewed it here).

The Nonfiction Files 4: Nonfiction Matrix

I made a matrix for nonfiction books based on pacing and style. I want to hear your thoughts on it, so please check it out and leave me all the comments.

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Books I Read This Week

These Heathens by Mia McKenzie
Doris is a 17-year-old girl in rural Georgia who finds herself pregnant and enlists the help of her favorite teacher to get an abortion in Atalanta. A work historical fiction, that mixes comedy, earnestness, and coming of age into a sweet little tale of a weekend trip. Throughout the book Doris’ life intersects with major figures in the Civil Rights Movement (like Coretta Scott King and Bayard Rustin) which is fun, but some of the political arguments in the book felt a little 101. Violence versus nonviolence etc. etc. I do wish it had been a little more complex or nuanced in that arena. There is also a part of the book that delves into the world of Atlanta’s Black queer community, which I thought was well done and surprising. It reflected a piece of history back in a way that felt unique and needed. The pacing is well rehearsed and I flew through the book. I liked the premise and the characters. I was happy I read it.
Fave of the week!

Authority by Andrea Long Chu
This was one of my most anticipated books for 2025, and it was a bit of a let down. Sadly. The book consists of two new essays from the Pulitzer winning critic, and the rest are previous published essays of criticism. Let me start with the good, Chu is so incredibly talented at the take down. These are what made her famous and these are what she does best. Every single essay in this book that skewered an artist or piece of work was a delight to read. She finds so many ways into her hatred, it is admirable. Here is the catch, she doesn’t seem to like anything. Which is fine, but also I wanted at least one rave to see how she would/could write something like that. I kept being like, so what is the art you do like? There are also some really amazing pieces on gender and feminism and her experiences as a trans woman. But then we get to the other pieces in the collection, they lacked clarity and strong arguments, which meant I was bored with them especially when I didn’t know the material. The two new essays are just okay, especially the title essay. Ultimately, she is a great writer, but the collection is spotty.

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Housekeeping

This month on Here & Now I got to talk about True Crime books. Some of my favorites as well as the genre as a whole and why we love it so much.

I’ve got three events coming up in LA this summer. First up is a chat with

Morgan Pager

for her debut novel, The Art of Vanishing, on July 14th at Skylight Books.

Then two days later, July 16th, I’ll be back at Skylight Books for an event with

Zan Romanoff

and her newest romance novel, Square Waves. It is part of the Big Fan universe, which I am reading now, and having such a good time with.

And in August, my girl,

Cleyvis Natera

will be in LA for an event for her new novel The Grand Paloma Resort at Reparations Club on August 28th.

If you’re in town for any or all of these, I hope to see you.

Also, looking ahead, I will be back at the Mississippi Book Festival in September. Its a great festival and I’d love to see you on September 13th.

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Things I Love…

Politics

Are we really doing this this week? I don’t know, man. None of this is normal. Forcing a sitting US senator to the ground to handcuff him for asking a question at a press conference? The ICE raids? The military parade for a draft dodger? Israel attacking Iran?

ALL BAD THINGS.

The one bright spot was seeing people turn out in droves for the No Kings protest. I was on a plane all day on Saturday, but when I checked my social media and saw sign after sign, and thousands of people turning out all over the country, that was a thing I could love.

Thank you to everyone who took part in the action. What a beautiful thing. We’re all we got, and babe, we still got it. Extra thank you to everyone who made funny signs, because we need a fucking laugh. Here’s a roundup of some good ones.

Music & Podcasts

I really liked this piece from Vulture on the passing of Sly Stone and Brian Wilson and the double standards of genius. I also have been listening to a lot of Sly Stone and, damn, what a legend.