Show & Tell: Cowboy Carter, Periiod.
Unstacked Digest for the week of March 25-31
Welcome to Grown-Up Show & Tell, my weekly roundup featuring whatever I’ve been up to for the week, plus nine things I loved and one thing I hated for my Unstacked paid subscribers.
This week marked the release of Beyoncé’s eighth studio album, COWBOY CARTER. I am told other things have happened this week. I am not familiar with any of those things. Just kidding, I have a recipe to share. Maybe.
This Week on Unstacked
In the last installment of Show & Tell I talked a lot about the Ohtani baseball story. There have been minimal updates, but he did a lackluster presser. I promise I will keep you abreast of any changes.
I shared a list of books that pair perfectly with the four episodes of The Stacks that came out in March.
I let Mr. Stacks interview me using your questions for my most recent Ask Me Anything episode. This one is exclusive to paid subs. We do musicals, sports, and tons on books and podcasting.
shared his writing advice, a photo of his amazing bookshelves, and more for Read to Know Basis!
I shared my power rankings of all 13 books I read in March.
Books I Read This Week
Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose, and the Last Glory Days of Baseball by Keith O’Brien
This biography of Pete Rose and his era of Major League Baseball was a book I didn’t know I needed but was totally pulled into. It is for sure a book for folks who like baseball, but it’s also for you if you like a messy scandal and anti-hero.
Fave of the week!
There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension by Hanif Abdurraqib
I didn’t plan to read two sports books about Ohio this week, and yet here we are. I mean what can I say about Hanif that I haven’t already said. He is such a special writer and thinker. I enjoyed so much of this book, except the part where he forced me to relive the 2016 NBA finals in excruciating detail. I docked points for that. If you don’t know/like basketball there is still plenty to enjoy in this one.
Housekeeping
This week was The Stacks book club episode on Interior Chinatown with our guest, Elise Hu. There are spoilers here. Be warned.
Every month I talk about books on NPR’s Here & Now. In March, I gave some do’s and don’t’s of starting a book club.
I got to be part of Nerdette’s book club discussing a book I loved this year, Marty! by Kaveh Akbar. There are spoilers here.
April 2nd I’ll be on stage with Hanif Abdurraqib talking about his new fantastic book, There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension. It is hosted by my favorite book store, Reparations Club and at an insanely gorgeous venue! If you’re in the LA area please grab your tickets, and come through.
I’ll be at the San Antonio Book Festival on Saturday April 13, moderating a panel with the Myriam Gurba and Roger Reeves. The entire festival is free. You can find all the details for my panel here.
Nine Things I Love…
Book News
This isn’t so much news as just a book related thing I loved this week. My friend, the brilliant,
interviewed Percival Everett about James. And while I know you already know how much I love this book, I thought I could try sharing it one more time before you were ready to unsubscribe from this substack and also my life.