How do you become a tastemaker in books? Ask Traci Thomas, creator of The Stacks.
Since 2018, Traci has been reading deeply, talking with authors on her podcast, revisiting polarizing classics like The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, and championing new releases like Pool House by Mary H.K. Choi. Through it all, Traci has followed her own curiosity and built a community for readers to engage honestly with the books that bring us together.
Read on for Traci’s nonfiction recommendations, her alternative dream career, and her reason for having hope (try not to cry).
Cats or dogs—why?
Please do not kill me. I am not an animal person. I have very bad allergies (my allergist told me the only pet I could have was a snake or fish). I respect animals as wild creatures and will say hi or whatever, but I do not like to mess around with them like that.
What’s a book that deeply affected you when you were younger?
I read Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer in high school, and I remember just being so completely taken by the book. I had no idea that nonfiction could be unputdownable and gripping. I thought nonfiction was supposed to be boring and informational, and this book was propulsive beyond belief. I won’t say it changed my life, but it was a moment of, like, “wait, this is possible?” and that was so profound.
What’s your favorite grocery store?
I love Safeway. Is that the most basic thing anyone has ever said in this series?What’s your favorite place to browse for books?
I love going into a used bookstore if I have the time and don’t have my kids with me. I especially love the ones where the books are just barely organized, and the staff has no clue what they have in store. It’s hard to be surprised these days, but disheveled used bookstores provide.
What word or phrase do you overuse?
Aside from “like?” I still say, “it’s giving” all the time. I know that it is very outdated, but sometimes the people need to know what the vibe is. Oh, also, I say “vibe” too much.
What’s your perfect three-day weekend?
Sleeping in. A robe. Lots of French fries and a Diet Coke. Reading between lots of cat naps. Dinner out or ordering in with a side of gossip. Watching sports. Enough time to end the weekend cooking a slow meal for that last night, something like this Sunday sauce that I love but rarely have time to make.
Who is your favorite fictional couple?
How many ways are you all going to get me in trouble? I know I’m not supposed to say this, but I love Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler.
What fictional character would you like to have as a friend?
I don’t want her as my bestie, but I’d love to have a Sula in the friend group. Can you imagine the drama and gossip she would bring to the functions?Describe the tattoo you’d get tomorrow if you had to.
First, I have no tattoos. But if I’m being forced, maybe I’d get a line from my favorite poem, “The Thing Is” by Ellen Bass. Either the opening lines, “The thing is to love life,” or the final two lines, “and you say, yes, I will take you/I will love you, again.” I’m too chicken to ever get a tattoo, though.
What’s the best party you’ve ever had?
In college, I lived with my three best friends, and we would throw themed parties that were so specific and random. Yes, I went to theatre school, thanks for asking. We once did a “State School” party when my roommate’s sister visited NYU from Oregon State University, so she would feel at home. We all wore our GOTs (going-out tops), and we took doors off the hinges to play beer pong. We also did a “Little Kid” party, an upscale Summer Soiree, and so many more (that I would get canceled for). We were known around town for these shindigs.
Who’s a writer you’re in awe of?
So many for so many different reasons. Toni Morrison, Kiese Laymon, Hanif Abdurraqib, Imani Perry, Jesmyn Ward, Jon Krakauer, Heather Ann Thompson . . . I could do this all day.
What work of classic literature would you want to adapt for film?
I think there is a way you could make Native Son in a contemporary context that would reinvigorate the original text.
Who do you have to thank primarily for your love of reading?
Both of my parents loved to read and read a lot in front of me throughout my life. I also had a second-grade teacher, Ms. Rivera, who was known for being geeked about reading Peter Rabbit each year, and she made it totally acceptable to freak out over books.
What’s a book that broke your heart?
We Were Once a Family by Roxana Asgarian is devastating. It is about the Hart Family murders and family separation in the US. It’s really hard to read and not think about all the ways we fail children and their families in this country.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give your 24-year-old self?
Clothes that fit are more important than wearing a certain size. This goes double for undergarments.
What’s a book, film, or piece of music that you regularly revisit?
The film of my life is A League of Their Own. The song of my life is “Stand by Me.”
What do you enjoy most about your work?
I love getting to ask authors and readers questions about the books they love. I get to be as nosy as I want, and they mostly have to answer me. It is the best.
If you did something totally different, career-wise, what would it be?
Something to do with sports. I feel like I could be a ruthless, cutthroat agent. Mostly, I just want tickets to all the big games.
What book do you most often recommend to others?
The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker.
How do you break patterns in your life?
I just tell someone in my life what I am going to do. Once I say it, my pride won’t let me not do it. Usually, this works for good in my life, but sometimes I can get too competitive and toxic with myself.
When have you felt the most vulnerable in your career?
I actually feel vulnerable a lot because I just decided to be a person who talks about books online. I am not qualified in any real way to do this work. I wasn’t an English major. I don’t know the first thing about making a podcast. Getting on a mic, learning in public, and having it all exist online for any stranger to listen to. It isn’t the most guarded way to exist in the world.
What’s inspiring you creatively right now?
I am going to be really honest here: not a lot. The influx of AI slop is messing with my creative inputs. So much of what I see on a daily basis is crap. It doesn’t challenge or inspire or excite me. It just takes up space. That being said, sports are always giving me life. The World Cup has been so much fun. You just can’t AI a soccer match, you know?
What’s the best part of your morning routine?
Walking my kids to school. I love talking with them and noticing things in the world. I also really appreciate my walk home as a time to start to focus on my day ahead. After the walk, I come home, make my hot tea, and write out my to-do list for the day by hand.
How do you make yourself read and keep going, in light of screens and short attention spans?
I Brick my phone. I DNF things that aren’t holding my attention. I set timers to start and stop reading a la the Pomodoro Technique. But it is so frickin’ hard, and some days/weeks/months I am more successful at it than others. Also, it is my job. If I don’t do the reading, I can’t show up as my best self for the interviews. That pressure helps.
What’s a classic you’ve never gotten around to?
Sooooooooo many. I need to read Their Eyes Were Watching God. It is the book I am most embarrassed about not having read.
What’s giving you hope?
Dude, my kids are just starting to read on their own. Holy shit. It is the best thing ever.
Traci has us in the mood for nonfiction! What nonfiction have you read recently? Who are you recommending it to—parents, siblings, friends? Drop your picks in the comments.
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