Open Stacks

This week's episode examines prejudice in technological development. Marie Hicks discusses her book "Programmed Inequality: How Britain Discarded Women Technologists and Lost Its Edge in Computing." Tom Mullaney talks about "The Chinese Typewriter: A History" which examines the development of a modern, nonalphabetic information infrastructure.   Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-operative Bookstores.

This week myths and folktales take the stage in their basic and abstract forms. William Hansen recounts ancient Greek and Roman folktales from his collection, "The Book of Greek and Roman Folktales, Legends, and Myths." Wendy Doniger joins us in talking about cross-cultural mythologies surrounding rings and their connection to love and sex as she writes about in her recent book, "The Ring of Truth."   Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-operative Bookstores.

This week on Open Stacks, signs of life in film and filmic renditions of life. Noa Steimatsky, Robert Pippin, and Carl Skoggard share in the cinematic tradition of building and relaying stories and worlds with the smallest of details.   Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-operative Bookstores.

This week we explore the embodied aspect of mental illness. Resmaa Menakem discusses racial trauma and his book "My Grandmother's Hands." Andrea Petersen discusses anxiety and her book "On Edge." Yael Shy shares mindfulness tips and a guided meditation.   Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-operative Bookstores.

Can history predict the future? Where do we fall in history's great cycles? History professor Alfred McCoy, author of "In the Shadow of the American Century," and historian and podcaster Mike Duncan, author of "The Storm Before the Storm," weigh in.    Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-op Bookstores.  

Poet David Ferry reads from his translation of Vergil's Aeneid. Poets Mai Der Vang, Emily Yoon, and Zhou Sivan share stories of conflict and displacement. Eduardo Rabasa, Erika L. Sanchez, & José Ángel Navejas discuss the immigrant experience.   Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-operative Bookstores. 

Art critic Jed Perl talks Alexander Calder and his new book "Calder: The Conquest of Time." Historian and critic Liesl Olson shares revelations from "Chicago Renaissance: Literature and Art in the Midwest Metropolis. Translator Sho Sugita reads poems by Japanese futurist poet Hirato Rekichi. Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-op Bookstores. This episode was produced by Kit Brennen, Imani E. Jackson, Marina Malazoniya & Joshua Edwards.    

Augustus Rose reads from his acclaimed debut, "The Readymade Thief" and Baird Harper reads his linked short story collection, "Red Light Run." Plus, booksellers share the joy of reading with excerpts from their favorite books this year. Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-op Bookstores. This episode was produced by Kit Brennen & Imani E. Jackson.

This week, we hear from Masha Gessen on 'The Future is History' and Putin's Russia, Julia Alekseyeva on 'Soviet Daughter,' and Franz Nicolay on 'The Humorless Ladies of Border Control' Plus, U. Chicago Professor William Nickell gives a crash course in the Russian Revolution & its legacy.   Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-operative Bookstores. This episode was produced by Kit Brennen, Imani E. Jackson and Marina Malazoniya. 

This week, we explore the political side of hunger. Anti-hunger activist Andrew Fisher tells the story of his book "Big Hunger." Then, "Modern Hungers" author and historian Alice Weinreb explores the political uses of hunger in 20th Century Germany. Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-operative Bookstores. This episode was produced by Kit Brennen.  

This week we explore the power of community activism in Chicago and beyond. Featuring labor organizer Steve Early, activist and historian L.A. Kauffman, and three women who founded organizations in Chicago: Saadia Shah, Suzanne Sahloul and Page May.   Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-op Bookstore. This week's episode was produced by Kit Brennen and Imani E. Jackson.

This week, we hear from the current generation of classic Chicago literature. Eve Ewing reads from "Electric Arches," Angela Jackson reads from "Roads, Where There Are No Roads," and Kevin Coval reads from "A People's History of Chicago." Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-operative Bookstores. This episode was produced by Kit Brennen and Imani E. Jackson.    

"Penguin Book of the Undead" editor and medieval history expert Scott G. Bruce shares stories of zombies and restless souls. Egyptologist and curator Foy Scalf shares spells from "The Egyptian Book of the Dead: Becoming God in Ancient Egypt". Plus, a very spooky What's In the Box with the Co-op's own Jeff & Adam. Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-op Bookstores. This episode was produced by Kit Brennen and Imani E. Jackson.

This week on Open Stacks, we face the future of work, data and technology. First, Ilana Gershon takes on the future of work in the information age, as discussed in her book "Down and Out in the New Economy." Then, Adam Greenfield on "Radical Technologies," which explores the future of technology and data, from smart phones to Bitcoin. Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-operative Bookstores. This episode was produced by Kit Brennen and Imani E. Jackson. Special thanks to Data & Society for sharing their recording for this episode.     

This week, we explore literature that traverses the sacred and profane, with Eileen Myles on "Afterglow (a dog memoir)," Jennifer Scappettone on "The Republic of Exit 43:Outtakes & Scores from an Archaeology and Pop-Up Opera of the Corporate Dump," and Peter O'Leary on how to be a religious poet. Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-op Bookstore. This episode was produced by Kit Brennen and Imani E. Jackson.

This week on Open Stacks, we celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day, with activist and historian Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, discussing "All the Real Indians Died Off," Virgilio Vicente and Andy Carter discussing "Margarito's Forest" and Ramesh Srinivasan on "Whose Global Village." Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-op Bookstores. This episode was produced by Kit Brennen and Imani E. Jackson.  

This week on Open Stacks, we bring you a celebration of new fall literature, featuring rising star Camille Bordas, author of "How to Behave in a Crowd" and literary sensation Karl Ove Knausgaard, best known for the My Struggle novels, author most recently of "Autumn," a collection of reflective essays. Plus, a smattering of fall literature recommendations from our booksellers.   Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-operative Bookstores. This episode was produced by Kit Brennen and Imani E. Jackson.    

This week on Open Stacks, we celebrate the new school year at our neighbor, the University of Chicago. We'll hear from Professors Catherine Zuckert and Nathan Tarcov on "Machiavelli's Politics," and Robert Richards and Michael Ruse on their book, "Debating Darwin". Plus, a very special interview with UChicago teacher, the Co-op's own Katy Weintraub.   Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-operative Bookstores. This episode was produced by Kit Brennen & Imani E. Jackson.

Norman Bolotin discusses his book "Chicago's Grand Midway," detailing the park's role in the World's Fair of 1893. David Garrow discusses Obama's early political career and his book "Rising Star." Plus, Susan Eleuterio on local favorite Valois Cafeteria.   Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-operative Bookstores. This episode was produced by Kit Brennen and Imani E. Jackson.

This week on Open Stacks, music writer Joe Bonomo reads from his essay collection "Field Recordings from the Inside," which traces Bonomo's relationship to pop music, and music writer John Corbett and Matt Macaughan of Superchunk discuss their shared passion, record collecting. Plus a new segment with two of our favorite Co-op personalities.   Open Stacks is the official podcast of the Seminary Co-op. This episode was produced by Kit Brennen and Imani E. Jackson.