I started reading really young. I want to say maybe four. My mom would say that she would prop me up in the kitchen with the cookbook. And I learned to read by like reading off instructions to her while she was baking. And I advanced really quickly. So I was reading what my parents were reading for better or for worse. Like I was definitely reading adult things that I didn't understand. I remember once, like,

asking my mom, like, what's a dildo? Because it was like in a Judy Bloom. It's in that Judy

Bloom book, wifie. When she started switching more to like adult books, I actually tricked my

mom into buying that because she was like, oh, Judy Blume. And I was like, yeah, it's a kid's book.

You know, I was like, knew it was not, you know? Like, there's dildos in here. Can't wait to get there.

What's that dildo? And my mom was like, where did you hear that word? And I was like, I don't know.

In that kid's book, you bought me. I know, you bought me the book.

Welcome to the stacks, a podcast about books and the people who read them. I'm your host, Tracy Thomas,

and today I am beyond excited, beyond thrilled to welcome Jenna J. Wertham to the Stacks. Jay is a writer

and editor and was the co-host of one of my absolute favorite podcasts still processing.

They're also the co-author of Black

Futures, an incredible multimedia exploration of black art and culture, which we have covered

on this very podcast. And today, Jay and I explore identity, culture, pizza parties, and so

much more. Don't forget, our January book club pick is The Ministry of Time by

Kellyanne Bradley. Jay will be back on Wednesday, January 29th to discuss this book with me,

so be sure to read along and then tune in. And one more reminder, everything we talk about on each

episode of the stacks can be found in the link in the show notes. If you love the show and you want inside access to it, there's two ways to support us.

You can subscribe to my newsletter unstacked at tracythomas.substack.com.

And you can join the Stacks pack, which is our incredible reading community at patreon.com

slash the stacks.

One of the perks we offer around here is a shout out on the show. And this perk will be

all gone come January 31st. So if you want to have your name read on the show, go to patreon.com

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