Ep. 411 I Don’t Believe Any Moment in History Is Dry with Heather Ann Thompson

Today on The Stacks, we’re joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning author, historian, activist, and professor, Heather Ann Thompson, to discuss her new book Fear and Fury: The Reagan Eighties, the Bernie Goetz Shootings, and the Rebirth of White Rage. This book explores the ways that Bernhard Goetz's 1984 shooting of four Black teenagers on the New York City subway exposed the deep racial tensions of the Reagan era and set the tone for the politics of white rage we see today. In our conversation, Heather reveals why she wanted to tell this story right now, how the media’s role in this case mirrors the fear and power of the media landscape today, and how she transforms dense historical documents into accessible nonfiction.

The Stacks Book Club pick for February is Indigo by Beverly Jenkins. We’ll be discussing the book with Jasmine Guillory on February 25th.

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2026/2/11/ep-411-heather-ann-thompson

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