x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Bookends with Mattea Roach

When the book ends, the conversation begins. Mattea Roach speaks with writers who have something to say about their work, the world and our place in it. You’ll always walk away with big questions to ponder and new books to read.

arts books

All Episodes

00:34:12

In the Caribbean, secret lives come at a cost

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2025/03/05

H. Nigel Thomas’ latest novel, A Different Hurricane, is set on the lush Caribbean island country of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It’s about two young men who become secret lovers until society forces them apart — and it draws on Nigel’s own experiences as a gay man who left Saint Vincent for Montreal when he was just 21.If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:Aysegul Savas: Finding home in foreignness and capturing the uncertainty of early adulthoodEric Chacour: Exploring

en-ca

00:39:53

Pitbull, Scarface and a whale walk into a book

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2025/03/02

A famous rapper, an Al Pacino movie and a captive whale named Lolita seemingly don’t have much in common. But in Jennine Capó Crucet’s latest novel, Say Hello to My Little Friend, she manages to bring them all together in an ode to the magic of Miami. Jennine joins Mattea Roach to talk about the wild ride of writing the book and how her own experiences as a Cuban American are reflected in the story.If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:Teresa Wong: Illustrating her family's past

en-ca

00:38:06

Emily Austin: Would life be easier as a rat? And...

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2025/02/26

For Emily Austin, living like a rat means embracing the small joys and avoiding societal expectations — and that idea is at the centre of her new novel, We Could Be Rats. The book follows two sisters as they reckon with mental health struggles, their relationship to each other and the difficulties of growing up in a small town.If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:Zoe Whittall: Why heartbreak is a valid form of grief Fawn Parker: Blending her own grief with fiction in new novel

en-ca

00:28:56

Nnedi Okorafor: Bringing a writer to life in Death of...

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2025/02/23

Nnedi Okorafor’s latest book is about a writer whose new science fiction novel brings her unexpected literary fame — and it asks a lot of questions about what it means to be a storyteller today. Nnedi joins Mattea Roach to talk about metafiction, the crossroads of disability and technology and how her experiences as a Nigerian American shaped her story.If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:Nalo Hopkinson: How Caribbean folktales inspired her fantastical novel, Blackheart

en-ca

00:34:30

Jack Wang: Reimagining the lost stories of Chinese...

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2025/02/19

In The Riveter, Jack Wang explores the untold stories of Asian Canadians during the Second World War. The novel follows Josiah Chang, a Chinese Canadian soldier navigating the horrors of war while facing discrimination at home. Jack joins Mattea Roach to talk about the historical context of the novel, the complexities of writing about war and the value of diverse perspectives.If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:V.V. Ganeshananthan: Exploring the complexity of Sri Lanka's civil

en-ca

00:29:13

Helen Phillips: In a world run by AI, what makes us...

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2025/02/16

If you feel like your phone is tracking your every move, or that AI is getting a little too advanced for comfort… You’re not the only one. Helen Phillips’ latest dystopian thriller, Hum, is set in a near future where climate change has devastated life as we know it — and superintelligent robots have become an irreplaceable part of society. Helen talks to Mattea Roach about her complicated relationship with technology, parenting in the digital age and reclaiming our humanity through the little

en-ca

00:32:22

Daniel Aleman: Loneliness inspired a novel about a...

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2025/02/12

In I Might Be in Trouble, a struggling writer wakes up to find last night’s date dead in his bed — and it only gets worse from there. The novel is YA writer Daniel Aleman’s first foray into adult fiction and it touches on themes of loneliness, the trials of modern dating and the lengths we go to find connection in a fragmented world.If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:Rumaan Alam: How would you spend a billion dollars? Pasha Malla: Parodying a wellness resort with horror and

en-ca

00:33:42

Kate Gies: Reclaiming her body after years of medical...

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2025/02/09

When Kate Gies was born without an ear on one side, a plastic surgeon told her parents that he could “fix” her. In her new memoir, It Must Be Beautiful to Be Finished, Kate recounts her harrowing journey through numerous surgeries, many of which failed — and questions what it really means to “fix” a body. Kate joins Mattea Roach to talk about blurry medical boundaries, growing up with a congenital difference and pushing back against oppressive beauty standards.If you enjoyed this conversation, check

en-ca

00:36:14

Emma Knight: 'Bad' mothers make good stories — and...

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2025/02/05

You might be surprised to learn that Emma Knight’s new book, The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus, isn’t about marine life at all. The novel follows two Canadian students finding their way in Scotland as they navigate family secrets and first love. Emma joins Mattea Roach to talk about coming of age abroad, the freedom of the pre-smartphone age, and her interest in imperfect mothers.If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:Fawn Parker: Blending her own grief with fiction in new

en-ca

00:34:14

Imani Perry: Tracing blue through Black American life

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2025/02/02

Imani Perry’s latest book, Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People, is an evocative exploration of what the colour can tell us about being Black in the United States today — and the extraordinary human capacity to find beauty in the face of devastation. Imani speaks to Mattea Roach about tracing blue through history, music, and her own life.If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:Nalo Hopkinson: How Caribbean folktales inspired her fantastical novel, Blackheart

en-ca

00:53:58

Chris Ware: Inside the sketchbooks of a comics master

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2025/01/26

The latest volume of Chris Ware's Acme Novelty Date Book series is made up of pages from his personal sketchbooks, providing a window into his ideas, obsessions and insecurities. Chris tells Mattea Roach about his career as a cartoonist, staying in touch with childhood and why his daughter is the star of the comics in this book.

en-ca

00:23:29

Amy Lin: Widowed at 31, she looks for the beauty in...

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2025/01/22

When Amy Lin’s husband died suddenly, even the simplest parts of daily life became a struggle — but through it all, she took refuge in writing. Amy’s debut memoir, Here After, is a searing portrait of grief and a tribute to the love she shared with her husband. Amy joins Mattea to talk about the intensity of grief, the widowhood effect and confronting the death of a loved one.

en-ca

00:35:00

Rumaan Alam: How would you spend a billion dollars?

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2025/01/19

Rumaan Alam’s latest novel, Entitlement, is about a young woman hired to help an aging billionaire give away his fortune — and it asks a lot of questions about the cash-driven world we live in. Rumaan joins Mattea Roach to talk about wealth, morality and how much money a billion dollars really is.

en-ca

00:18:43

Rachel Robb: Exploring reconciliation and the natural...

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2025/01/15

Rachel is a teacher from Toronto. Her students didn’t even know she was a writer — until she won the 2024 CBC Poetry prize. Her poem, Palimpsest County, is inspired by Ontario landscapes and speaks to colonialism, climate change, and how our responsibility to protect the natural world is a key part of reconciliation. Rachel talks to Mattea Roach about approaching reconciliation as a non-Indigenous person and how her job inspired her winning poem.The CBC Poetry Prize is one of three literary prizes

en-ca

00:39:56

Judith Butler: Breaking down why people fear gender

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2025/01/12

Judith Butler is one of the foremost gender and political theorists of the 21st century — an academic celebrity. Their latest book, Who’s Afraid of Gender?, explores gender in today’s polarized world and how the word itself is being used to incite political passions. Judith joins Mattea Roach to tackle the book’s titular question and discuss their influential body of work.

en-ca

00:28:12

Zoe Whittall: Why heartbreak is a valid form of grief

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2025/01/08

The profound impact of romantic loss doesn’t always get taken seriously, but Zoe Whittall is here to tell you that she gets it. The Canadian author talks to Mattea Roach about her latest book, No Credit River, and why she’s sharing her experiences with queer breakups, anxiety, and miscarriage.

en-ca

00:31:50

Adrian Tomine: Answering his readers’ burning questions

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2025/01/05

If you could ask your favourite author one question, what would it be? If that author is Adrian Tomine, your question might be answered in his latest book, Q&A. The cartoonist talks to Mattea Roach about what he’s learned from his readers and why you might want to think twice about becoming a professional cartoonist.

en-ca

00:53:17

Bookends: Highlights from 2024

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2024/12/29

This episode features highlights from interviews with Teresa Wong, Casey McQuiston, Eric Chacour, Jenny Heijun Wills, and Matt Haig.Music featured in this episode: "Rainy Days and Mondays" written by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols, performed by Carpenters, from the 1971 self-titled album Carpenters, produced by Jack Daugherty.

en-ca

00:50:57

Samantha Harvey: In conversation with Eleanor Wachtel

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2024/12/22

This week on Bookends, we revisit Eleanor Wachtel's conversation with Samantha Harvey, the winner of the 2024 Booker Prize. They spoke on Writers & Company in 2015 about Samantha's novel Dear Thief, which was inspired by a Leonard Cohen song. Samantha also explores her interest in themes of aging, why she writes about the unfamiliar, and infusing her work with philosophical questions.

en-ca

00:28:56

Bryan Lee O’Malley: 20 years of Scott Pilgrim

Bookends with Mattea Roach ·

2024/12/18

Bryan talks to Mattea about the legacy of the hit comic book series, the inspiration behind some of his most iconic characters, and his nostalgia for Toronto in the early aughts.

en-ca

162 results

Similar Podcasts

Start The Breakthrough Full Audiobook Now, Thriller Fans!

thebookvoice.com

Get Hooked On The Life-Enhancing Full Audiobook Experience!

thebookvoice.com

西四五条

主播郑捕头

Podcast Patapoe

0d0a

On Mic Podcast

Jordan Rich