Bookends with Mattea Roach

Julian Barnes says his new novel is his final. It’s called Departure(s), and it’s about two people who fall in love when they’re young and then meet again decades later. The story is told through the perspective of a writer named Julian … who has a lot in common with the author himself. The book was released on Julian’s 80th birthday, and after four decades of writing and a Booker Prize win under his belt, Julian is finally putting down the pen. This week, he joins Mattea Roach to reflect on his literary legacy, why he feels less afraid of death and his recent secret wedding. Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Ian McEwan has hope for humanity — here’s why For Jeanette Winterson, stories are essential to survival Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Books can be revolutionary. That’s the message of Azar Nafisi’s celebrated memoir Reading Lolita in Tehran, which is about her experience teaching forbidden literature to young women in Iran. Although it was published nearly 23 years ago, Azar’s memoir continues to speak to issues around censorship, authoritarianism and resilience in Iran and across the world. Her 2022 book Read Dangerously follows that thread, exploring how books are a tool for resistance and change in a time when people have forgotten how to speak to one another. Azar joined Mattea Roach for a special on-stage event at the Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival in Montreal, where they discussed Azar’s incredible family history, the uniting power of literature and what freedom means to her.Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Rage and love at the end of apartheid  This poem took 16 straight hours to write Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Charity organizations are all about doing good. What could possibly go wrong? Sharon Bala’s new novel, Good Guys, is all about how philanthropy operates in a world that runs on money. The book stars a fictional charity called Children of the World. It’s an international aid organization founded by a former rock star with some questionable motives. Moving between its headquarters in Toronto and its compound in Central America, the story follows the rise and fall of the charity and the characters’ complicated attempts at redemption. This week, Sharon tells Mattea about the dark side of NGOs, the connection between charity and faith and the complex desire to be a good person. Liked this conversation? Keep listening:A fictional ad agency — and its very real ghosts Yes, tuberculosis is still a thing — John Green tells us why Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

If it feels like the years are going by faster and faster … you’re not the only one. Grant Ginder’s new novel, So Old, So Young, follows a group of college friends across 20 years. The story is told through five major parties that bring the group together as their lives change and criss-cross in unexpected ways. From housewarmings to weddings to birthdays, this book explores how our connections evolve and break … and it’s a profound look at how friendships grow with us. This week, Grant joins Mattea Roach to talk about writing a “coming of middle-age” novel, having grace for old friends and why friendships can be trickier than romance.Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Reliving the soundtrack of the 2000s 1 marriage, 2 mid-life crises … and a guy named Gluten  Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Yann Martel didn’t think anybody would read Life of Pi when he first published it. 25 years later, his story of a teenage boy and a tiger adrift in the ocean still captivates readers, and Yann says his books are like his children — he loves them all equally. Yann’s new novel is called Son of Nobody. In the book, a Canadian scholar’s life changes when an Iliad-like epic poem is newly discovered. When he travels across the world to study it, he uncovers threads that are far more personal than expected. Son of Nobody is an exploration of identity, myth and class, and it’s a fresh take on a piece of literary history. This week Yann joins Mattea Roach to reflect on his past work, his interest in mythology and why humans should create, no matter what. Liked this conversation? Keep listening:The last book Julian Barnes will ever write How do we restore our sense of wonder in media? Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

When Mai Nguyen lost her daughter just days after she was born, writing about a similar character in a novel brought her comfort. Her new book, Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead, is a heartbreaking but humorous novel about a grieving mother who starts working at a funeral home. Cleo Dang’s world is shattered when she loses her newborn due to complications during labour. Drowning in grief and the discomfort of friends and family, she takes a job at a funeral home and comes to learn intimately about her own loss and what grief means for others. It’s a deeply personal story based on Mai’s own experiences, and despite the subject, she tells the story with levity and hope. This week, Mai tells Mattea Roach about her own grief journey, balancing sorrow and laughter and why she was wrong about funeral home employees.Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Sarah Leavitt: Illustrating grief too wide for wordsWhat is extreme caretaking? Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

The “wolf hour” is a term for the deep-night period between roughly three and four in the morning. The world is quiet, your guard is down … and if you’re anything like the thriller writer Jo Nesbø, it’s the perfect time to put some of your darkest thoughts to the page. Wolf Hour is the latest of Jo’s gritty crime novels. It’s an immersive story about a troubled detective and a Norwegian journalist solving the same Minneapolis murder, six years apart. Like many of Jo’s books, it’s a “Nordic noir” thriller that explores what drives people to evil … and if there’s a monster in all of us. This week, Jo tells Mattea Roach about exploring humanity’s dark side, adapting his work for television and why all crime writing is political.Liked this conversation? Keep listening:When young men murder, what can we learn?  Chris Hadfield — from astronaut to author Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

In Caro Claire Burke’s debut novel, Yesteryear, a modern day tradwife influencer shares her picturesque farm life with 8 million followers … until one day, she wakes up in the 1800s and has to do it all for real. No running water, no electricity and no way out. But is she really in the past? How far will she go to get back to her perfect life? And how perfect was that life, really? Yesteryear is a twisty, compelling look at what the tradwife trend tells us about fame, tradition and womanhood. This week, Caro joins Mattea Roach to talk about her surprising tradwife protagonist, performing femininity and the Anne Hathaway film adaptation in the works.Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Justice for Murder Bimbo! What is a stag dance?  Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Ben Lerner’s new novel is all about how technology shapes memory and connection … and it kicks off when a guy breaks his phone. In Transcription, a man is conducting one final interview with his 90-year-old mentor and celebrated academic, Thomas. When the narrator accidentally breaks his phone before the interview, he can’t bring himself to admit it to Thomas. He does the interview anyway, pretending that he’s recording. Ben uses this premise to explore how technology can both store and destroy memory, and how the changing role of devices is altering our relationships with one another. This week, Ben joins Mattea Roach to talk about interrogating art and fatherhood, staying human in a world of devices and if technology can really capture true connection.Liked this conversation? Keep listening:1 marriage, 2 mid-life crises … and a guy named Gluten  Nnedi Okorafor: Bringing a writer to life in Death of the Author  Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Even if you’re living in a dystopia, life goes on. Carrianne Leung’s new novel, Wonderland Road, is about making it work and finding hope in a collapsing society. In a world where basic structures of society fall apart and a mega-corporation rules all, the people of a small suburban community must figure out how to move forward — even when they don’t quite know where “forward” leads. Much like Carrianne’s other work, Wonderland Road explores the tensions that live within families and communities, and though it takes place in the future, familiar divisions of power, class, race and gender are hiding in plain sight. This week, Carrianne tells Mattea Roach about finding hope in a dystopia, her love for Scarborough and why the original protagonist of the book was a raccoon.Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Writing about catastrophe gives Madeleine Thien courage How long could you lie about who you are? Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

In Michael Redhill’s new novel, The Trial of Katterfelto, the titular Katterfelto is a traveling magician and scientist in the late 1700s. One day, Katterfelto and his partner Roger come across a mysterious horn that emits a woman’s voice … and that voice calls herself Siri. Siri is from the future, and she tells the two of climate disaster, social unrest and AI takeover. As Katterfelto and Roger start using Siri for their magic show, they must learn how to decipher her messages … and figure out what she’s really warning them about. This week, Michael joins Mattea Roach to talk about his interest in magic, anxieties for the future and writing a different kind of ghost story. Liked this conversation? Keep listening:What if your dreams could land you in jail?  In a world run by AI, what makes us human?  Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

What does it mean to love a place that is so complicated? Pulitzer prize finalist Daniyal Mueenuddin’s new novel, This Is Where the Serpent Lives, dives into class, corruption and the systems of power that dictate life in Pakistan. Over six decades, it follows the lives of both the wealthy elite and those that serve them … and it takes readers all across the country, from its opulent cityscapes to rural farmlands. Although the book is fiction, many of its characters are inspired by real people Daniyal has known in Pakistan while living on his farm there. This week, Daniyal tells Mattea Roach about fictionalizing those people, his own relationship with Pakistan and how the country has changed. Liked this conversation? Keep listening:How far would you go for your family?  The beauty and despair of Appalachia Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

For Michael V. Smith, the answer is a resounding yes … and he explores that in his new book, Soundtrack: A Lyric Memoir. It’s a collection of poems about snapshots in his life, each named after a different song or album. He dives into growing up gay during the AIDS crisis, finding his first love and coming of age on the dance floor. The book celebrates music and memory, and is a deeply personal look into the songs that send us back in time. This week, Michael tells Mattea Roach about the albums that made him, reading old journal entries and what it really means to be a man.  Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Music, sex and finding the soundtrack to queer joy  Reliving the soundtrack of the 2000s  Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

This week, Bookends is celebrating libraries with a special Canada Reads event at the Hamilton Public Library. Morgann Book truly lives up to her name. As one of Canada’s biggest book influencers, she shares her love of literature with millions of followers … and she’s taking that to the next level as a contestant on this year’s Canada Reads. Morgann is championing It’s Different This Time, the debut novel by Joss Richard. It’s a second chance romance about two former roommates with some very unresolved feelings, and it draws from Joss’s own experiences as a TV producer in LA. Joss and Morgann joined Mattea on-stage to talk about exes, preparing for Canada Reads and why there are so many chefs in romance novels. Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Fans asked for another happy ending — Carley Fortune delivered All I want for Christmas … is a fake boyfriend?Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

In Tara Gereaux’s new novel, Wild People Quiet, a Métis woman works tirelessly to hide her identity for years … until everything starts to come crashing down. It’s the early 1900s when Florence realizes she can pass as white. Longing for a comfortable life free of discrimination, she decides to leave her entire family and culture behind. Decades later, her carefully constructed facade is challenged by a group of Métis farmhands who come through town, and she begins to wonder if her rigid, lonely life was worth it after all. This week, Tara joins Mattea to talk about Florence’s complexity, life for Métis people in the mid-20th century and exploring the beauty of beadwork in the novel.  Liked this conversation? Keep listening:In the Caribbean, secret lives come at a cost  What would it take to become the first Cherokee astronaut?Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

What does family mean to two motherless daughters? That question is at the centre of Kin, a new work of historical fiction by Tayari Jones. It’s about the bond between two girls in the American South as they end up on starkly different paths, and a deeply human look into life for Black Americans on the brink of the civil rights movement. You might know Tayari from her novel An American Marriage, which won the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2019. Until Kin, Tayari called herself a “committed” contemporary novelist. But when those two characters from the 1950s came to her, she had no choice but to write a historical novel that ended up on Oprah’s list. Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Strip club … or culture hub?An opera singer gives voice to the Grenadian revolutionCheck us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Toronto’s most infamous women’s prison was meant to rehabilitate women … but its real history tells a much darker story. Heather Marshall dives headfirst into the Mercer Reformatory in her latest novel, Liberty Street. The book follows Emily Radcliffe, a 1960s journalist who goes undercover to expose the prison’s harsh conditions and abuse of inmates. Over 30 years later, after the prison’s closing, a detective revisits one of the its sinister mysteries … and these intertwining narratives tell a story of female resilience and strength. This week, Heather tells Mattea Roach about the history of the prison, the real journalists that inspired the story and what it means to be an “incorrigible” woman. Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Who was the woman Kafka loved?Emma Donoghue boards a train destined for disasterCheck us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

If you had to tell a story to stay alive … what story would you tell? Jeanette Winterson’s new book, One Aladdin Two Lamps, is a nonfiction exploration of storytelling, culture, politics and the things that make us human. It’s based on the One Thousand and One Nights, the famous collection of Middle Eastern folk tales home to characters like Aladdin, Sinbad and Ali Baba. At the centre of it all is Scheherazade, a woman who tells a vengeful Sultan stories for 1001 nights to stop him from executing her. Like Scheherazade, Jeanette sees storytelling as a means of survival. In the book, she uses those tales to muse on the way that stories shape our identities and our lives … and how they’re a tool to better ourselves and the world around us. Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Zadie Smith never thought she’d tell this story Ian McEwan has hope for humanity — here’s why Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

What does it mean to come of age in a place where violence is a daily fact of life? Ashraf Zaghal’s debut novel, Seven Heavens Away, is about a Palestinian teen named Aziz. Like any teen, he’s growing up, working part-time and learning how to navigate love and loss … but he’s also living through escalating violence and unrest in Jerusalem. When Aziz's friend is killed, he grapples with grief and an uncertain future. While his involvement in Palestinian resistance efforts grows, he also starts to harbour feelings for a Jewish girl named Dafna. This week, Ashraf tells Mattea about being a teenager living through constant tragedy, the role of religion in the story and how it felt to return to Palestine while writing the novel.Liked this conversation? Keep listening:What happens to fiction in times of war?  V.V. Ganeshananthan: Exploring the complexity of Sri Lanka's civil war in her prize-winning novel, Brotherless Night Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

What happens behind the closed doors of a strip club? Pole dancing, booming basslines … and in Nic Stone’s new novel, the chilling mystery of a missing exotic dancer. In Boom Town, the manager of a fictional Atlanta strip club sets out to find a missing dancer named Charm. The book offers a shadowy taste of Atlanta’s notorious adult entertainment scene … but it’s also a look into the lives of the regular women who live and dance in the city. This week, Nic joins Mattea Roach to talk about growing up in Atlanta, why strip clubs are cultural epicentres and writing her first novel for adults.  Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Pitbull, Scarface and a whale walk into a bookHere’s what you have wrong about teen moms Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks