Bookends with Mattea Roach

Leila Mottley was only 17 years-old when she wrote her debut novel, Nightcrawling … and she was 20 when she became the youngest author ever to make the Booker Prize longlist. After that incredible start, Leila is now back with her second novel, called The Girls Who Grew Big. It’s about a group of young mothers who navigate growing up and raising children in a town that ostracizes them. This week, Leila joins Mattea to talk about the nuances of teen motherhood, why she’s so focused on “home” and how she handles major success at a young age. Check out these prize-winning authors: What happens to fiction in times of war?For Indigenous players, ice hockey is a ceremony of its own

You might know Chris Hadfield, decorated astronaut and former Commander of the International Space Station. But do you know Chris Hadfield, the pilot, engineer, musician and author? His latest novel, Final Orbit, is a Cold War-era thriller set against the backdrop of the Space Race of the 1970s. The book draws from Chris’s own experiences in the stars … with a dangerous twist. This week, Chris tells Mattea Roach about going from rocket ships to novels, why his thrillers are based in history and what’s next for him. Check out these prize-winning authors: What happens to fiction in times of war?For Indigenous players, ice hockey is a ceremony of its own

In Aurora Stewart de Peña's debut novel, Julius Julius, ads are inescapable … which isn’t far off from real life. If you ever feel unsettled by the way that marketing influences us, you’ll probably resonate with Julius Julius. It's a satirical look at the advertising industry and a finalist for this year’s Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. Aurora herself is a veteran of the advertising world, so her novel is an insider's point of view through an inventive fictional gaze. This week, Aurora joins Mattea to talk about her own career, finding the absurd in advertising and what blonde sausage dogs have to do with it all. Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Helen Phillips: In a world run by AI, what makes us human?Pasha Malla: Parodying a wellness resort with horror and humour

Not many people can say that a Booker prize nomination feels like deja vu … but Kiran Desai is one of those rare people. Twenty years after her first win, Kiran is back on the Booker shortlist with her long-awaited new novel, The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. It’s an expansive book that traces the paths of two young Indians as they criss-cross the world and each others’ lives. It’s a love story, a family saga, and an exploration of the things that bring us together… and the forces that keep us apart. This week, Kiran joins Mattea to talk about crafting a novel for two decades, being the daughter of a writer and the wonder of loneliness. Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s triumphant return to fictionWhat would it take to become the first Cherokee astronaut?

Torrey Peters was in the woods building her own sauna when she came up with the titular story in her new collection, called Stag Dance. The story is about a lumberjack at the turn of the 20th century … and it’s a sharp turn from her debut novel Detransition, Baby, which was a huge success with both readers and critics. The stories in Stag Dance explore desire, sexuality and the very idea of transformation through some surprising points of view. This week, Torrey joins Mattea to talk about finding the lumberjack voice, defying genre and why transition is more universal than you might think. Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Judith Butler: Breaking down why people fear genderWhat makes Montreal a transgender city?

It’s hard to believe that Zadie Smith was just 24 years old when she wrote White Teeth, the book that made her a literary star. 25 years later, Zadie is still finding new stories from her life to reflect on — and she shares many of those in her latest essay collection, Dead and Alive. The book combines art criticism with musings about technology, parenting and the writers who've inspired her. This week, Zadie joins Mattea Roach to talk about the collection, what it’s like to look back on 25 years of writing … and that time she fell out of a window. Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s triumphant return to fictionAlison Bechdel on making money and seeing Fun Home in a new light

In the new novel Pick a Colour, the answer to that question is a resounding yes. The debut novel from Souvankham Thammavongsa centres on Ning, the owner of a nail salon. Before she was a nail technician, Ning was a boxer … and she hasn’t completely shrugged off those instincts from the ring. Souvankham won the Giller Prize in 2020 for her story collection How to Pronounce Knife, and her new novel is shortlisted for this year’s prize. She joins Mattea Roach to talk about her fondness for nail salons, the weight of names and what being in the boxing ring taught her about herself. Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Ocean Vuong finds beauty in a fast food shiftFor Indigenous players, ice hockey is a ceremony of its own

A century from now, how will historians look back on your life? In his latest novel, What We Can Know, Ian McEwan imagines the future in 100 years. In a world altered by climate change and nuclear war, human beings are looking back at our current age with a mix of nostalgia, envy and contempt … which is why a scholar becomes fixated on finding a lost poem from 2014. You might know Ian from his breakout hit Atonement, which was made into an Oscar-winning film. This week, he joins Mattea Roach to talk about crafting his own dystopia, his concerns about AI and why we just might be living in a golden age. Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Jeff VanderMeer: How his blockbuster Southern Reach series reflects our own fight against climate changeWhat if your dreams could land you in jail?

The bunnies are back … and they’re bloodier than ever. In We Love You, Bunny, Mona Awad returns to the surreal world of her best selling novel Bunny. A deliciously deranged mix of fairy tale, satire and horror, Bunny was loved by critics and readers alike. But what do the villains of that story — a clique of mean girls called the Bunnies — have to say about it? We Love You, Bunny provides a dark, hilarious answer. Mona joins Mattea Roach to talk about expanding the Bunny universe, getting into the heads of her characters and taking inspiration from drag queens. Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Why Heather O’Neill believes in magicPitbull, Scarface and a whale walk into a book

Soju, kimchi, gun fights, car chases … and profound reflections on the Korean diaspora. Whether you’re hungry for food or for action, Jinwoo Park’s debut novel has it all. Oxford Soju Club is about a group of Korean spies carrying out their missions in Oxford. At the centre of it all is The Soju Club, the only Korean restaurant in town. Like any good spy novel, the book delivers on secrets and intrigue … but it’s also a story about what it means to be Korean, no matter how far away from home you are. Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Reimagining the lost stories of Chinese Canadians during WWIIIn Booker Prize finalist Creation Lake, an agent provocateur faces deep questions about how to live

Ken Follett is one of the most successful authors alive today. He’s sold almost 200 million books, and readers have devoured his stories about the Black Plague, German spies and nuclear war. His next challenge? The great mystery of Stonehenge. Ken’s latest novel, Circle of Days, imagines the story behind that monument and wonder of ancient life. Ken joins Mattea Roach to talk about what makes Stonehenge so special, writing between history and imagination and why his books resonate around the world. Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Emma Donoghue boards a train destined for disasterGetting to know Canada’s king of suspense

The winner of the 2025 CBC Nonfiction Prize is The Invisible Woman by Laura MacGregor. It's a deeply personal and heartfelt story Laura wrote about her son Matthew, who lived with profound disabilities and required around-the-clock care. Laura wrote The Invisible Woman as a way of dealing with her grief after Matthew's passing, and to reckon with how extreme caregiving had shaped her life. Laura joins Mattea to talk about the joy and dignity of Matthew’s life and the responsibilities she shouldered in silence for many years. Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Kate Gies: Reclaiming her body after years of medical traumaMeet the winner of the 2025 CBC Short Story Prize

After massive hits like The Poppy War, Babel and Yellowface, R.F. Kuang’s new novel takes readers to hell — quite literally. Katabasis follows two grad students who venture through the underworld to save their professor’s soul, and R.F. Kuang’s own experience as a PhD student, high school debater and talented chef all factor into the book. At a special on-stage event in Toronto, joined by around a thousand of her fans, R.F. told Mattea Roach all about Katabasis … and dove into her own life and inspirations along the way. Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Nalo Hopkinson: How Caribbean folktales inspired her fantastical novel, Blackheart Man Ocean Vuong finds beauty in a fast food shift

Statistically, your odds of becoming an astronaut are close to zero. You have to make some pretty extreme sacrifices to reach the stars, and that’s the thrust of a new novel about the first Cherokee astronaut. To the Moon and Back is Eliana Ramage’s debut novel and the September pick for Reese Witherspoon’s book club. It’s a book about ambition and astronauts, but it’s also about what it means to be Indigenous … in the past, present, and future. This week, Eliana tells Mattea about loving the story of science, writing frustrating characters and why she’s taking Cherokee identity to Mars. Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Taylor Jenkins Reid is among the stars — on and off the pageFor Indigenous players, ice hockey is a ceremony of its own

A snail scientist takes part in a kidnapping scheme to protest the Ukrainian romance industry. That's the story Maria Reva was writing in her debut novel, Endling. But then Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, leaving Maria to question whether fiction had a place in the devastating new reality. The result is an innovative and darkly humorous book in which Maria blends her novel with her own experiences grappling with the war. Endling is longlisted for the Booker and is a finalist for the Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. Maria joins Mattea Roach to talk about her interest in snails, the evolution of her novel and having loved ones on the frontlines in Ukraine. Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Nnedi Okorafor: Bringing a writer to life in Death of the AuthorWriting about catastrophe gives Madeleine Thien courage

Growing up in rural Ontario, Jeff Lemire bought superhero comics at the local minimart. Years later, he’s one of the biggest comic book creators in Canada … and he’s the one bringing those superheroes to life. Jeff’s new memoir, 10,000 Ink Stains, tells his story. The book looks back on his 25-year career, diving into notable works like Essex County and Sweet Tooth — both of which were recently adapted for television. Jeff tells Mattea about his early days as an indie comics artist, stepping into the worlds of iconic heroes and why his career is only just beginning. Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Chris Ware: Inside the sketchbooks of a comics masterAdrian Tomine: Answering his readers' burning questions

Milena Jesenská was a courageous journalist, translator and resister of the Nazi regime. So why do most people only know her as Franz Kafka’s lover? Milena was one of the great loves of Kafka’s life, and his letters to her are immortalized in the book Letters to Milena. But that story remains unfinished … because Milena’s responses have never been found. That’s where writer Christine Estima steps in. In her debut novel, Letters to Kafka, Christine tells Milena’s story and gives voice to a woman often overshadowed in history. Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Leslie Jamison: Capturing Peggy Guggenheim in fiction and honouring a friend's dream Emma Donoghue boards a train destined for disaster Check out Mattea’s interview on Gays Reading: gaysreading.com

Feeling nostalgic for the music of the aughts? You’re not the only one. Holly Brickley’s debut novel, Deep Cuts, follows a music-obsessed writer named Percy coming of age in the early 2000s. When Percy befriends a young musician in college, they start to collaborate and their connection deepens. Holly and Mattea talk about their shared love of music, the magic of the pre-smartphone era and why music and human connection often go hand-in-hand. Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Music, sex and finding the soundtrack to queer joyEmma Knight: 'Bad' mothers make good stories — and are more true-to-life

Tessa Hulls won a Pulitzer Prize for her first book. So why is it also her last? Tessa’s graphic memoir, Feeding Ghosts, unravels the stories of three women in her family: her Chinese grandmother, her mother and herself. It’s an emotional, complex and beautifully illustrated book that took Tessa almost a decade to produce. This week on Bookends, Tessa tells Mattea about following her family ghosts across the world … and why her next step will look a little different. Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Teresa Wong: Illustrating her family's past — in all its ordinary and epic momentsSarah Leavitt: Illustrating grief too wide for words Listen to Mattea's interview on Gays Reading here: https://www.gaysreading.com/

Here at Bookends, we never shy away from difficult conversations … and neither does Anna Sale, the host of the popular Slate podcast Death, Sex and Money. The show is all about diving into topics that get deep fast, and Anna expands on that promise in her book, Let’s Talk About Hard Things. In this special summer edition of Bookends, Anna joins Mattea to chat all about the book, podcasting and how her own outlook on tough topics has changed over the years.