Writers & Company from CBC Radio

As a child, Madeleine Thien loved to sit on her father’s lap as he flipped through the newspaper. Later on, she became fascinated by the newspaper archives at the Vancouver Public Library. Her exploration of history and storytelling continues with novels such as Do Not Say We Have Nothing . Now she's back with her long-awaited new novel, The Book of Records . The book questions the very nature of time, asking how great thinkers like Hannah Arendt lived through catastrophes of the past — and what they can tell us about surviving today. 

Want to know why Madeleine loved our interview with Cory Doctorow? Take a listen here:
We can still avoid a tech dystopia — here’s how

Iryn Tushabe says she loves Uganda “like a problem.” Her debut novel, Everything Is Fine Here , dives into what exactly those words mean. Aine is coming of age at a boarding school in Uganda … and her world is turned upside down when she learns that her beloved older sister is gay. She’s happy to see her sister in love, but disapproving parents and a hostile culture complicate her ideas of love and faith. Iryn joins Mattea Roach to talk about queer culture in Uganda, her complex relationship with religion and the folklore that inspired the story.

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:
In the Caribbean, secret lives come at a cost Emily Austin: Would life be easier as a rat? And other ways to escape adulthood

Inspired by her own experience as a skincare influencer, Liann Zhang’s debut novel, Julie Chan is Dead , is a wild ride into the world of social media. Julie Chan’s estranged twin sister Chloe is a famous mega-influencer … while Julie leads a less glamorous life. When Chloe mysteriously dies, Julie makes a split-second decision to take over her life. She’s suddenly thrust into the world of luxury skincare and toxic influencer cliques — all while trying to stay undetected as the nobody that she actually is. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:
Pitbull, Scarface and a whale walk into a book Curtis Sittenfeld is fascinated by fame

In The Dream Hotel , Laila Lalami imagines a world where the government has access to data about people's dreams … and uses it to decide if someone is likely to commit a crime. When Laila's protagonist, Sara, is flagged as high risk, she’s sent to a retention centre and subjected to constant surveillance. Laila talks to Mattea Roach about her interest in dreams, the dangers of invisible data collection and her multilingual journey to writing. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:
We can still avoid a tech dystopia — here’s how Nnedi Okorafor: Bringing a writer to life in Death of the Author

You may not be familiar with Dorian McNamara yet … but his story, You (Streetcar at Night) , is the winner of the 2025 CBC Short Story Prize. If you’ve spent time in Toronto, you’ll know its trademark red streetcars. Dorian grew up on those streetcars, which is why he chose one as the backdrop for his story of a young transgender person reflecting on their first relationship. Dorian and Mattea Roach talk about reflecting on transition, what he loves about Halifax and what winning this prize means for him. 

You can read Dorian’s winning story here.  

That all-consuming, dizzying feeling is what acclaimed poet Seán Hewitt captures in his debut novel, Open, Heaven. The book follows a teenager named James, whose first love is made complicated by his own sexuality and the realities of the rural English village where he lives. Seán joins Mattea to talk about the difference between love and desire, the role of nature in his work and why Ireland is such fertile ground for poets. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:
Alan Hollinghurst: Coming of age in Britain and writing through the gay gaze Emma Knight: 'Bad' mothers make good stories — and are more true-to-life

For some people, young adulthood can feel more like a crash landing than a glorious journey — and Georgia Toews knows that better than anyone. Her new novel, Nobody Asked For This , is about Virginia, a young comedian. Alongside the usual messiness of growing up and chasing comedy stardom, Virginia is grappling with the loss of her mother, discord in her closest personal relationships and navigating a traumatic encounter. Georgia and Mattea Roach talk about the perils of adulthood and the Canadian comedy industry. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:
Emily Austin: Would life be easier as a rat? And other ways to escape adulthood Fawn Parker: Blending her own grief with fiction in new novel Hi, It’s Me  

Readers have been waiting for a new novel from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for 12 years … and Dream Count delivers a sweeping tale that was well worth the wait. In the novel, Chimamanda weaves together the perspectives of four women moving between Nigeria, Guinea and the United States. In this Canadian broadcast exclusive, she joins Mattea Roach to talk about her longing to be known, grappling with the sudden loss of her parents and how her mother’s spirit brought her back to fiction

Check out the full video interview on the CBC Arts YouTube channel.  

After years in the Internet trenches, Scaachi Koul is no stranger to a good fight — but her latest essay collection is all about knowing when to walk away. In Sucker Punch, Scaachi examines her recent divorce with her signature ruthless humour, picking apart what the end of her marriage made her realize about her self-worth, upbringing and love of conflict. Scaachi joins Mattea to talk about divorce in the public eye, challenging her previous work and why her mother is at the centre of the new book. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:
Curtis Sittenfeld is fascinated by fame   Zoe Whittall: Why heartbreak is a valid form of grief

You might know John Green as the author of bestsellers such as The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska , or from the hugely popular Crash Course and Vlogbrothers Youtube channels. John’s latest obsession is tuberculosis, the deadliest disease in the world — and he writes all about it in his book, Everything is Tuberculosis . John and Mattea Roach dive into the wild history of the disease, why it persists today and John’s personal relationship with a young tuberculosis patient from Sierra Leone. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:
Bryan Lee O’Malley: 20 years of Scott Pilgrim Judith Butler: Breaking down why people fear gender

The poet and author Otoniya J. Okot Bitek’s debut novel, We The Kindling , weaves together stories of women who were abducted as children by a rebel militia in northern Uganda. The novel doesn’t have just one protagonist — each powerful voice adds to a chorus that tells a haunting story of loss, survival and what it means to hold on to hope, no matter how small. Otoniya joins Mattea to talk about her own writing journey, the complex history behind the novel and what she means by the “cartography” of stories. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:
V.V. Ganeshananthan: Exploring the complexity of Sri Lanka's civil war in her prize-winning novel, Brotherless Night In the Caribbean, secret lives come at a cost

In 2022, Kate Bush’s song Running Up That Hill topped charts around the world … nearly 40 years after its initial release. The resurgence came after the song was featured on the Netflix series Stranger Things — but according to the musician and writer Leah Kardos, the entire album is a masterpiece. Leah’s new book, Hounds of Love, is a deep dive into Kate’s 1985 album of the same name. It tells the remarkable story of how the album came to be, explores Kate’s enduring appeal and paints a portrait of Kate as a visionary musician and storyteller. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:
Why Heather O’Neill believes in magic Leslie Jamison: Capturing Peggy Guggenheim in fiction and honouring a friend's dream  

Curtis Sittenfeld is a master at crafting characters that feel like real people, in all their messy, complicated glory. These characters are front-and-centre in her new short story collection, Show Don’t Tell. The book features stories about women, mostly in middle age, as they face life’s absurdities, joys and disappointments. Curtis and Mattea talk about the tricky boundaries of celebrity, the label of “women’s fiction” and how her characters are inspired by famous people. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:
Casey McQuiston: Celebrating queer love and joy and navigating the future of romance Daniel Aleman: Loneliness inspired a novel about a Grindr date gone fatally wrong

There’s a famous black-and-white photograph of a train bursting through the side of a building and falling onto the pavement below. It was taken in 1895 — and Emma Donoghue’s latest novel, The Paris Express, reimagines the story behind that moment. In her retelling, the Irish Canadian writer fills the train with her own vibrant characters. From wealthy politicians to young anarchists, she dives into the complexities of the time as the train races toward its demise.

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:
Jack Wang: Reimagining the lost stories of Chinese Canadians during WWII   Paula Hawkins: Exploring the dark side of the art world in new thriller The Blue Hour

The great Canadian book debate is underway, so we're revisiting our 2024 conversation with Canadian writer and former Canada Reads winner, Heather O'Neill.

Heather’s latest novel, The Capital of Dreams, follows a young girl hunting for her mother’s lost manuscript during a war. She spoke with Mattea Roach about taking inspiration from her own daughter, her love of imperfect art and how famous philosophers inspired a talking goose.

Find everything you need to know about Canada Reads at cbcbooks.ca .

Linwood Barclay’s literary journey started with writing fanfiction on a typewriter. Over 20 books and millions of copies later, he’s one of Canada’s most successful living writers. His intricate thrillers have captivated audiences around the world — and his newest book, Whistle, comes out in May. Linwood joins Mattea Roach to talk about how he dreams up big thrillers, being mentored by the greats and why he loves model trains. 

You can also catch Linwood this week as a panellist on Canada Reads 2025. He’s championing the book Jennie’s Boy by Wayne Johnston. Canada Reads airs from March 17th to 20th. Find out more at cbcbooks.ca.

Have you ever met someone who felt like a mirror of you? In Katherine Brabon’s new novel, Body Friend, the protagonist meets two women named Frida and Sylvia. All three are living with chronic illness and they’re in profound pain. But when it comes to dealing with that pain, Frida and Sylvia are polar opposites — and our protagonist is caught in the middle. Katherine knows these difficulties firsthand. She joins Mattea Roach to talk about living with and writing about chronic pain. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:
Kate Gies: Reclaiming her body after years of medical trauma Sarah Leavitt: Illustrating grief too wide for words

Years before he coined the term “enshittification,” Cory Doctorow was just a kid who was fascinated by computers — until he saw how profit and monopoly tainted the industry. Now, Cory is a leading policy advocate and writer who uses fiction to explore how things could be different. His latest novel, Picks & Shovels, is the third in his series about forensic accountant Martin Hench, who investigates financial crime in Silicon Valley. Cory joins Mattea to talk about the dawn of the PC, how the promise of computing got so off track and why jail-breaking your Tesla might be the best response to U.S. tariffs. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:
Helen Phillips: In a world run by AI, what makes us human? Rachel Kushner: In Booker Prize finalist Creation Lake, an agent provocateur faces deep questions about how to live

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 adulthood Eric Chacour: Exploring the power of familial expectations and forbidden love

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 — in all its ordinary and epic moments Kaveh Akbar: Finding meaning in sobriety and writing his bestseller, Martyr!  

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 Hi, It’s Me

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 Man Helen Phillips: In a world run by AI, what makes us human?

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 war in her prize-winning novel, Brotherless Night Teresa Wong: Illustrating her family's past — in all its ordinary and epic moments

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 joys. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:
Jeff VanderMeer: How his blockbuster Southern Reach series reflects our own fight against climate change Nalo Hopkinson: How Caribbean folktales inspired her fantastical novel, Blackheart Man

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 humour

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 out these episodes:
Amy Lin: Widowed at 31, she looks for the beauty in grief Jenny Heijun Wills: Sharing her journey of transracial adoption and self-discovery in her moving essay collection

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 novel Hi, It’s Me Alan Hollinghurst: Coming of age in Britain and writing through the gay gaze

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 Man Tanya Talaga: Searching for her great-great grandmother — a story of family, truth and survival

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 that CBC Books offers for aspiring Canadian writers. The CBC Nonfiction Prize is open right now. You could win $6,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts, a writing residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and have your work published by CBC. Head to CBCBooks.ca for all the details.

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.

Nalo Hopkinson’s latest work, Blackheart Man, is a dynamic sci-fi story that took 15 years to complete. The novel takes readers to the fantastical land of Chynchin, which was inspired by Afro-Caribbean histories and traditions. Nalo joins Mattea Roach to discuss the folktale-inspired world her characters live in, and the process of crafting a utopian novel while battling financial insecurity and chronic illness.

The novel Peggy fictionalizes the life of art collector Peggy Guggenheim and is Rebecca Godfrey's final project. Rebecca worked on Peggy for ten years before she died from lung cancer, leaving behind an unfinished manuscript and notes. Her close friend, writer Leslie Jamison, stepped in to fulfill Rebecca’s wishes and complete the book. Leslie talks to Mattea Roach about bringing Peggy's story to life and honouring her friend's legacy.

When Paula Hawkins dropped her pen name and switched from writing romantic comedies to thrillers, she wrote The Girl on the Train. Now she has a new book called The Blue Hour. It follows a reclusive painter named Vanessa Chapman and reflects on themes of power and legacy. Paula and Mattea Roach talk about the motivations and inspiration behind the women at the centre of her stories. 

In Anne Fleming's new novel, Curiosities, an amateur historian becomes fascinated by the lives of two girls from 1600s England. But as she pieces their stories together, the very nature of truth itself comes into question. Curiosities is a finalist for the 2024 Giller Prize. Anne and Mattea Roach discuss the pull of the 17th century and the exploration of gender and identity at the heart of the novel.

When Montreal author Eric Chacour wrote his first book, he didn't expect it to become a huge hit in France. Translated from French to English by Pablo Strauss, What I Know About You is a novel set in Cairo and Montreal, exploring sexuality as well as family secrets and pressures. It's nominated for this year's Giller Prize and Atwood Gibson Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize. Eric and Mattea Roach discuss the inspiration behind his debut novel. 

In Rachel Kushner’s latest novel, Creation Lake, an undercover agent is tasked with sabotaging a group of young activists in rural France. Rachel joins Mattea Roach to talk about blending a spy premise with meditations on life’s big questions, putting an anti-hero at the centre of her story and why writing this novel was a transcendent experience. Creation Lake is a finalist for the 2024 Booker Prize.

Annie Carpenter's life was upended by colonialism, the Indian Act and the residential school system. For 80 years, her family tried to find out what happened to her. Now, journalist and filmmaker Tanya Talaga is telling her great-great grandmother's story in her new book and documentary series, The Knowing. She talks to Mattea Roach about the struggle to find her relative, crossing paths with the Pope, and what she believes will help move us forward on the road to reconciliation.

Heather O'Neill is an icon in Canadian literature who has won a ton of awards. And now she has a new novel.  It’s called The Capital of Dreams  and it’s about the influence of art and literature on our lives. It follows 14-year-old Sofia as she hunts for her mother’s lost manuscript during the chaos of war. Heather speaks to Mattea Roach about her latest novel and living a creative life.

Iranian American writer Kaveh Akbar and his novel Martyr! are everywhere these days. Martyr! made the New York Times bestseller list and several summer reading lists, including Barack Obama's. Drawing on Kaveh's own experience with addiction and recovery, it's about Cyrus, a 20-something Iranian American poet who’s in the early years of sobriety. Cyrus is a little lost…and a lot depressed…and he becomes interested in the stories of historical martyrs. In this very first episode of Bookends, Kaveh speaks with Mattea about how his own journey inspired the novel.