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 ...
Jack Wang: Reimagining the lost stories of Chinese Canadians during WWII
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 NightTeresa Wong: Illustrating her family's past — in all its ordinary and epic moments
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Helen Phillips: In a world run by AI, what makes us human?
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 changeNalo Hopkinson: How Caribbean folktales inspired her fantastical novel, Blackheart Man
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Daniel Aleman: Loneliness inspired a novel about a Grindr date gone fatally wrong
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
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Kate Gies: Reclaiming her body after years of medical trauma
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 griefJenny Heijun Wills: Sharing her journey of transracial adoption and self-discovery in her moving essay collection
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Emma Knight: 'Bad' mothers make good stories — and are more true-to-life
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
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.
New Zealand