A novel inspired by the death of a tree
Anita Rau Badami’s new novel, Asha in Her Garden , is her first in over a decade … and it all started with the striking image of a dying tre...
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Writers and Company from CBC Radio
CBC Radio's Writers and Company offers an opportunity to explore in depth the lives, thoughts and works of remarkable writers from around the world. Hosted by Eleanor Wachtel.
Episodes
20 of 179 episodesGirlbossing on an oil rig
Imagine the pressure of being the only woman working on an offshore oil rig. That was the reality for Y.M. Abdel-Magied … and she turned her...
How bad was your worst friendship breakup?
How far would you be willing to go to salvage a friendship? Maybe you just need a small break ... or how about a couples therapist? Téa Muto...
Michelle Good is reclaiming her mother's name
When Michelle Good’s mother was in her 20s, she changed her name from Martha Eliza to Elizabeth to sound less Indigenous. Michelle’s new nov...
Colson Whitehead’s lifelong love affair with New York
The criminal underworld of 1980s New York City. The last heist of a mostly-retired crook. A city battling for its future. Colson Whitehead’s...
What if your boss was a literal supervillain?
You might think that your boss is evil … but what if they were an actual supervillain? Natalie Zina Walschots brings that idea to life in he...
Did the pandemic radicalize you?
The phrase "unprecedented times” was repeated over and over again during the pandemic … and Malavika Kannan’s debut novel, Unprecedented Tim...
Why age-gap friendships are a risk worth taking
How many of your friends are over 30 years older than you? When Marc Bendavid was 12, he met a teacher that changed his life. His debut nove...
Why writing a novel is like riding a horse
Imagine you walk into your bedroom one day … and there’s a horse going on a rampage. Better yet, it’s a horse from a childhood story that ha...
A city just for adulterers
For cheating couples who are sneaking around, it’s paradise … but how long until the cracks start to show? Sophie Mackintosh’s new novel, Pe...
It’s tough being the new kid in town. The zombies don’t help
You might be used to moving around … but you've probably never ended up in a town full of zombies, aliens and sad clowns. Jon Claytor’s new...
Can you justify killing bad men?
Bad men, bee warned. Imani Thompson’s buzzy debut novel, Honey , follows a jaded PhD student named Yrsa. She’s bored with her work and frust...
The dazzling, dangerous world of a 20th century spy
David Baerwald is a famous songwriter who’s worked with artists like Joni Mitchell and Sheryl Crow. But when he uncovered a family history f...
Why you shouldn’t go gentle into that good night
If you just let go of everything that’s out of your control … can you truly be happy? Maria Semple tests that philosophy in her new novel, G...
From Hamnet to Land, Maggie O'Farrell maps uncharted history
Maggie O’Farrell brought Shakespeare’s son out of the footnotes of history with her 2020 novel Hamnet . Its hugely successful movie adaptati...
Can you make a family — and a country — great again?
Imagine your entire family … immediate and extended … living in one apartment complex together. Karan Mahajan’s latest novel, The Complex ,...
Sci-fi, survival and the final frontier
If an asteroid was hurtling towards Earth, and you had no other choice … would you upload your mind to a computer to survive? Robert J. Sawy...
Bookends highlights: Y’all know we’re Canada down
Coast to coast, province to province, soccer pitch to hockey rink … there’s no one Canadian experience, and no one Canadian story. This week...
Marjane Satrapi: In conversation with Eleanor Wachtel
When Marjane Satrapi died earlier this month, we lost an acclaimed graphic novelist and filmmaker … and a voice that explored Iranian societ...
What does it mean to be a dad, anyway?
Fatherhood isn’t easy. It might be hard to put the experience into words … but Jordan Abel’s new poetry collection does just that. Dad Era i...