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Artwork for Bookends

Bookends with Mattea Roach

CBC
Grief
Identity
Literature
Family Dynamics
Mental Health
Cultural Identity
Canadian Literature
Chronic Pain
Canada
Poetry
Immigration
Graphic Novels
CBC
Friendship
Franz Kafka
Jackie Kay
Mirrors
Toronto
New York City
Storytelling

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.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes173Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BooksArts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Bookends

Latest Episodes

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 novel, Eliza Sunshine, is rooted intimately in her mother’s life … and gives her mother her name back. The novel ... more

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 Harlem Trilogy reaches its conclusion with his latest novel, Cool Machine. It follows Ray Carney, a former cr... more

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 her novels Hench and Villain. The series follows Anna, an auditor who does office work for the dark side. After ... more

The phrase "unprecedented times” was repeated over and over again during the pandemic … and Malavika Kannan’s debut novel, Unprecedented Times, dives into university life during that period. The story follows Rishi, an Indian American student who’s r... more

Key Facts

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Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Michelle Good
Author of Eliza Sunshine and Five Little Indians, Cree Nation writer
Author
Episode: Michelle Good is reclaiming her mother's name
Colson Whitehead
Author of Harlem Shuffle, Crook Manifesto, and Cool Machine
Author
Episode: Colson Whitehead’s lifelong love affair with New York
Natalie Zina Walshots
Author of Hench and Villain
Self-employed/author
Episode: What if your boss was a literal supervillain?
Malavika Kannan
Author of Unprecedented Times
Author, Unprecedented Times
Episode: Did the pandemic radicalize you?
Marc Bendavid
Author of The Sapling, actor known for Murdoch Mysteries and Reacher
Author
Episode: Why age-gap friendships are a risk worth taking
Ali Smith
Author
Episode: Why writing a novel is like riding a horse
Sophie Mackintosh
Author of Permanence
Episode: A city just for adulterers
Jon Claytor
Graphic novelist and oil painter, author of Nowhere
Self-published/Kellogg Press (contextual from episode)
Episode: It’s tough being the new kid in town. The zombies don’t help
Imani Thompson
Author of Honey
Author, Honey
Episode: Can you justify killing bad men?

Host

Mattea Roach
Host of Bookends

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1.3k ratings
  • Better with time!

    Great guests; lots of inspiration for what to read. Also agree with several other reviewers on how the show host has improved: by letting the guests talk without too many interruptions/personal anecdotes.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mmmmbirds
    Canada4 months ago
  • Brilliant

    The podcast is great and Mattea is brilliant. The variety of books and authors is refreshing. Keep it coming.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Molinatoronto
    Canada5 months ago
  • Love the thoughtful conversation!

    Mattea is an excellent host and interviewer! They always ask such interesting questions. My favourite podcast by far!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    WilliamFrancis
    Canada8 months ago
  • Ian McEwan

    Congratulations on the great questions that fuelled a fascinating conversation with the master novelist of our time,Ian McEwan. I just finished his latest novel and found the interview enhanced my reading experience. Keep it up!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Connie49
    Canada8 months ago
  • Terrible

    I live in the US as do many many of your readers, Louise. I didnt appreciate your negativity re the US or the tone of your remarks. I didn’t listen all the way through. I enjoy your books. I will keep reading them but I’d rather think of you as what I have imagined and not what I just heard. Very disappointing. I detected the same attitude with Mattea as well. We as citizens of our great country the USA aren’t graced with the options that our leaders choose to make.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Kirkieblue
    United States9 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Host is well-prepared, articulate, and makes complex topics accessible.
High-quality conversations with diverse authors and subjects.
A consistently engaging literary show with strong guest picks.
Thoughtful, intelligent interviews that let guests speak and ideas flourish.
Some listeners felt the host's approach can be too persistent; most praise the depth.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#5
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#18
Canada/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#108
Australia/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#178
Australia/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#179
Ireland/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#202
South Korea/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Colson Whitehead’s lifelong love affair with New York
Q: Why does Whitehead dedicate his work to New York City, and how has the city influenced his writing?
He shares a personal connection, anthropomorphizing the city and viewing it as a shelter and source of inspiration, while acknowledging its harshness and the way it shapes his characters.
Colson Whitehead’s lifelong love affair with New York
Q: What is the appeal of Ray Carney as a protagonist who navigates crime without being a traditional gun-toting antihero?
Whitehead explains that Carney's humanity, his internal struggle, and his chance to act as a reader stand-in—learning the rules of a world he's not fully prepared for—make him compelling rather than a pure superhero.
Michelle Good is reclaiming her mother's name
Q: Why did you decide to name the fictional mother in the novel Eliza Sunshine, and what did that signify for you and the story?
Naming the mother Eliza Sunshine creates a tangible anchor that ties the character to memory, lineage, and a broader historical narrative, emphasizing continuity and the reclamation of identity.
Michelle Good is reclaiming her mother's name
Q: Why did you choose to foreground your mother's story within a family saga that also looks further back in time to Swan, your grandmother?
The choice provides a broad context linking the intergenerational struggles and resilience, showing how past generations inform the present and why telling the family story matters for understanding Indigenous history.
What if your boss was a literal supervillain?
Q: What inspired you to include office culture as an element in this superhero world?
The real-world pressures of being a young writer struggling to pay rent and navigate careers, plus a desire to explore how capitalism and everyday work dynamics shape ethical choices, seeded the office culture in the books.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Bookends

What is Bookends about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Listeners can expect deeply literary conversations that thread through history, culture, and contemporary society. Episodes feature authors and writers who scrutinize identity, memory, and place, often tying personal experiences to broader social themes, from diaspora and colonial history to gender, power, and technology. The discussions frequently blend rigorous literary analysis with intimate storytelling, offering behind-the-scenes writing processes, archival discoveries, and philosophical reflections that help potential readers decide what to read next. A notable strength is the host's ability to balance scholarly inquiry with approachable storytelling, drawing out nuanced insights without getting bogged down in jargon. Occasionally, gu... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Bookends?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Bookends:

1. The Next Chapter with Antonio Michael Downing
2. Ideas
3. The Sunday Magazine
4. The Current
5. Q with Tom Power

How many episodes of Bookends are there?

Bookends launched 20 years ago and published 173 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Bookends?

Recent guests on Bookends include:

1. Michelle Good
2. Colson Whitehead
3. Natalie Zina Walshots
4. Malavika Kannan
5. Marc Bendavid
6. Ali Smith
7. Sophie Mackintosh
8. Jon Claytor

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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