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Artwork for Bookends

Bookends with Mattea Roach

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

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
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Artwork for Bookends

Latest Episodes

How does a nation convince its children that death is more valuable than life? That’s the haunting question at the heart of The Small Ones, a new novel by Nazanine Hozar. Following her acclaimed debut novel Aria, Nazanine draws on her own childhood m... more

Amanda Peters’ debut novel, The Berry Pickers, was a massive hit about a young Indigenous girl who goes missing as her family picks blueberries in Maine. Now Amanda is back with The Birthing Tree, a moving novel about family secrets, midwifery and re... more

Bonnie Garmus says she came to poetry “kicking and screaming,” but her new novel is about why we need it more than ever. Peck & Peck follows a young man named Batter Gray who starts working at a prestigious poetry magazine. Batter is consumed by poet... more

Jenna Timmons-Oikawa is the winner of the 2026 CBC Nonfiction Prize. Her piece, Wawa Indian, was inspired by the discovery that her mother was taken in the Sixties Scoop. This was a government practice in Canada from the 1960s to 1980s that removed I... 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

Bonnie Garmus
Novelist and author of Lessons in Chemistry and Peck & Peck
Episode: The 98 rejections before hit novel Lessons in Chemistry
Jenna Timmons-Oikawa
Ottawa-based writer and winner of the 2026 CBC Nonfiction Prize
Episode: Her mother was stolen. What does that mean for her?
R. F. Kuang
Novelist and author of Taipei Story and The Poppy War.
Episode: R.F. Kuang gets personal in Taipei Story
Marlon James
Author of The Disappearers
Author
Episode: Why Marlon James disappeared
Anne Carson
Canadian poet, essayist and translator, and Nobel Prize winner in Literature
Episode: Nobel Prize winner Anne Carson in conversation with Eleanor Wachtel
Anita Rau Badami
Author of Asha in the Garden
Author
Episode: A novel inspired by the death of a tree
Yasmine Abdel-Magied
Author of At Sea
Author, screenwriter, public speaker
Episode: Girlbossing on an oil rig
Téa Mutonji
Author of My Person, writer
Author / Writer
Episode: How bad was your worst friendship breakup?
Michelle Good
Author of Eliza Sunshine and Five Little Indians, Cree Nation writer
Author
Episode: Michelle Good is reclaiming her mother's name

Host

Mattea Roach
Canadian broadcaster and interviewer

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
    Canada5 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
    Canada6 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
    Canada10 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
    Canada10 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 States10 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners often praise Mattea Roach's intelligent questions, preparation and warm, easy-to-follow interviewing style.
A portion of the audience remains attached to the earlier archival interview format and compares the current approach with its predecessor.
The author conversations are valued for revealing how books are made and for inspiring listeners to read more.
Listeners appreciate the variety of writers, genres and perspectives covered.
Some listeners feel the host's personal anecdotes can take attention away from guests, while others say the interview style has grown more balanced.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#232
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#4
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#16
Canada/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#150
Australia/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#57
Switzerland/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#59
Israel/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The 98 rejections before hit novel Lessons in Chemistry
Q: What kept you going and made you feel like, you know what, no, my written word, it's going to go somewhere. I want to keep doing this.
Garmus says her copywriting career made her comfortable with feedback and confident in her writing. She accepted that her first novel had flaws but rejected the idea that 98 rejections meant she should stop, and made time to write Lessons in Chemistry in the early mornings.
The 98 rejections before hit novel Lessons in Chemistry
Q: Take me back to the start of your relationship with poetry. Why do you care so much about it that you want to write a novel kind of advocating for this other form of literature?
A teacher read poems aloud to Garmus's class when she was 14 and taught her that poetry can speak to the world's joys and problems. Later, hearing Nikki Giovanni's “The Laws of Motion” connected poetry with her concerns about greed and declining integrity in technology.
Her mother was stolen. What does that mean for her?
Q: Where would you say you're at in that process now?
Timmons-Oikawa considers reconnection a lifelong process. She is reaching out to community, learning Anishinaabemowin, and immersing herself in Indigenous arts, culture, and ceremony.
Her mother was stolen. What does that mean for her?
Q: How did writing the piece help, and is there anything else you've done to reconcile that this is something that happened in your family history?
Writing the story helped Timmons-Oikawa recognize what had happened to her mother. The realization was emotionally overwhelming, and she paused writing to process it and speak with her mother.
R.F. Kuang gets personal in Taipei Story
Q: Can you share a little bit about who your grandparents were?
Kuang recalls her difficult FaceTime conversation with her grandmother after her grandfather died. Her grandmother shared that he had looked out for her throughout their life, including on the day he died.

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?

Author interviews connect new books with the experiences, histories and ideas that shape them. Mattea Roach speaks with novelists, poets and graphic novelists about creative choices, literary craft and the worlds their work reflects, from family memory and migration to identity, power, desire and belonging. Conversations are usually centered on a guest's recent book, but often widen into personal history, cultural context and the questions a story leaves open. The mix spans contemporary fiction, poetry and graphic novels, with both established writers and emerging authors. The format is an in-depth, one-on-one interview, sometimes recorded before a live audience, and archival conversations with writers also appear. It suits readers who enjo... more

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1. Ideas
2. The Sunday Magazine
3. Q with Tom Power
4. Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud
5. The Current

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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. Bonnie Garmus
2. Jenna Timmons-Oikawa
3. R. F. Kuang
4. Marlon James
5. Anne Carson
6. Anita Rau Badami
7. Yasmine Abdel-Magied
8. Téa Mutonji

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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