Bookends with Mattea Roach

Charity organizations are all about doing good. What could possibly go wrong? Sharon Bala’s new novel, Good Guys, is all about how philanthropy operates in a world that runs on money. The book stars a fictional charity called Children of the World. It’s an international aid organization founded by a former rock star with some questionable motives. Moving between its headquarters in Toronto and its compound in Central America, the story follows the rise and fall of the charity and the characters’ complicated attempts at redemption. This week, Sharon tells Mattea about the dark side of NGOs, the connection between charity and faith and the complex desire to be a good person.

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A fictional ad agency — and its very real ghosts
Yes, tuberculosis is still a thing — John Green tells us why

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If it feels like the years are going by faster and faster … you’re not the only one. Grant Ginder’s new novel, So Old, So Young, follows a group of college friends across 20 years. The story is told through five major parties that bring the group together as their lives change and criss-cross in unexpected ways. From housewarmings to weddings to birthdays, this book explores how our connections evolve and break … and it’s a profound look at how friendships grow with us. This week, Grant joins Mattea Roach to talk about writing a “coming of middle-age” novel, having grace for old friends and why friendships can be trickier than romance.

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Reliving the soundtrack of the 2000s
1 marriage, 2 mid-life crises … and a guy named Gluten

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Yann Martel didn’t think anybody would read Life of Pi when he first published it. 25 years later, his story of a teenage boy and a tiger adrift in the ocean still captivates readers, and Yann says his books are like his children — he loves them all equally. Yann’s new novel is called Son of Nobody. In the book, a Canadian scholar’s life changes when an Iliad-like epic poem is newly discovered. When he travels across the world to study it, he uncovers threads that are far more personal than expected. Son of Nobody is an exploration of identity, myth and class, and it’s a fresh take on a piece of literary history. This week Yann joins Mattea Roach to reflect on his past work, his interest in mythology and why humans should create, no matter what.

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The last book Julian Barnes will ever write
How do we restore our sense of wonder in media?

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When Mai Nguyen lost her daughter just days after she was born, writing about a similar character in a novel brought her comfort. Her new book, Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead, is a heartbreaking but humorous novel about a grieving mother who starts working at a funeral home. Cleo Dang’s world is shattered when she loses her newborn due to complications during labour. Drowning in grief and the discomfort of friends and family, she takes a job at a funeral home and comes to learn intimately about her own loss and what grief means for others. It’s a deeply personal story based on Mai’s own experiences, and despite the subject, she tells the story with levity and hope. This week, Mai tells Mattea Roach about her own grief journey, balancing sorrow and laughter and why she was wrong about funeral home employees.

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Sarah Leavitt: Illustrating grief too wide for words
What is extreme caretaking?

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The “wolf hour” is a term for the deep-night period between roughly three and four in the morning. The world is quiet, your guard is down … and if you’re anything like the thriller writer Jo Nesbø, it’s the perfect time to put some of your darkest thoughts to the page. Wolf Hour is the latest of Jo’s gritty crime novels. It’s an immersive story about a troubled detective and a Norwegian journalist solving the same Minneapolis murder, six years apart. Like many of Jo’s books, it’s a “Nordic noir” thriller that explores what drives people to evil … and if there’s a monster in all of us. This week, Jo tells Mattea Roach about exploring humanity’s dark side, adapting his work for television and why all crime writing is political.

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When young men murder, what can we learn?
Chris Hadfield — from astronaut to author

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