Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s triumphant return to fiction
Readers have been waiting for a new novel from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for 12 years … and Dream Count delivers a sweeping tale that was well worth the wait. In the novel, Chimamanda weaves together the perspectives of four women moving between Nigeria, Guinea and the United States. In this Canadian broadcast exclusive, she joins Mattea Roach to talk about her longing to be known, grappling with the sudden loss of her parents and how her mother’s spirit brought her back to fictionCheck out the full video interview on the CBC Arts YouTube channel.
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Scaachi Koul calls herself a professional ex-wife
After years in the Internet trenches, Scaachi Koul is no stranger to a good fight — but her latest essay collection is all about knowing when to walk away. In Sucker Punch, Scaachi examines her recent divorce with her signature ruthless humour, picking apart what the end of her marriage made her realize about her self-worth, upbringing and love of conflict. Scaachi joins Mattea to talk about divorce in the public eye, challenging her previous work and why her mother is at the centre of the new book. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:Curtis Sittenfeld is fascinated by fame Zoe Whittall: Why heartbreak is a valid form of grief
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Yes, tuberculosis is still a thing — John Green tells us why
You might know John Green as the author of bestsellers such as The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska, or from the hugely popular Crash Course and Vlogbrothers Youtube channels. John’s latest obsession is tuberculosis, the deadliest disease in the world — and he writes all about it in his book, Everything is Tuberculosis. John and Mattea Roach dive into the wild history of the disease, why it persists today and John’s personal relationship with a young tuberculosis patient from Sierra Leone. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:Bryan Lee O’Malley: 20 years of Scott Pilgrim Judith Butler: Breaking down why people fear gender
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Mapping the stories of Uganda’s abducted children
The poet and author Otoniya J. Okot Bitek’s debut novel, We The Kindling, weaves together stories of women who were abducted as children by a rebel militia in northern Uganda. The novel doesn’t have just one protagonist — each powerful voice adds to a chorus that tells a haunting story of loss, survival and what it means to hold on to hope, no matter how small. Otoniya joins Mattea to talk about her own writing journey, the complex history behind the novel and what she means by the “cartography” of stories. 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 NightIn the Caribbean, secret lives come at a cost
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Kate Bush spins a magical story on her album Hounds of Love
In 2022, Kate Bush’s song Running Up That Hill topped charts around the world … nearly 40 years after its initial release. The resurgence came after the song was featured on the Netflix series Stranger Things — but according to the musician and writer Leah Kardos, the entire album is a masterpiece. Leah’s new book, Hounds of Love, is a deep dive into Kate’s 1985 album of the same name. It tells the remarkable story of how the album came to be, explores Kate’s enduring appeal and paints a portrait of Kate as a visionary musician and storyteller. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:Why Heather O’Neill believes in magic Leslie Jamison: Capturing Peggy Guggenheim in fiction and honouring a friend's dream
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.
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