Mattea Roach. Image: CBCbooks
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
‘Different Parts of the World’
As Publishing Perspectives readers know, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, CBC, has long produced one of the most influential books-related programs, Canada Reads, a standout not only for its debate-and-elimination structure over the course of a week, but for its focus on serious, socially impactful issue-driven literature.
Now, CBCbooks, the division behind Canada Reads, is readying a new consumer-facing one-hour national literary program, Bookends With Mattea Roach, to be premiered on September 8 with initial airings Sundays at 1 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. Newfoundland time, 3 p.m. Pacific) on CBC Radio and CBC Listen.
The host, Roach, in fact was a “champion” on Canada Reads in 2023 for Kate Beaton’s Ducks (published by Chris Oliveros’ Drawn & Quarterly), which went on to win Canada Reads that year. Roach may be more widely familiar to Jeopardy fans, for a 23-game winning streak on that show in 2022, said to be the longest-running success on Jeopardy for a Canadian and netting US$560,983.
On the new Bookends production, Roach is to talk with international and Canadian writers about their work.
Anticipated conversations for the show are to feature:
- Iranian-American poet Kaveh Akbar (Martyr)
- American humorist Sloane Crosley (Grief is for People)
- Canadian novelists David Huebert (Oil People) and Heather O’Neill (The Capital of Dreams)
In addition, the first season is to feature Kaveh Akbar, Sloane Crosley, Casey McQuiston, Morgan Talty, Alison McCreesh, Corinna Chong, Teresa Wong, V. V. Ganeshananthan, and Alan Hollinghurst.
‘New Voices Shaping Today’s Literature’
In a prepared comment on the news of the upcoming show, Roach—a Halifax native who prefers the pronouns they and them—is quoted, saying, “I’m incredibly excited to move into this new role, which I hope and expect will allow me to grow as both a reader and an interviewer. I’ve always loved books and am curious about creativity and the world around us.
“I’ll be speaking with authors from different genres, different parts of the world, and different stages in their careers. This is an amazing opportunity for both me and our audience to get to know writers I love and be introduced to exciting new voices shaping today’s literature.”
As part of the final episode of CBC’s literary program Writers & Company, Roach is to interview that show’s retiring host, Eleanor Wachtel, to discuss Roach’s new role and what to look forward to from Bookends. Wachtel is retiring.
CBCbooks also produces The Next Chapter and the CBC Literary Prizes.
Bookends will take over the Writers & Company podcast feeds.
More on ‘Canada Reads’ is here, and more on the Canadian publishing market is here.
