12 books you heard about on CBC Radio recently
Check out some of the books discussed on national CBC Radio programs between Oct. 22-29, 2024.
Absolution by Jeff VanderMeer
Heard on: Bookends with Mattea Roach
Absolution, the final instalment of Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach series explores the conditions that may have contributed to the formation of Area X, including government complicity and scientific experimentation. It includes an account of the very first expedition into Area X, which is surrounded by an invisible border on a coastline that's referred to as the Forgotten Coast.
In some expeditions into Area X, researchers don't find anything unnatural. Instead, they find that Area X is actually getting rid of some of the pollution in the region.
Jeff VanderMeer is an American author based in Tallahassee, Florida. His bestselling Southern Reach series includes four books: Annihilation, Authority, Acceptance and Absolution. Annihilation won the Nebula Award and the Shirley Jackson Award. His other work includes Hummingbird Salamander, Dead Astronauts, Borne and The Strange Bird. His reporting has appeared in Current Affairs, TIME, the Nation and Esquire.
The Haters by Robyn Harding
Heard on: The Next Chapter
The Haters follows writer and teacher Camryn Lane as she publishes her first novel after years of effort. When suddenly she receives an unnerving anonymous message, her dream turns into a nightmare. Camryn is bombarded with bad and accusatory reviews online. As the harassment begins to seep into her personal life, Camryn is determined to find the culprit. In this psychological thriller about the dark corners of the Internet, Camryn falls further into a path of deadly consequences.
Harding is a crime and thriller writer based in Vancouver. She has published 13 novels including The Perfect Family, The Drowning Woman and The Party, which was a finalist for the Arthur Ellis Award.
The Indigenous Paleolithic of the Western Hemisphere by Paulette Steeves
Heard on: Ideas
An old story about the "Old Stone Age" in North America is now giving way to new evidence — or to be precise, evidence that is much, much older than scientists used to accept. Archaeologists long believed that the first peoples to set foot on this continent arrived by crossing a land connection, the Bering Strait, from Siberia at the end of the last ice age, around 11,500 to 12,000 years ago. They are often called 'Clovis people' — named after the first discovery of stone tools used around this time, at a site near Clovis, New Mexico.
In her book The Indigenous Paleolithic of the Western Hemisphere, archaeologist Paulette Steeves argues that the settlement of the Americas may have occurred closer to 130,000 ago. Her book gathers together the latest evidence and arguments in favour of believing the human presence in North America goes back many tens of thousands of years — at a minimum.
Paulette Steeves is a professor of sociology at Algoma University in Sault Ste. Marie, and a Canada Research Chair in Healing and Reconciliation.
Soups, Salads, Sandwiches by Matty Matheson
Heard on: Q with Tom Power
Matheson is one of the best-known celebrity chefs in the world. Not only are his restaurants packed every night, but he's one of the executive producers of the Emmy-winning series The Bear, and he's just released his third bestselling cookbook, Soups, Salads, Sandwiches.
Matty Matheson is celebrity chef and owner of multiple restaurants and author of multiple cookbooks. He worked on the acclaimed FX series The Bear as a co-producer, actor and consulting chef.
Should We Go Extinct? by Todd May
Heard on: The Current
In his new book, Should We Go Extinct?, philosopher Todd May calls us to reflect on whether we deserve to inhabit this planet in the face of human-made climate change and environmental collapse.
Todd May is an American philosopher and the author of 18 books of philosophy.
The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
Heard on: The Next Chapter
Perfectionism isn't the answer to our imperfections. Instead, we can choose to see what they can offer and teach us. The Gifts of Imperfection is a guide to accepting imperfections and living without shame.
It's about the art of practicing courage, connection and compassion, while letting go of the need to be perfect.
Brené Brown is a bestselling American author and podcaster. Her books include Atlas of the Heart, Dare to Lead, You Are Your Best Thing and The Gifts of Imperfection.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Heard on: The Next Chapter
Atomic Habits outlines how great success can come from small, consistent changes. Featuring stories of real-life professionals and drawing on ideas from psychology, biology and neuroscience, James Clear has created a guide to building good habits and getting rid of bad ones.
James Clear is a bestselling American author. His writing focuses on habits, decision making, and continuous improvement.
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
Heard on: The Next Chapter
Rather than crediting intelligence and ambition alone, Gladwell makes a different case for success in his book Outliers, especially in people outside of the ordinary. He argues that understanding how people thrive involves looking at the environment around them, including their family, their birthplace and even their birthdate. While uncovering the way these elements affect our lives, Gladwell presents a compelling guide for making the most of human potential.
Malcolm Gladwell has written many nonfiction books including The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, What the Dog Saw, David and Goliath, Talking to Strangers and The Bomber Mafia. Gladwell is also the co-founder of Pushkin Industries, a company that produces the podcast Revisionist History among others as well as audiobooks. Gladwell grew up in Elmira, Ont. and now lives in the U.S.
Boy vs. Shark by Paul Gilligan
Heard on: Q with Tom Power
The summer of 1975 starts out as carefree as any other for ten-year-old Paul Gilligan. His only worries are keeping his comics in pristine condition and keeping up with his friend David's increasingly bold stunts. That is until the movie Jaws to town, leaving Paul a cowering mess as he begins to seemingly be haunted by the big screen shark.
Paul Gilligan is a Toronto-based cartoonist. He is also the author-illustrator of Pluto Rocket: New in Town, Pluto Rocket: Joe Pidge Flips a Lid, King of the Mole People and its sequel, Rise of the Slugs.
Helge Dascher is a frequent translator of comic books. She's also translated many of Guy Delisle's titles, Aya by Marguerite Abouet and Clément Oubrerie, White Rapids by Pascal Blanchet and Paul Goes Fishing by Michel Rabagliati.
On Freedom by Timothy Snyder
Heard on: The Current
Historian Timothy Snyder says thinking about freedom as "me against the system" is actually a trap that stops people from being truly free. The best-selling author of On Tyranny is back with his latest book On Freedom, which explores freedom from multiple angles.
Timothy Snyder is the Richard C. Levin professor of history and global affairs at Yale University. He is an expert in the history of Central and Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union and the Holocaust. His books include Bloodlands, Black Earth, The Road to Unfreedom and On Tyranny.
Unlike the Rest by Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa
Heard on: The Sunday Magazine
Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa is an accomplished doctor and poet – but in 2016 she made headlines for something else. In her medical school class at the University of Toronto, she was the only Black student. She went on to become the first Black woman named sole valedictorian of the department. Since then, Dr. Oriuwa has taken up the work of creating opportunities for other racialized people in medicine. Her memoir Unlike the Rest explores her journey to becoming a doctor and finding her voice.
Oriuwa is a psychiatry resident at the University of Toronto. She was named one of Time magazine's 2021 Next Generation Leaders and was on Maclean's Power 50 list in 2022. She has been on multiple boards and is an advocate for creating spaces of wellness and inclusion.
From Here to the Great Unknown by Riley Keough
Heard on: Q with Tom Power
In late 2022, Lisa Marie set out to write a memoir and asked her daughter Riley Keough for help. A month later, Lisa Marie was dead at age 54, and Keough took it upon herself to finish her mother's final project, relying on hours of audio tapes that were left behind. From Here to the Great Unknown is the culmination of that work and tells the story of the heir to one of America's biggest musical legacy.
Riley Keough is an Emmy-nominated actor and director, and the eldest granddaughter of Elvis Presley and the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley.
