Allie, Evan, Max, and Kristina discuss the Scotiabank Giller Prize winning Washington Black with Esi Edugyan. On white saviors (3:54); this is the dawning of the age of aquariums (8:49); getting closure at 22-years-old (13:34); Esi Edugyan joins the conversation (14:54); a series of farewells and returns (17:24); dancing about architecture (25:21); that one Bjork album about break-ups (22:53)

Allie, Evan, Max, and Kristina discuss The Boat People by Sharon Bala and how Max dated a Priya (2:36); how to pronounce “Gigovaz” (3:57); Kumi as Jiminy Cricket (9:10); Sharon Bala joins the conversation (15:01); hearkening back to the “good ol’ days” (27:07); the Refugee Law Text Book, Orange Is the New Black, and “Paper Planes.” (31:52)

Allie, Evan, Max, and Kristina discuss Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez and dancing to Whitney (3:17); Filipino signposts (4:28); clear eyes, hard lives, can’t lose (10:31); Catherine Hernandez joins the conversation (16:49); on keeping that lipstick neat for church (19:28); Bonnie Raitt, ballroom dancing, and Little Criminals (31:52).

Allie, Evan, Kristina and Max discuss Floating City by Kerri Sakamoto and the parallels to one Charles Foster Kane (1:20); how feeling entitled whilst having a chip on your shoulder is the worst combo (7:30); Evan is the podcast’s Macklemore (13:19); Kerri Sakamoto joins the conversation (17:09); when victims of racism don’t end up being the nicest of people (19:29); the most wondrous building in Toronto (26:24); ‘Stardust’, Wong Kar-Wai, and a brilliant friend (29:26)

Allie, Evan, Kristina, and Max discuss That Time I Loved You by Carrianne Leung, and the many musical artists – Michael Jackson, Earth, Wind, and Fire, Billy Joel, Donna Summer – referenced within (0:47); how all basement parties are important (5:05); Nelly’s Nellyville and Kristina’s Air Force Ones (9:51); Po Po as a good ally for Nav (13:38); Carrianne Leung joins the conversation (18:05); putting Scarborough on the literary map (21:13); one spicy Po Po (27:53); the importance of volleyball in Chinatowns (30:10); a slow dance with a Flying Tiger (35:04)

Allie, Evan, Kristina, and Max discuss I’m Afraid of Men and what’s up, exactly, with masculinity (0:46); the myth of the good man (6:01); it’s not like people are not dating incels because they’re not ripped, they’re not dating incels because they hate women (12:30); Cruise, Swayze, Keanu (14:10); Vivek Shraya joins the conversation (17:56); being enlisted into and resisting masculinity (19:15); good is a nebulous standard (22:52); on the bus with the communicative jock (27:48); you had me at hello (36:33)

A special preview episode featuring outtakes from our episode with Vivek Shraya (I’m Afraid of Men).

“I’m afraid of men …” (1:26); Allie, Evan, Kristina, and Max discuss the canon of toxic masculinity (3:21); Still Processing, Donald Glover, SZA, and Infinite Jest (3:59); spitting on the Dufferin bus (4:44); Kristina is very throw-able (7:50); reading your horoscope (10:57); best-dressed author Vivek Shraya talks about her fashion journey (11:50); an empty onion bag as a hat (12:58); women’s clothes are more expensive and shoddily made (15:35); “Can a girl get a flower in this plus-size section?” (16:27)

Allie, Evan, Kristina, and Max discuss An Ocean of Minutes and time travel as nostalgia (2:33); “Drop It Like It’s Hot”, Stadium Arcadium, “Me & U” by Cassie (5:03); time travelling to avoid breaking up with someone (11:40); Thea Lim joins the conversation (13:12); WG Sebald and The Rings of Saturn (15:27); What’s done is done (16:28); Kazuo Ishiguro, Rashida Jones, Rhye (25:12)

Allie, Evan, Kristina, and Max discuss the novel Brother and Scarborough food-culture (3:59); Otis Redding, DJ Kool, and Toots and the Maytals(7:23); Kristina’s first trip back to Jamaica (10:11); author David Chariandy joins the conversation (15:01); writing through his stomach and his love of cookbooks (20:03); new writing on the Canadian suburb by Carrianne Leung and Catherine Hernandez (22:05); Dionne Brand, Moonlight, Maestro Fresh Wes, and Frank Ocean (29:59)

Scaachi Koul joins us to discuss her book One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter. Allie, Evan, Kristina, and Max discuss the difference between the memoir and the essay collection (:32); about that friend who drinks too much (2:35); eating fried chicken at weddings in India (8:11); being friends with your mom, aka Gilmore Girls (15:39); author Scaachi Koul joins the conversation (18:11); Indian traditions whilst having a white boyfriend (21:14); watching Dr. Phil whilst writing (28:32); just listen to Courtney Love (31:46)