The Next Chapter with Antonio Michael Downing

CBC Books Producer Bridget Raymundo never read Lord of the Flies growing up. So when it was announced a new series adaptation would be arriving on CBC Gem, she thought it was the perfect time to pick up the timeless novel. Bridget talks about what it was like entering that universe for the first time and what she took away from it. Plus, Trevor Carter shares his go-to Stephen King recommendation to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the film Stand By Me. 

Books discussed on this week's show include:

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Different Seasons by Stephen King

Liked this conversation? Keep listening:

Travelling to the birthplace of Interview with the Vampire

Reflecting on a year of fear with Stephen King

Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Author Xochitl Gonzalez grew up in a Brooklyn that looks much different than it does today. However, she's immortalized her home town as she remembers it in her latest novel Last Night in Brooklyn. She remembers it as something like the version of America that F. Scott Fitzgerald writes about in his iconic book. The air filled with optimism, the streets filled with artists, A-list celebrities and locals alike, blissfully unaware of the impending financial collapse of 2008. She’ll talk about her new book and how Brooklyn has changed over the years. Plus, Montreal musician Magi Merlin recommends the Eckhart Tolle book that impacted her life. 

Books discussed on this week's show include:

Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez

A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle

Liked this conversation? Keep listening:

Why Ann Patchett thinks the secret to success might be lowering people's expectations

Spilling secrets and small-town adultery in The Shampoo Effect

Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Actor Kathleen Munroe is in her fourth season starring as Detective Sergeant Frankie Bateman in  Law and Order Toronto: Criminal Intent. Not only is she a committed reader, but she's also a member of a star-studded book club featuring Nadine Bhabha, Clark Backo and more. She joins the show to talk about some of her favourite crime related reads. Plus, CBC producer and kids' book expert Lucy Mann will recommend her family's latest middle grade series obsession. 

Books discussed on this week's show include:

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

Jane: A Murder by Maggie Nelson

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

Witches of Brooklyn by Sophie Escabasse

Liked this conversation? Keep listening:

What happens when 6 Canadian actors start a book club

The book that inspired Carley Fortune's writing career

Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Robert J. Sawyer has been called “the Dean of Canadian science fiction.” He's written 25 novels, countless columns, book reviews and keynote speeches. When he was diagnosed with cancer six years ago, he was told not to go public, fearing it would hurt his chances of having future books published. Despite a terminal diagnosis, he has persevered and published several novels since. His new book is a collection of articles, reviews and speeches reflecting on decades of writing science fiction and what we can learn from the genre about entering an uncertain future. Plus, hear where writer and professor Michelle Porter finds true happiness while answering The Next Chapter's version of the Proust Questionnaire.

Books discussed on this week's show include:

Sawyer on Science Fiction by Robert J Sawyer

A Glacier’s Guide to Dying by Michelle Porter

Liked this conversation? Keep listening:

Why fantasy novels offer much more than escapism

Celina ‘Spooky Boo’ Myers on writing the next great vampire novel

Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

In his decades of making music, writing and running a newspaper, Dave Bidini has interpreted and celebrated the things that make this country unique. Last year, that meant teaming up with Nobel laureate Anne Carson and other notable Canadian writers on his band's album The Great Lakes Suites. Plus, CBC Books producer Daphné Santos-Vieira talks about her love for Jane of Lantern Hill by Lucy Maud Montgomery and why she re-reads it every year.

Books discussed on this week's show include:

Jane of Lantern Hill by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Liked this conversation? Keep listening:

Why Anne of Green Gables is a superstar in Japan

Bigger than The Game: Remembering Canadian hero Ken Dryden

Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Since writing his first book at the age of twelve, it's hard to imagine a more prolific writer than Gordon Korman. In nearly five decades of writing for kids and young adults, he's published 107 books, and sold around 35 million copies. He's beloved by readers spanning multiple generations and has become one of the most recognizable names in the middle grade genre. He stops by the studio to discuss how writing for young people has changed over his 50 years in the industry, what makes a character and story memorable and which books have helped shape his life and career. 

Books discussed on this week's show include:

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume

The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

Liked this conversation? Keep listening:

Who is the wimpy kid behind Jeff Kinney’s iconic series?

Inside the Toronto Sceptres’ team book club

Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

At the age of 27, Sam Demma just published his third book. His latest is called Return on Goodwill: Do good. Expect nothing. Watch life surprise you. He talks about how a trip to Value Village changed his perspective on everyday interactions, and shares the book that helped get him there. Sam is a bestselling author, an international speaker and someone who's been spreading his message of kindness and respect since he was a teenager. Plus, Talia Kliot joins the show after watching and reading Ali Hazelwood’s breakout rom-com The Love Hypothesis. She’ll share her thoughts and talk about the film's familiar backdrop. 

Books discussed on this week's show include:

Return on Goodwill by Sam Demma

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Liked this conversation? Keep listening:

Has hustle culture been lying to you?

The hidden connection between basketball and book nerds

Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

When writer and creative Arizona O'Neill read the satirical novel Fruit Fly by Josh Silver, it got her thinking about the publishing industry and the popularity of gay romance written by women. It's about a straight female author with a bad case of writer’s block who decides to write a novel about a young gay man battling addiction. Arizona makes her case for why it might be time to resume the conversation on who has the right to tell what stories. Plus, author Grant Ginder talks about his real-life heroes and his love for good produce while answering The Next Chapter’s version of The Proust Questionnaire. 

Books discussed on this week's show include:

Fruit Fly by Josh Silver

So Old, So Young by Grant Ginder

Liked this conversation? Keep listening:

Dealing with family drama? These novels prove it could always be worse

How to avoid getting locked in an echo chamber

Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

What are the best books published this month? Questions and titles like this led to writer and teacher Thea Lim’s article “Abolish the Top Ten List,” for the Walrus magazine. She noticed how rankings and lists dominate how we speak about books, narrowing the number of titles that reach the surface. Is this a healthy way to interact with art? She joins the show to talk about it. Plus, author Don Gillmor talks about his venture into crime thriller writing with Cherry Beach and recommends a read-alike. 

Books discussed on this week's show include:

Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane

Cherry Beach by Don Gillmor

Liked this conversation? Keep listening:

Are literary prizes a scam?

Why Ann Patchett thinks the secret to success might be lowering people's expectations

Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

With four Netflix specials and a late-night show to her name, Taylor Tomlinson has comedy figured out. But something she had never done before, was write a book. The comedian just released an essay collection called Actually, Nevermind, all about how people are allowed to change their minds. In the book, she lets us into her brain, discussing everything from love to religion, personal stories and mental health. She takes us back to a time when she thought she was destined to be a writer, and when Junie B. Jones taught her to be funny. A lifelong reader, she joins The Next Chapter to talk about her favourite books and what it meant to write her own.

Books discussed on this week's show include:

The Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Liked this conversation? Keep listening:

The books that made Andrew Phung fall in love with storytelling

What books drew Brendan Fraser to storytelling?

Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks