The Next Chapter with Antonio Michael Downing

By CBC

Looking for your next great read? The Next Chapter’s got you covered! Book lovers join host Antonio Michael Downing to dive deep into great books. Big feelings, hot takes, enlightening conversation

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How many episodes does The Next Chapter with Antonio Michael Downing have?

The podcast currently has 430 episodes available.

Best of The Next Chapter with Antonio Michael Downing

The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

Number 1: What made The Tragically Hip Canada’s band?
Ten years ago, more than 11 million Canadians tuned in to CBC for the live airing of The Tragically Hip’s final concert of their Man Machine Poem tour in Kingston, Ontario. Since then, this performance has held a special place in the minds of many Canadians and more. Michael Barclay is a writer and long time fan of the band. He wanted to make sure that the iconic Canadian band’s history was being documented, so he wrote a book. It’s called The Never Ending Present: The Story of Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip. It guides readers through the history of the band, their music and offers a window into the music scene at that time. He talks about the band's legacy and what made the Hip Canada's band. Books discussed on this week's show include: The Never Ending Present: The Story of Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip by Michael Barclay Rough Description by Don Pyle Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Canadian fiddle legend Natalie MacMaster shares her life in books What is the greatest Canadian novel of all time? Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks
August 22, 202623min
Number 2: These books introduced Will Ferguson to the world... and changed his life
Will Ferguson began his career as a travel writer. Since then he's written more than a dozen books and won some of the biggest literary prizes a Canadian writer can win. Along the way, he never gave up travel writing, and still uses it to inform his fiction. His books stretch across genres, allowing his work to follow wherever his interests take him, always with an underpinning thread of humour. Growing up in a small town in Northern Alberta, books were his first ticket to seeing the outside world. He'll break down which books have influenced his life and career the most in a segment of My Life in Books. Books discussed on this week's show include: Meanwhile, Back in Nokomis by Will Ferguson Red Sky at Morning by Richard Bradford The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler The Quiet American by Graham Greene Satellite Love by Genki Ferguson Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Terry Fallis proves you have to live before you can write The books that made Andrew Phung fall in love with storytelling Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks
September 05, 202627min
Number 3: What it’s like entering the spotlight after a career of ghostwriting
For most of her writing life Patricia Finn wrote and polished other people’s stories. But this spring she stepped out of the shadows with the publication of her debut novel. It’s called The Golden Boy and it follows a television executive who, after losing his job, inherits the grandchildren of his deceased friend. Patricia joins the show to tell us about The Golden Boy and recommend a companion read. Plus, author Uzma Jalaluddin shares what Gen Z slang she's picked up from her kids while answering The Next Chapter's version of the Proust Questionnaire. Books discussed on this week's show include: No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai Moonlight Murder by Uzma Jalaluddin Liked this conversation? Keep listening: The author behind Lucky reveals how she helped cast Anya Taylor-Joy The book that inspired Carley Fortune's writing career Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks
August 31, 202628min
Number 4: How far must we go to find our way home?
In April, two Canada Reads nominated authors took the stage in Whitehorse to discuss their books in front of a packed live audience. The evening featured a conversation between Loghan Paylor, author of The Cure for Drowning, and Billy-Ray Belcourt, the author of A Minor Chorus. Both novels explore what it means to find a sense of home, and how that quest can impact who we become. The event was called Homecoming, and with the help of CBC host Leonard Linklater, the authors sat down to discuss the themes of home, identity and belonging in their characters' lives, and in their own. Books discussed on this week's show include: The Cure for Drowning by Loghan Paylor A Minor Chorus by Billy-Ray Belcourt Liked this conversation? Keep listening: How iconic musician Tegan Quin plans to tackle Canada Reads Why Elle-Maija Tailfeathers says A Minor Chorus is the story Canada needs to hear right now Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks
August 29, 202627min
Number 5: How to avoid getting locked in an echo chamber
Some books change your mind. Others simply reinforce what you already know. The Next Chapter's columnist Nathan Maharaj joins the show to talk about two books that challenged his assumptions and altered his perspective. Nathan is a lifelong bookseller and the director of content marketing at Rakuten Kobo. He'll discuss why challenging your beliefs is important and how it can lead to a broader worldview. Plus, Toronto artist Mah Moud stops by to talk about a mysterious book from his parents bookshelf, and how the impact of a good novel can last for generations. Books discussed on this week's show include: Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez How Great Things Happen by George Newman Liked this conversation? Keep listening: Can reading be the first step to making real change? What is the greatest Canadian novel of all time? Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks
August 15, 202624min