Read The North

Memoir, creative non-fiction, narrative non-fiction… What happens to genre when reality and storytelling are combined? Featuring author Helen Knott, executive editor Anita Chong of McClelland & Stewart, and multimedia artist John Brady McDonald. — Hosted by Rebecca Diem Produced by Quinton Bradshaw Music by James Ellercamp Production Assistance and Episode Art by Haley Richardson Special thank...

Today we find ourselves asking ‘What the SF-eff?’ as we explore the limitless imaginations of science fiction and fantasy writers. — Hosted by Rebecca Diem Produced by Quinton Bradshaw Music by James Ellercamp Production Assistance and Episode Art by Haley Richardson Special thanks to our guests, Chris Szego of Bakka-Phoenix Books , Kerry C. Byrne of Augur Magazine and Tales & Feathers Magazin...

Face your fears with host Rebecca Diem, and dive deep into the spine-tingling mystery, thriller, and horror genres. — Hosted by Rebecca Diem Produced by Quinton Bradshaw Music by James Ellercamp Production Assistance and Episode Art by Haley Richardson Special thanks to our guests, Amy Stuart , Naben Ruthnum , and Chris Krawczyk of Little Ghosts Presented by The Word On The Street & Met Radio...

Grab your favourite enemies-to-lovers, get cozy in only one bed, and get ready for a happily-ever-after: today’s episode is all about romance! — Hosted by Rebecca Diem Produced by Quinton Bradshaw Music by James Ellercamp Production Assistance and Episode Art by Haley Richardson Special thanks to our guests, Jenny Pool , Carly Watters , and Uzma Jalaluddin Presented by The Word On The Street &...

Welcome back for Season 2 of Read The North! In this episode, we explore CanLit as a genre (or not), and how genre plays a role in helping you find your next favourite book! — Hosted by Rebecca Diem Produced by Quinton Bradshaw Music by James Ellercamp Production Assistance and Episode Art by Haley Richardson Special thanks to our guests, Ariel Bissett , Kyle Buckley , and Sophie Paas-Lang. Presen...

Explore every genre on your bookshelf in this behind-the-scenes deep dive featuring interviews with authors, booksellers, and publishing insiders! Host Rebecca Diem examines what exactly genre is and how it is used to help readers find their perfect match, in bookstores and online. Season 2 guests include booktuber Ariel Bissett , literary agent Carly Watters , editor Anita Chong , authors Amy Stu...

In the series finale, we return to the beating heart of the festival. Thank you to our community of book lovers and authors who make The Word On The Street such a special place to connect with each other. Hosted by Rebecca Diem Produced by Quinton Bradshaw Music by James Ellercamp Special thanks to Waubgeshig Rice, Jael Richardson, Jesse Wente, Maria Zuppardi, Peggy Nash, Jen Albert, and David P....

Visit a few of Toronto's famed independent bookstores and sneak into the archives of the Merril Collection with us in this celebration of booksellers, librarians, and their communities. Hosted by Rebecca Diem Produced by Quinton Bradshaw Music by James Ellercamp Special thanks to Anjula Gogia, Cory Doctorow, Sephora Henderson, and John Degen. You can learn more about Judith Merril and The Merril C...

In this episode, we go behind-the-scenes of the publishing industry with Canada's world-class independent presses to see how a book is made and meet a few of the people who make them happen. Hosted by Rebecca Diem Produced by Quinton Bradshaw Music by James Ellercamp Special thanks to Alana Wilcox of Coach House Books , Jen Albert of ECW Press , Semerah Al-Hillal of House of Anansi/Groundwood Book...

To understand where CanLit, or Canadian Literature, came to be what it is today, we need to go back in time to when it was first imagined into being. In this episode we cover the 1951 Massey Report, the founding of the Writers’ Union and arts councils, and how we’re investing in the stories we tell about ourselves today. Hosted by Rebecca Diem Produced by Quinton Bradshaw Music by James Ellercamp...

The Word On The Street’s annual festival in downtown Toronto has endured for more than 30 years. But with the onset of a global pandemic in 2020, the festival’s future was far from assured… Hosted by Rebecca Diem Produced by Quinton Bradshaw Music by James Ellercamp Special thanks to Carolyn Taylor, Ceta Ramkhalawansingh, Cory Doctorow, Jael Richardson, Anjula Gogia, and Nick Mount. For more infor...

It's the behind-the-scenes look into the workings of Canada's literary industry you've always wanted, a deep dive into publishing, bookselling, and writing. Tune in to Read The North, a history of CanLit, as told by Toronto's favourite book festival! Since 1990, The Word On The Street (a.k.a. "WOTS") has featured books by Canadian and Indigenous authors at a free, annual street fair created to pro...