Audiobook Café

In recognition of Disability Pride Month, we look back on “There Plant Eyes” by M. Leona Godin.   The book captures the cultural history of blindness while blending together Leona’s personal story of sight loss.   Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with Leona to discuss society’s perceptions of blindness and the importance of challenging the ideas about what it means to be “blind.”   This episode is...

Host Jacob Shymanski and guest Red Széll talk about "high-concept" novels. Stories whose premises are distinctly creative and take big risks. Together they examine the practical limits of creativity. Titles mentioned in this episode include:   “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir “Jaws” by Peter Benchley “Jurassic Park” by Michael Crichton “Nineteen Eighty-Four” by George Orwell “Animal Farm” by Georg...

Author Loghan Paylor’s debut novel is winner of the 2026 edition of Canada Reads! “The Cure for Drowning” is a World War II historical fiction about a messy and emotionally rich love triangle.   Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with Loghan to learn about the research that went into developing the book and its themes of gender nonconformity and queerness in the 1940s.   Loghan also describes who the...

Natalie Sue’s debut novel “I Hope This Finds You Well” was an international bestseller. Now she’s back with another novel set to release in August! “You'll Love It Here” is a contemporary and thoughtful comedy about a career-oriented woman who gets forcefully put on leave. She becomes the building manager for her strange apartment building and ends up forming a connection with her tenants that she...

Author Barry Walters’ latest book "Mighty Real" blurs the line between chronicle and memoir and explores the fascinating history of LGBTQ+ music from the underground dancefloors of the 1970s to the global charts of the 1990s.  Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with Barry to learn how LGBTQ+ musicians, music industry executives and fans reshaped the mainstream music scene. Barry also reflects on his...

Host Jacob Shymanski and guest Red Szell explore the power of humour in storytelling and how humour can make challenging topics approachable in a way that nothing else can. They cover a range of titles that utilize humour effectively, including:   Books mentioned in this episode include:   “The Heroes” by Joe Abercrombie “Catch-22” by Joseph Heller   “The Master and Margarita” by Mikhail Bulgakov...

Kate Cayley’s “Property” is a 2026 finalist for the Amazon Canada First Novel Award.   The fictional novel follows troubled residents in a gentrifying neighbourhood where they navigate class and privilege, queer respectability and friendship. By the evening, tragedy strikes and someone has died.   Host Jacob Shymanski chats with Kate about the book’s themes and her narration for the audiobook.   T...

Paralympian Victoria Nolan’s 2014 memoir “Beyond Vision: The Story of a Blind Rower” is the inspiration behind the upcoming biopic “Blindly Victorious.”   Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with Victoria to learn about her journey with vision loss, her experience as a para-athlete and the process of bringing her lived experiences to the big screen.   Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada...

Host Jacob Shymanski and Red Széll reflect on authors who take big risks in their storytelling, everything from subject matter to writing styles and killing off significant characters.   Books mentioned in this episode include:   • “The First Law Series” and “The Heroes” by Joe Abercrombie   • “Brighton Rock” and “The End of the Affair”  by Graham Greene   • “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman  ...

In 2025, music writer Niko Stratis released “The Dad Rock That Made Me a Woman,” a memoir-in-essays on transness, dad rock, and the music that saves us. Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with Niko to learn about her journey as a trans woman through, her love for bands like Wilco, and her experience with narrating the audiobook.   This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanerolle.  Audiobook Café is...

Host Jacob Shymanski and guest Red Széll explore the complex modern cultural significance of books. They examine books as status objects, books as a refuge of long-form content and the way the publishing industry culturally punches above its weight.   In the latter portion of the show, Jacob chats with Penny Leclair about her new book “Life with Jefferson: A Biography of a Guide Dog.”   This episo...

This summer, Jess Janz is coming out with a new essay collection “The Table Where We Meet.” The book reflects on ‘Dinner with Strangers,’ an initiative she created that encourages strangers to gather and learn more about each other without ever talking about their work or jobs.   Host Jacob Shymanski chats with Jess about the world of human interaction and belonging. She also reflects on her exper...

Imani Thompson’s debut novel “Honey” is a wickedly funny and suspenseful thriller about a graduate student who murders bad men and justifies it in the name of feminism.   Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with Imani to learn how the book explores issues of racialized systems and the Manosphere. In addition, Imani reflects on her research and process for writing her debut novel.   This episode was pr...

Host Jacob Shymanski celebrates Global Accessibility Awareness Day which is recognized on May 21. He looks back on past interviews with:   Matisse Hamel-Nelis, co-author of the educational book called “Accessible Communications: Create Impact, Avoid Missteps and Build Trust”   Craig Fitzpatrick, a blind ice hockey player who published an audiobook called “Finding the Puck: Leadership Lessons from...

Author Judy Batalion joins host Jacob Shymanski to talk about her debut historical fiction “The Last Woman of Warsaw.” The novel tells the story of two very different Jewish women in Warsaw in the late 1930s as they unexpectedly come together in search of their missing mentor.   Judy and Jacob chat about the research she did to capture 1930s Warsaw, including the fashion, art and architecture. She...

The monomyth, otherwise known as the “hero’s journey” is a story structure popularized by Joseph Campbell in his book “The Hero With A Thousand Faces.”   It’s a classic storytelling pattern that has been repeated time and time again from myths around the world.   Host Jacob Shymanski and guest Red Széll explore the concept of the monomyth and debate if it really is the human story society craves....

Jennifer Chevalier’s fiction novel “The Winter Witch” captures the story of two sisters fleeing a curse aboard a bride ship from Normandy to 17th-century Quebec. Along the way they meet a mysterious witch who forces them to confront the truth of their past.  Host Jacob Shymanski chats with Jennifer about the research she did to create the book’s setting and characters. She also shares a Shelfie, h...

“Fireflies in Winter” is the latest novel by Eleanor Shearer. The book explores themes of survival, love and freedom and follows a Jamaican Maroon orphan and an escaped slave hiding in the wilderness.  Host Jacob Shymanski chats with Eleanor about why she chose to write a historical literary fiction set in 17th century Nova Scotia. She also describes why she deliberately presented the book in a ly...

Jessica Barrett’s new book “No Place Like Home” provides an honest glimpse into Canada’s housing crisis.   Host Jacob Shymanski chats with Jessica about the issues of housing affordability and the lessons Canada can take away from other countries.   She also reflects on her own housing experiences and explains the missing key to Canada’s housing crisis: understanding the meaning of home.   This ep...

There’s an interesting cultural difference between print books and audiobooks. Print books have been around for centuries and have been deeply engrained into society. Audiobooks have also been around for a while and have seen many evolutions. From talking books, to books on tape and streaming services. However, they’re also often misunderstood.   Host Jacob Shymanski and guest Red Széll reflect on...

“To Leave a Warrior Behind” is a new biography about Charles R. Saunders, the “Father of Sword and Soul,” a sub-genre in fantasy writing based on African inspired myths and culture.   Host Jacob Shymanski chats with the book’s author Jon Tattrie about Saunders’ fascinating life as a journalist, his journey to Halifax as an American draft dodger and his almost forgotten legacy as an author who rede...

“The Cure for Everything” is a new book that takes a deep dive into the struggle for public health, its history of fighting infectious diseases and its vision for human thriving.   Host Jacob Shymanski chats with co-authors Michelle A. Williams and Linda Marsa about the compelling argument for strong public health services for collective well-being.   This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanero...

Uzma Jalaluddin returns to the show to talk about “Moonlight Murder,” the brand-new sequel to her novel “Detective Aunty.”   Host Jacob Shymanski chats with Uzma about the interesting dynamics of writing a follow up. They also discuss her upcoming collaboration with Mindy Kaling to adapt one of her previous books, as well as the importance of positive portrayals of Muslim representation in literat...

Book publishing continues to rise year after year. But with all the noise in book marketing and recommendations from algorithms, how do you decipher what book to pick up next that is actually worth the read? Host Jacob Shymanski and guest Red Széll share some tips and tricks to help you find your next favourite book!   Books mentioned include:   “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman   “Is a River...

The Calgary Public Library achieved a record-breaking year in 2025! They reached their highest circulation in history with 17.5 million items borrowed, which include 6.5 million digital titles.  Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with Genevieve Luthy from Calgary Public Library to learn about why the library has seen a 15% increase and to discuss what purpose libraries serve in modern day for Canadia...