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Hosted by Michael Tamblyn and Nathan Maharaj · 🇺🇸 US · EN · 181 episodes
Established thought leaders with verified media credentials.
From Rakuten Kobo, the digital bookseller and maker of eReaders beloved by readers around the world, Kobo in Conversation brings you in-depth conversations with authors about how and why they write, the books and authors they admire, and so much more. Plus, occasional takes on what's going on in the business of books. And year-end roundups of reading recommendations from the Kobo staff.
Michael Tamblyn and Nathan Maharaj hosts Kobo in Conversation, a arts show with 181 episodes published.
Nathan Maharaj spoke with musician and novelist David Baerwald, author of The Fire Agent . It's a story spanning the world wars of the 20th century viewed through the eyes of Ernst Baerwald, a bright and idealistic young
In the spirit of "Christmas in July," we're presenting a special live episode of Kobo in Conversation from the Toronto International Festival of Authors' inaugural Ever After, the romance book festival. This was recorded
Michael Tamblyn spoke with Patrick Radden Keefe, who has been writing for the New Yorker since 2006 and is the author of nonfiction bestsellers including Empire of Pain and Say Nothing. His latest book is London Falling:
Nathan Maharaj spoke with the novelist and journalist Jowita Bydlowska about her new book Unshaming: A Memoir of Recovery, Relapse, and What Comes After. It's a frank, unflinching recounting of the years following the pu
For this special bonus episode of Kobo in Conversation, producer and co-host Nathan Maharaj was joined by one of Kobo's booksellers (and frequent Staff Picks contributor), Deandra Lalonde. They sort through the buzziest
Nathan Maharaj spoke with novelist Sharon Bala, author of the award-winning 2018 novel, The Boat People. Her new book is called Good Guys. It's about a nearly bankrupt international aid charity called Children of the Wor
![Natalie Zina Walschots on good bosses and bad guys [encore] episode artwork](https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/c/1/6/f/c16f3a89fd1af0d016c3140a3186d450/Kobo_in_Conversation__Episode_Artwork_yellow_-_Natalie_Zina_Walschots_2026.png)
This week we're bringing you a conversation Michael Tamblyn had in 2021 with Natalie Zina Walschots about her extremely fun novel called Hench. It's about a world where superheroes are out there saving the day in super w
Nathan Maharaj spoke with physicist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, author of the 2021 book The Disordered Cosmos, a highly personal reflection on the human and inherently flawed practice of scientific inquiry and her career a
Hosts Michael Tamblyn and Nathan Maharaj dove deep on the controversy around the book Shy Girl, which was cancelled by its publisher who alleged it was largely AI-generated. Links on Shy Girl: The video from January 2026
Michael Tamblyn spoke with novelist Heather Marshall. She is a writer of historical fiction, including her 2022 debut bestselling novel Looking for Jane and 2024's with The Secret History of Audrey James. Heather Marshal
Nathan Maharaj spoke with novelist Rainbow Rowell. She's the author of books including Eleanor & Park, Fangirl, as well as the novel Slow Dance, which she discussed on the show in 2024. Rainbow Rowell's new book is the n
Nathan Maharaj spoke with Tara Gereaux, author of the novel Saltus and the novella Size of a Fist. Her new book is called Wild People Quiet. Set in 1946, it's the story of Florence, or Mrs. Banks as she's known down at P
Michael Tamblyn spoke with Eliana Ramage, author of To the Moon and Back. It's a novel about Steph, a young Cherokee woman who from the earliest age is obsessed with space and space travel, dreaming about one day becomin
Nathan spoke with George Newman, psychologist and associate professor at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. His new book is How Great Ideas Happen: The Hidden Steps Behind Breakthrough Success.
Joined by a live audience in Kobo's intimate event space, Michael Tamblyn spoke with novelist Leanne Toshiko Simpson, author of Never Been Better and winner of the 2025 Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize. Never Been Bett
Hosts Michael Tamblyn and Nathan Maharaj caught up on the latest private equity-fueled mergers & acquisitions, what we're not talking about when we're talking about the money made from books, plus a whole lot more. This
Host Nathan Maharaj spoke with Dan Rubinstein, author of Water Borne: A 1,200-Mile Paddleboarding Pilgrimage. In it he tells the story of his journey via stand-up paddleboard through waterways around Montreal, New York C
Host Nathan Maharaj spoke with poet and novelist Souvankham Thammavongsa. Her first poetry collection Small Arguments was published in 2003, and in 2020 her first short story collection How to Pronounce Knife won Canada'
Host Nathan Maharaj spoke with sports broadcaster Eric Smith and writer Andrew Bricker, who together are the authors of We the Raptors: 30 Players – 30 Stories – 30 Years. It is a snackable feast of a book about Canada's
Following our last episode all about the best books we read in 2025, host and producer Nathan Maharaj connected over Zoom with even more Kobo staffers—as well as Kobo in Conversation co-host Michael Tamblyn—to talk about
Patrick Radden Keefe
The New Yorker
1 appearance on this show
Alexandra Alter
The New York Times
1 appearance on this show
George Newman
University of Toronto
1 appearance on this show
Michael Tamblyn
Kobo
1 appearance on this show
Dr. Jonathan Stea
University of Calgary
1 appearance on this show
Laura Tamblyn Watts
CanAge
1 appearance on this show
Chief Robert Joseph
Gwawaenuk First Nation
1 appearance on this show
Hernan Diaz
Columbia University
1 appearance on this show
Kathryn Schulz
The New Yorker
1 appearance on this show
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Kobo in Conversation is hosted by Michael Tamblyn and Nathan Maharaj. The show is categorised under arts (books) and has published 181 episodes.
Kobo in Conversation has published 181 episodes.
Kobo in Conversation regularly covers arts, books, leisure. It sits in the arts category, with a books focus.
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