AbeBooks has had the opportunity to speak with some of the world's most popular and influential authors. Join AbeBooks and get up close and personal with some of your favorite authors. |
Talk about lofty aspirations - Canadian author Tanis Rideout set out to recreate in fiction the real life experiences of George Mallory and his crew during their fateful 1924 attempt to summit Everest. Read an interview about trying to put herself at that altitude.
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There's poetry in the short story of Toronto's Ayelet Tsabari. The Israeli-Canadian author's debut collection The Best Place on Earth speaks in a language all its own, and explores the individuals and relationships going on behind climate, politics, wars and more, whether in Israel, or on either Canadian coast.
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Victoria, BC-born author Marjorie Celona talks to us about growing up, belonging, being nominated for the Giller Prize, and the importance of a dog at one's feet - and of course, all about her debut novel, Y, which has critics buzzing with excitement.
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Madeline Miller has a bright future in literature. Enjoy our interview where she discusses Achilles, the power of grief in literature, the Illiad, Watership Down and the thrill of winning the Orange Prize in London ahead of the likes of Ann Patchett, Esi Edugyan and Anne Enright.
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Vancouver actor and playwright Carmen Aguirre did not have the typical Canadian childhood. Instead, her family participated in the resistance in South America against Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in the 80s.
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Co-owner of a comic shop, and author/illustrator of the Magic Teeth Dailies (as well as creator of The Perogy Cat), Gareth Gaudin talks to us about comics, being in the book industry, and the joys and challenges of going to work every day doing what he loves.
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Canadian poet Susan Briscoe talks to us about the gradual changing of the seasons, line breaks, love and birds, as well as her poetry book, The Crow's Vow, whose strikingly simple pink cover won our beautiful book battle in March Madness.
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Whether it's the madness-fueled destruction of a unique and spiritually significant old-growth spruce tree or the terrifying saga of a vengeance-crazed tiger stalking people in the woords of Southeastern Russia, John Vaillant's meticulous detail and talent for anticipation brings a story to life like nobody else.
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Esi Edugyan is a Victoria-based novelist whose second book Half Blood Blues, earned more critical acclaim and attention than Edugyan ever expected. Set in the smoky backdrops of WWII Europe jazz clubs and bars, the story is unforgettable and creative. Meet the woman behind the words.
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Irish-Canadian author Emma Donoghue's 2010 novel Room created a bigger buzz than anyone anticipated. A novel with a message of hope despite its incredibly dark subject matter, It made the NYT bestseller list, won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize, and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and the Governor General's Literary Awards - and Donoghue isn't done yet.
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Terry Fallis, author of The Best Laid Plans which won both the Leacock Medal for Humour in 2008 and the 2011 Canada Reads competition, talks to us about unusual publishing methods, political paradoxes, and the most fun parts of writing - as well as whether we've seen the last of some memorable characters.
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BC author and historian Lynne Stonier-Newman tells us about her non-fiction book Peter O'Reilly: The Rise of a Reluctant Immigrant and how she became fascinated by and compelled to write about the life of one of Victoria's early settlers, including the hard luck stories and get rich tales of the gold rush, and disputes between settlers and First Nations bands.
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Award-winning mystery writer Alan Bradley's second novel The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag is proving as popular as his first. The 71-year-old Canadian tells us what's new, what's next, and about the irresistible Ms. Flavia de Luce.
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Born and raised in Chicago, author Billy Lombardo loves baseball. His latest novel, The Man with Two Arms, follows a unique pitcher with an unusual trait - true ambidextrousness. Lombardo's novel explores the ups and downs of life, love, and America's favorite pastime.
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Canadian author Denise Chong's third book is a nonfiction account of the three Chinese men who threw paint-filled eggs at a giant image of Chairman Mao shortly before the government suppression of democracy campaigners and the infamous Tiananmen Square massacre.
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Rabindranath Maharaj is a Trinidad-born Canadian author. His fourth novel, The Amazing Absorbing Boy, was published in January 2010. Here, Maharaj talks with us about his influences and inspirations, the importance of perception, and the similarities between immigrants and superheroes.
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Psychotic shrubs, vicious vines, and poisonous petals - Amy Stewart's fascination with the beasts and boogeymen of botany makes for a captivating read, complete with stunningly beautiful copper etchings accompanying. Read about her favourite venomous stems, and how she got into poisonous plants in the first place. |
Most famous for her bestselling novel The Other Boleyn Girl, Philippa Gregory has published fifteen novels in total, the latest of which, The White Queen deals with murder, mystery and the fight for the English throne. Read about Gregory's book tastes, research methods, and obsession with the past.
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Michael Crummey grew up in Newfoundland and Labrador. His third novel, Galore, is a vast, intricate story full of twists and turns and folklore. With superstitions, grudges and traditions, the book successfully encapsulates the stories and experiences of generations in a small fishing village in Newfoundland.
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R.J. Ellory is a Birmingham, UK author with seven published thrillers under his belt. As far from boastful as possible, Ellory is grateful for his fans and will happily talk about his books anywhere - even a 15 person book club, if they'll have him. But beware, he has a dark past - he revealed to us that he once did prison time for stealing and eating a chicken from a monastery.
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Canadian author Alan Bradley talks about idealism, writing, and his experiences with travel and the media. And of course, all about his novel The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, which won Britain's 2007 Crime Writer's Association Debut Dagger Award.
Read the interview | Find The Sweetness |
In 1993, Erica Johnson Debeljak married and moved from New York City to Ljubljana, Slovenia where she became a literary translator (from Slovenian into English), writer, and occasional interpreter of all things American. Her 2009 memoir Forbidden Bread was published by North Atlantic Books.
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Publisher and editor-in-chief at Canada's Maclean's Magazine, Kenneth Whyte is no stranger to print media himself. Now he brings us The Uncrowned King: The Sensational Rise of William Randolph Hearst: an in-depth look at the life and success of William Randolph Hearst, the most famous - or infamous - newspaper mogul of all.
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In Jeff Rubin's new book Why Your World is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller, the economist discusses alternate energy sources, and how the key to our future is going to be energy usage reduction. What does that mean? We'll need to look a lot more to our own backyard for our needs.
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A blog that became a book, Stuff White People Like is a tongue-in-cheek, list-style discussion of... well, stuff that white people like. Christian Lander talks about its success, its detractors, and how it all began.
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Daniel Kalder is no stranger to uniqueness. From a self-proclaimed Jesus to a Russian 'mole', Kalder weighs in on interesting people, and their places in his second book, Strange Telescopes.
Read the interview | Daniel Kalder Books |
Step into the dark world of Tunnels with Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams. The co-authors talk to AbeBooks about Deeper - the follow up to their 2007 fantasy bestseller, Tunnels, where teenage hero Will Burrows travels deeper underground and deeper into trouble.
Read the interview | Search for Deeper |

When it comes to mysteries, Chris Knopf is old school. The author tells us about creating Sam Acquillo and why he himself prefers hardboiled, noir detective stories to the modern thrillers usually published today.
Read the interview | Chris Knopf Books |
David Andelman, a longtime foreign correspondent, looks at the Treaty of Versailles and how it influenced conflicts around the world.
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Ilana Stanger-Ross writes about women's underpants. Her debut novel, Sima's Undergarments for Women examines the daily life struggles and relationships of modern life in Jewish Brooklyn.
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Meet Elizabeth Hand - a writer, a mother, a reader and a former winner of the prestigious science fiction Nebula Award.
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Author William Leith talks to AbeBooks about being hungry, being a worrywart, likening his aging body to war invaders, and his wonderfully named memoir Bits of Me Are Falling Apart.
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Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club talks about his new book Rant and why it might be a good idea to bring smelling salts with you to one of his readings.
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for Rant |
Jen Hadfield is a 30-year-old British-Canadian poet whose second collection, Nigh-No-Place, won the 2008 T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry. We chatted with Hadfield about what inspired her, what's next, and a fish market as a muse.
Read the interview | Find Jen Hadfield's books |
News of mass killings has everyone wondering "Why?"
Mark Ames tells AbeBooks why we're seeing more rage than we did 30 years ago.
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Mark Ames' Books |
Malcolm Gladwell prefers to write about the mundane, but extremely influential, aspects of life rather than the exotic. Published in January, Blink:
The Power of Thinking Without Thinking has cemented his position as a leading cultural commentator and is a best-seller across the world.
Read the interview | Find Malcolm Gladwell's books |
Matt Haig, author of The Dead Fathers Club and The Last Family in England, tells us how he channels Shakespeare, MySpace, and the universal subject of death to write and promote his very original books.
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Andrew Davidson talks about his debut novel, The Gargoyle and how he is staying remarkably calm about all the hype and his worldwide book tour.
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Former Oscar-nominated-actress-turned-author Meg Tilly pulled no punches with her latest book, the heartbreakingly emotional Gemma.
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Is it a cookbook, a travel book or a coffee table photography book? Beyond the Great Wall: Recipes and Travels in the Other China is all of these things.
Read the interview | Search for Beyond the Great Wall |
Acclaimed wine writer Natalie Maclean talks about her global wine tasting adventures and what it's like to have the best job in the world. But is she really drunk all day long?
Read the interview | Search for Red, White and Drunk All Over |
AbeBooks talks to Sadie Jones about her acclaimed debut novel, The Outcast, and how its success is changing her life.
Read the interview | More About The Outcast |
There may be an international flavour to Rick Browne's latest recipe collection The Big Book of Barbecue Sides, but in the barbecue master's opinion, nothing tops his Beer Butt Chicken.
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Ever wonder who is behind a romance novel? Met Merline Lovelace, a former US Air Force colonel and a prolific writer of more than 70 romance novels.
Read the interview | Search for Merline Lovelace's books |
Have you ever wondered where the flowers in your florist or supermarket come from? The farm down the road perhaps? Think again. Amy Stewart talks to AbeBooks about her love affair with flowers.
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Yann Martel is back to talk about the illustrated Life of Pi, how his life changed with the success of the book, and the progress towards his new book.
Read the interview | Search for Life of Pi: Illustrated Edition |
They say that there is a book inside all of us. For John Burns, that book turned out to be about a very lovable and well-mannered penguin named Pengey.
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AbeBooks talks to Kiran Desai about the luxury of the Booker Prize, life on the road and protests against The Inheritance of Loss.
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Julian Barnes, bestselling author of Arthur & George talks with us about Sherlock Holmes, his favourite bookshop, and not winning the Booker.
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AbeBooks talks to Richard Gwyn about his life on the edge, poetry and his newest book, Deep Hanging Out.
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Meet Douglas Glover, author of Governor General Literary Award-winning Elle.Glover talkes to AbeBooks about his favorite reads (Canadian and otherwise), and what drew him to write the strange and fantastical story of Elle on the island.
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Think you know everything about Harry Potter? Meet Andy Gordon, he's a contributor to the Harry Potter fan site Mugglenet.com and co-author to the book What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7?
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for What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7? |
A language, kept secret for centuries in rural China, provides the back-drop to Lisa See’s latest novel, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan - recently reviewed in USA Today & LA Times.
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MC Beaton takes a break from her cigarettes, coffee and writing to talk to us about her bossy heroine, Agatha Raisin, life in the heart of the English countryside, and her favorite authors.
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Iain Banks has been one of the UK’s most productive and successful writers for the past 20 years. Find out why he’ll never leave Scotland and won’t be writing any more non-fiction books.
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Meg Gardiner tells us about what it’s like to not be published in your native country, Stephen King, and her international smuggling habits.
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One Sunday Morning is the latest offering from LA author Amy Ephron - find out why she thinks it is so hard to keep a secret in our exclusive AbeBooks interview.
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Lynne Truss took time out from her vacation to tell us about her favorite bookstore, why she hates cyclists and how she scored ringside seats to the Lennox Lewis/Evander Holyfield fight.
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Lynne Truss' Books |
Anne Perry has been a published author since 1979 when The Cater Street Hangman hit the bookshelves. Now she has 50 books to her name with Long Spoon Lane – a tale of Victorian terrorism – published in April 2005.
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Anthony Bourdain is frank and often blunt, but he's always entertaining. The chef-turned-author-turned-TV star tells it like it is when it comes to vegans, Gordon Ramsay, and the worst restaurant in the world.
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Anthony Bourdain's Books |
Four long hard years spent as a criminal forensic scientist in Cleveland gave Elizabeth Becka the inspiration for her debut novel - a crime thriller called Trace Evidence.
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Former US Marine Nathaniel Fick reveals why he feels the US is in danger, and why leaving the Marines was the second best decision he has ever made.
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for Nathaniel Fick's book |
The world remains fascinated with the mystique of Marie Antoinette. Elisabeth de Feydeau's A Scented Palace - which traces the story of Jean-Louis Fargeon, Marie's devoted perfumer - offers a fresh scent on the French monarch, her extravagant life and her dramatic demise.
Read the interview | Search for Elisabeth de Feydeau's book |
Greene's new book, Here
Comes the Sun: The Spiritual and Musical Journey
of George Harrison, was sparked by his
memories of a meeting with Harrison in December
1969 when the writer was a 19-year-old organ player
and Harrison was one of the world's most famous
musicians.
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for Joshua Greene's books |
Canadian author and entrepreneur Leonard Brody talks to us about start-up companies, online communities, and his fellow Canadians.
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Alexander McCall Smith, creator of The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, talks about gruesome fairytales, a scary book called Common Sense and Nuclear Warfare and much more in our exclusive interview.
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ABC TV journalist and author Richard Esposito talks about his novel The Bomb Squad and discusses the challenges faced while he was assigned to the New York bomb squad.
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Author Nancy Pearl is the go-to person when looking for the next great
book to read. We spoke to her about her favorite books,
celebrity authors, and her action figure.
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for Nancy Pearl's books |
Meet Laura Penny, author of the bestselling book Your Call Is Important To Us as she reveals the alleged culture of spin and marketing.
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Jared Diamond - the Pulitzer Prize winning author of Guns, Germs and Steel and Why Sex is Fun - reveals why he loves birds and reading Italian in our exclusive author interview.
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Chelsea Cain is the author of Confessions of a Teen Sleuth – an entertaining parody of Nancy Drew, which exposes everything you always wanted to know about the heroine from River Heights.
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Amy Krouse Rosenthal has grabbed the attention of North America with her entertaining but highly insightful book Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life.
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Alain de Botton’s career has been spent writing books that tackle questions of everyday life. They refer both to his experiences and ideas – and those of artists, philosophers and thinkers of the past.
Read the interview | Search for Alain de Botton's books |
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