- Encore: Timothy Garton Ash’s personal history of Europe
Wednesday, June 25th 2025
Timothy Garton Ash has chronicled some of the biggest moments in European history for over 40 years. In his new book, Homelands: A Personal History of Europe, he offers a history of postwar Europe, told through personal memoir. He talks to Paul about the future of Europe, the war in Ukraine, advising George W. Bush on how to think about the European Union, having Victor Orbán as a student, and why these days, his main concern is about the United States.
This episode was recorded at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. It originally aired on October 11th, 2023
- Encore: Buzz Bissinger and the American saga
Wednesday, June 18th 2025
Friday Night Lights author Buzz Bissinger joins Paul to talk about his storied career and his new book, The Mosquito Bowl: A Game of Life and Death in World War II. He also discusses ghostwriting Caitlyn Jenner’s memoir, why he left Twitter, his time at Vanity Fair, and why he’s considering leaving the US.
Thank you to Perfect Books in Ottawa for hosting this conversation. This episode was originally published February 8th, 2023.
- Encore: How great art gets made
Wednesday, June 11th 2025
How do people like Stephen Sondheim, Sofia Coppola or David Simon create something from nothing? And what are the threads that tie their work together with making a cookbook or a cartoon?
Former New York Magazine and New York Times Magazine editor Adam Moss talked to dozens of creative people to find out how they do it. In his new book, The Work of Art, artists from a wide range of mediums break down the process behind a single piece, sharing sketches, outlines and rejected attempts they worked through along the way.
This episode was originally published May 15, 2024
- Encore: Bob Rae knows people
Wednesday, June 4th 2025
As Canada’s Ambassador to the UN, Bob Rae is not afraid to speak his mind, even when it’s not clear whether the government stands behind him. In this episode, he talks about the role of the UN in an age of mounting skepticism towards global institutions, his reputation for being outspoken, and dealing with the "cascade of crises" taking place around the world. He also challenges Paul on a column he wrote in 2020, questioning Rae’s appointment to his current job.
This episode originally aired on October 26, 2022.
- A Poilievre insider on the Conservative message
Wednesday, May 28th 2025
Ben Woodfinden was Pierre Poilievre's communications director from 2022 until the end of April. He's no longer working for the Conservative party, but he defends the election campaign. He has a lot of thoughts about what just happened to Canadian conservatism, and what needs to happen next.
