The Sunday Magazine

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with The Economist's Rob Russo, Le Devoir's Emilie Nicolas and Ian Austen from The New York Times about the Liberal leadership race and Donald Trump's growing threats to Canada, we explore the defining moments of the 21st century as it hits the quarter-way mark, The Washington Post's Toluse "Tolu" Olorunnipa and author Chris Whipple look back on Joe Biden's legacy as he exits the White House, Canadian Raymond Francis talks about losing his home in the California wildfires, and our monthly challenge That's Puzzling! returns.Discover more at cbc.ca/sunday

Despite any New Year’s Resolutions you’ve made, 2025 won’t likely be the year when you finally get on top of your to do lists and crush all your goals. And Oliver Burkeman says that's ok! The writer's books have been described as self-help books for people who hate self-help books. His latest, Meditations for Mortals, draws on wisdom from the Ancient Greeks, Carl Jung, Haitian proverbs, and beyond to make a case for taking a breath, acknowledging our limitations and embracing imperfection. He joins Piya Chattopadhyay to help us set up a mindset for success (and inevitable failure) in the year ahead.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with St. Francis Xavier University Research Chair in Canada-U.S. Relations Asa McKercher about what history can teach us about contending with Donald Trump's tariff threat, writer Oliver Burkeman makes his case for embracing imperfection as we embark on a new year, and author Malcolm Gladwell explores the darker sides of social epidemics.Discover more at cbc.ca/sunday

As tech giants end the year by cozying up to Donald Trump, and TikTok faces the possibility of demise - 2024's biggest tech stories expose growing power alliances and global rivals in our digital and geopolitical landscapes. Tech journalists Louise Matsakis, Paris Marx and Nitasha Tiku join Piya Chattopadhyay to explore how the year's top tech developments are transforming relationships between Silicon Valley, elected officials and society.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with tech journalists Louise Matsakis, Paris Marx and Nitasha Tiku about the top tech stories of 2024, linguist Adam Aleksic breaks down what the words of the year reveal about us, veteran broadcaster Connie Chung looks back on her trailblazing career, and Richard Powers talks about his latest novel Playground, which ruminates on climate change, technological instability and the power of awe.

Do you have a type, when it comes to fonts? This year marks the 30th anniversary of what’s widely seen as both the most recognizable and most reviled typeface: Comic Sans. In the latest instalment of Word Processing, our ongoing look at language, Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with author Simon Garfield about how Comic Sans evolved from a playful, curved diversion from stern-looking serifs, to a laughing stock font... and why we just can't write off the sometimes off-putting form of expression.

Susan Delacourt, a national columnist, and David Herle, a former Liberal strategist, discuss the chaos in Canadian politics, including the possible resignation of the Prime Minister. Indigenous astronomer Wilfred Buck shares his journey to reclaim Indigenous knowledge, while journalist Catherine Tsalikis unveils insights on Chrystia Freeland's life and political challenges. Author Simon Garfield dives into the quirky history of Comic Sans, and criminology professor Dawn Cecil examines the real-world effects of true crime media on justice and public perception.

It's a time of year when many of us try to recapture some of the wonder at the world we felt as kids... and Katherine Rundell has a special gift for doing just that. The British author and Oxford University fellow has drawn comparisons to J.R.R. Tolkein for her fantasy books beloved by younger and older readers alike. She joins Piya Chattopadhyay to talk about two of her latest – Impossible Creatures, which brings unicorns, dragons and griffins to life for children; and Vanishing Treasures, which reflects on animals threatened with extinction for adults – and why she thinks cultivating wonder in worlds both imagined and real is vital.

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with Rob Russo, Stephanie Levitz and David Staples about the highlights and lowlights of the year in Canadian politics, researcher Rachel Plotnick explores what the rise, fall and return of buttons can teach us about the human-machine relationship, Bessma Momani and Kareem Shaheen discuss Syria's future after the Assad regime, and author Katherine Rundell makes her case for cultivating wonder in our chaotic world.Discover more at cbc.ca/Sunday

Whether your holiday book wish list includes classics like The Nutcracker or works by contemporary authors like Jon Fosse and Elena Ferrante... if you want to read them in English, then you’ll have to thank a translator. But Damion Searls says that the work of translating is more complicated than simply converting words from one language to another. In the latest instalment of Word Processing – our ongoing look at language – David Common speaks with the noted author and translator about his book The Philosophy of Translation, the nuance needed to make a faithful translation and what gets lost when authors outsource that work to technology.