Jowita Bydlowska

My guest on the episode is Jowita Bydlowska. Jowita is the author of four books, including the bestselling memoir Drunk Mom, and the novels GUY and Possessed. She is a journalist, and teaches at the Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University. Her most recent book is the novel Monster, which was published by Anvil Press in 2024. Author Barbara Gowdy said about Monster: “that a book with almost pornographic sexual scenes should be so humane and polished, so well written, is astonishing.”

Jowita and I talk about the identity crisis she is currently undergoing as a writer, about the weirdly personal criticism she received for the revelations in her debut memoir, and about why she doesn’t expect the same reaction when she publishes her next book, also a memoir.

This podcast is produced and hosted by Nathan Whitlock, in partnership with The Walrus.

Music: "simple-hearted thing" by Alex Lukashevsky. Used with permission.