S2E25: Lisa Yaszek Interview – A Reader's History of Science Fiction
In the series finale, I interview Dr. Lisa Yaszek, a sci-fi historian from Georgia Tech, about where we can expect science fiction to go in the future. Dr. Yaszek's recommendations: Wormwood Trilogy by Tade Thompson The Matrix Sunspot Jungle, ed. Bill Campbell Other works discussed: Binti Trilogy by Nnedi Okorafor "The Sixth World" by Nanobah Becker The Stars are Legion by Kameron Hurley The Universe of Xuya series by Aliette de Bodard Unstoppable series by Charlie Jane Anders
In the 1960s, science fiction went through a major change as the New Wave moved it away from the hard sci-fi of the 50s into a softer, but more socially conscious space. In this episode, we overview the new ideas, themes, and authors of this period.
Book recommendation: The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester.
Selected other books:
The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester
Non-Stop by Brian Aldiss
Hothouse by Brian Aldiss
Greybeard by Brian Aldiss
High-Rise by J. G. Ballard
And, in the spirit of the season, you can see Santa Claus Conquers the Martians free on YouTube. It’s public domain in the United States due to various errors on the part of the studio, including releasing it without a copyright notice. Or, there are RiffTrax out there, too.
Science Meets Fiction 