Episodes
7 days ago
7 days ago
In this episode I review the first half of STARSHIP TROOPERS by Robert A. Heinlein and discuss all of the "History and Moral Philosophy" sections and the claims often made about Heinlein's politics. In the next episode I will discuss the rest of the book and its legacy.
7 days ago
7 days ago
The conclusion to my review of James Baldwin's GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN. This delightful and rich book is worth a look or two. Let me know what you thought of it.
Monday May 06, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 84: Have Space Suit, Will Travel
Monday May 06, 2024
Monday May 06, 2024
With this episode we close the book on the Robert A. Heinlein juveniles, so in addition to reviewing HAVE SPACE SUIT, WILL TRAVEL, I give my overall ranking of the 12 Scribner novels. There are only 15 works (13 novels and 2 short stories) left and I could not be more excited to jump into his works of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.
Monday May 06, 2024
Episode 650: James Baldwin: Go Tell It On the Mountain (1)
Monday May 06, 2024
Monday May 06, 2024
In this episode I begin my look at James Baldwin with his first novel GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN. It the first half of this novel, we can already sense Baldwin's unique contribution to African-American literature.
Tuesday Apr 30, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 83: The Man Who Traveled In Elephants
Tuesday Apr 30, 2024
Tuesday Apr 30, 2024
In the quasi-fantasy story "The Man Who Traveled in Elephants" (1957) Heinlein wrote a sentimental tale about America, journeys, and a man getting what he deserves in the afterlife.
Tuesday Apr 30, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 82: Menace from Earth
Tuesday Apr 30, 2024
Tuesday Apr 30, 2024
"Menace from Earth" by Robert A. Heinlein is a teenage romance, set on the Moon that builds on the themes explored in the excellent stories collected in THE GREEN HILLS OF EARTH.
Friday Apr 26, 2024
Episode 649: Richard Wright: The Outsider (Part 5 Decision)
Friday Apr 26, 2024
Friday Apr 26, 2024
The finale of my review of THE OUTSIDER by Richard Wright and the end of my examination of the works of Richard Wright. Our next series will be a long one, looking at the works of James Baldwin.
Friday Apr 26, 2024
Episode 647: Richard Wright: The Outsider (Part 4 Despair)
Friday Apr 26, 2024
Friday Apr 26, 2024
My frustration with THE OUSIDER by Richard Wright grows a bit as I read Part 4 (Despair). Cross Damon does another murder and is trying to avoid arrest for his crimes but still has time for long debates on Communism and Fascism.
Friday Apr 19, 2024
Episode 646: Richard Wright: The Outsider (Part 3 Descent)
Friday Apr 19, 2024
Friday Apr 19, 2024
Every once in a while I lose myself in a book. Not that I get engaged so the rest of the world passes by. Sometimes, I actually get lost and am not sure where the book or its characters are going. As I explore part 3 of THE OUTSIDER by Richard Wright I experience this. And I am not sure Wright is going to help me find the theme.
Friday Apr 19, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 81: The Door Into Summer
Friday Apr 19, 2024
Friday Apr 19, 2024
In this rather long episode I explore Heinlein' excellent novel THE DOOR INTO SUMMER. This book seems to be about a deterministic time travel loop, but it is really about our relationship to technology, each other, and work. Oh, and the main character gets engaged to a child and gaslights her into going into deep freeze so he can marry her while she is still young and hot. Not one of our author's best moments.
Monday Apr 15, 2024
Episode 645: Richard Wright: The Outsider (Part 2 Dream)
Monday Apr 15, 2024
Monday Apr 15, 2024
Part two of my review of THE OUTSIDER by Richard Wright. This section seems to be the most hopeful part of the novel as we witness Damon Cross' attempt to remake himself and find a type of freedom while avoiding bad faith.
Monday Apr 15, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 80: Citizen of the Galaxy
Monday Apr 15, 2024
Monday Apr 15, 2024
CITIZEN OF THE GALAXY is the best and most expansive of the Heinlein juveniles, as well as one of its most adult in theme. While only the penultimate juvenile, it seems to be the capstone work in many ways.
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
Episode 644: Richard Wright: The Outsider (Part 1: Dread)
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
I start my look at Richard Wright's THE OUTSIDER with part one (Dread), which introduces us to Cross Damon (Wright's names amirite) and his miserable life and how an accident gives him a chance to start fresh, but is forced to commit a murder to keep his secret.
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 80: Double Star
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
In this episode, I examine the delightful novel DOUBLE STAR by Robert A. Heinlein and talk about how the actor loses themselves into their subjects. While not necessary to be a science fiction novel, Heinlein weaves a handful of fascinating sci-fi elements into the story.
Saturday Mar 23, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 79: A Time for the Stars (Part 2)
Saturday Mar 23, 2024
Saturday Mar 23, 2024
The conclusion of my review of A TIME FOR THE STARS by Robert A. Heinlein. The changing relationship between the twins as one approaches death and the other returns still young with his life ahead of him seems to reflect the experiences we all face with the older generations.
Saturday Mar 23, 2024
Episode 643: Richard Wright: Black Boy (American Hunger), Part 3/3
Saturday Mar 23, 2024
Saturday Mar 23, 2024
The finale of my review of BLACK BOY (AMERICAN HUNGER) by Richard Wright. This part of the memoir follows Wright's life in Chicago and his love affair and breakup with the American Communist Party.
Next, five episodes on THE OUTSIDER.
Wednesday Mar 20, 2024
Episode 642: Richard Wright: Black Boy (Part 2)
Wednesday Mar 20, 2024
Wednesday Mar 20, 2024
Part 2 of my review of the memoir BLACK BOY by Richard Wright. This part of the novel explores Wright's discovery of the rules of Jim Crow, his quest for intellectual autonomy, and his ultimate decision to leave the South.
Wednesday Mar 20, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein: Episode 78: Time for the Stars (Part 1)
Wednesday Mar 20, 2024
Wednesday Mar 20, 2024
Part 1 of my review of A TIME FOR THE STARS by Robert A. Heinlein. This novel explores the twin paradox and humanity branching out into the cosmos.
Wednesday Mar 13, 2024
Episode 641: Richard Wright: Black Boy (American Hunger), Part 1
Wednesday Mar 13, 2024
Wednesday Mar 13, 2024
In this episode I explore the first four chapters of Richard Wright's BLACK BOY, his gut wrenching and deep memoir of growing up black in the Jim Crow South.
Wednesday Mar 13, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 77: Tunnel in the Sky (Part 2)
Wednesday Mar 13, 2024
Wednesday Mar 13, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein's TUNNEL IN THE SKY has a strong and fascinating second half in which we explore questions of building democracy and civilization. The good: The optimism about cooperation in harsh conditions. The bad: strong hints of settler colonialism.
Friday Mar 08, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 76: Tunnel in the Sky (Part 1)
Friday Mar 08, 2024
Friday Mar 08, 2024
In this episode I look at the first half of Robert A. Heinlein's TUNNEL IN THE SKY. In this juvenile, Heinlein does some interesting thing with the old Malthusian over-population narrative. The first half reads a bit like a standard adventure story, though. This novel really shines in the second half.
Friday Mar 08, 2024
Episode 640: Richard Wright: Native Son (Part 4/4, Conclusion)
Friday Mar 08, 2024
Friday Mar 08, 2024
The finale of my look at Richard Wright's NATIVE SON.
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
Episode 639: Richard Wright: Native Son (Flight-Fate, Part 3/4)
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
In this third part of four exploring the powerful novel NATIVE SON by Richard Wright, we witness the capture of Bigger Thomas and the way the media presented a black defendant, ignored black victims, and jumped to racist assumptions, all the while trying to expose the Communist Party for its anti-racist work.
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein: Episode 75: The Star Beast (Part 2)
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
The conclusion to my review of the excellent novel, THE STAR BEAST, by Robert A. Heinlein. One of his best novels and high on the ranking of the juveniles. It explores issues such as gender, service, family heritage, and diplomacy.
Friday Mar 01, 2024
Episode 638: Richard Wright: Native Son (Part 2, Flight)
Friday Mar 01, 2024
Friday Mar 01, 2024
In this episode I look at most of part two of Richard Wright's NATIVE SON, called "Flight". Here the narrative focuses on Bigger Thomas' efforts at survival after his murder of Mary Dalton, but also look more into the perspectives of mainstream white society on communists and African-Americans.
Sunday Feb 25, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 74: The Star Beast (Part 1)
Sunday Feb 25, 2024
Sunday Feb 25, 2024
THE STAR BEAST is one of the best books by Robert A. Heinlein that I explored in this podcast, and this suprised me from the look of the silly cover. Gender, diplomacy, politics, law, and bureaucracy are just some of the themes Heinlein crams into this little novel.
Sunday Feb 25, 2024
Episode 637: Richard Wright: Native Son (Part 1, Fear)
Sunday Feb 25, 2024
Sunday Feb 25, 2024
In this episode I take on the first 100 pages of NATIVE SON by Richard Wright. It is a brilliant novel and I can only scratch the surface, but it is required reading for understanding America. I focus on the major characters and their motivations, knowing we can only begin to understand Bigger Thomas in the early stages of the novel.
Monday Feb 19, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 73: Project: Nightmare
Monday Feb 19, 2024
Monday Feb 19, 2024
While "Project: Nightmare" (1953) is not one of Heinlein's strongest short stories it is worth reading for his use of the Cold War setting. The question of morality, sacrifice, and the use of misuse of the talented for the achievement of national goals is still worth reflecting on.
Monday Feb 19, 2024
Episode 626: Richard Wright: Uncle Tom's Children (Part 2)
Monday Feb 19, 2024
Monday Feb 19, 2024
The conclusion to my thoughts on the wonderful short story collection, UNCLE TOM'S CHILDREN by Richard Wright. In the second half of this collection we move to a proposed (if maybe futile) response. The last two stories have moments of resistance culminating in sacrifice but not victory or a promise of change.
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 72: Sky-Lift
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
A very brief look at the short story "Sky-Lift" by Robert A. Heinlein. It is mostly a technical piece on the dangers of space flight and works as a sequel to the GREEN HILLS OF EARTH stories.
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Episode 625: Richard Wright: Uncle Tom's Children (Part 1)
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Richard Wright's first published book was a series of short stories called UNCLE TOM'S CHILDREN. They are wonderful stories looking at the brutality of race relations in Great Depression-era America and good preparation for NATIVE SON.
Saturday Jan 27, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 71: Starman Jones (Part 2)
Saturday Jan 27, 2024
Saturday Jan 27, 2024
The conclusion to my look at STARMAN JONES by Robert A. Heinlein. This one clearly stands out among the Heinlein juveniles by branching out into new themes and new geographies.
Saturday Jan 27, 2024
Episode 624: Richard Wright: Lawd Today (Part 2)
Saturday Jan 27, 2024
Saturday Jan 27, 2024
The conclusion to my review of Richard Wright's first novel, LAWD TODAY. It is a great way to start digging into Richard Wright, and I think a good contrast with NATIVE SON, which we will look at in a few weeks.
Wednesday Jan 24, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 70: Starman Jones (Part 1)
Wednesday Jan 24, 2024
Wednesday Jan 24, 2024
In 1953, Heinlein wrote his 7th juvenile in STARMAN JONES. He always seems to have something new to say in each of these novels, even if the main characters are always a little bit cookie cutter. He does try to give this young man a bit more differentiation. Nevertheless, this is another good example of world building. I enjoy how each of these novels feels lived in.
Wednesday Jan 24, 2024
Episode 623: Richard Wright: Lawd Today!
Wednesday Jan 24, 2024
Wednesday Jan 24, 2024
Today I start a new series looking at the major works of Richard Wright. We begin with LAWD TODAY!, which was published in the 1960s, but was actually the first book written. It is an amazing modernist text looking at the working class black life in Chicago during the Great Depression. It is also one of the bleakest books we have looked at in a while.
Tuesday Jan 16, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 69: The Year of the Jackpot
Tuesday Jan 16, 2024
Tuesday Jan 16, 2024
"The Year of the Jackpot" is a fascinating story by Heinlein published in GALAXY in 1952. It deals with sexual morality, normalcy, survival, historical cycles, and the end of the world. A must read.
Tuesday Jan 16, 2024
Episode 622: W. E. B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America (Part 7)
Tuesday Jan 16, 2024
Tuesday Jan 16, 2024
The final episode in my review of BLACK RECONSTRUCTION by W. E. B. Du Bois. These final three chapters summarize the major themes of the book quite well. One of the best books on the topic, even a hundred years after publication.
Thursday Jan 11, 2024
Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 68: The Rolling Stones (Part 2)
Thursday Jan 11, 2024
Thursday Jan 11, 2024
The conclusion to my review of THE ROLLING STONES by Robert A. Heinlein. An overall great book in this juvenile series.
Thursday Jan 11, 2024
Episode 621: W. E. B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America (Part 6)
Thursday Jan 11, 2024
Thursday Jan 11, 2024
Part 6 of my review of W. E. B. Du Bois' BLACK RECONSTRUCTION IN AMERICA.
Thursday Jan 04, 2024
Episode 620: W. E. B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America (Part 5)
Thursday Jan 04, 2024
Thursday Jan 04, 2024
We are in the meat of the book BLACK RECONSTRUCTION IN AMERICA by W. E. B. Du Bois. In these chapters, he looks into the revolution and counter revolution of property in Mississippi and Louisiana and then Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. We see how different demographic structures led to different reactions by the ruling planter class.