A Five Part Series from TTBOOK!

Public Radio International

Wisconsin Public Radio

THE FUTURE OF SCIENCE FICTION

Program 08-11-23-A

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Space, the final frontier. But is science fiction the final frontier when it comes to
being a literature of ideas? In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, we'll wax philosophical about science fiction with two of the genre's greatest writers -- George R.R. Martin and Ursula K. Le Guin. And we'll explore H.P. Lovecraft's literary philosophy of "Cosmicism."

SEGMENT 1:

George R.R. Martin has been called the American Tolkien. His epic fantasy series "A Song of Ice and Fire" is up to the forthcoming volume five; and he's published two volumes of "Dreamsongs," a career-spanning anthology of his science fiction, fantasy and horror short stories with short connective essays. Martin tells Jim Fleming that he thinks all fiction is about ideas and that only the furniture changes, that is the details of setting, character and storytelling style that the author chooses to use. And we hear Martin read an excerpt from Volume I of "Dreamsongs." Also, Ursula K. Le Guin is one of the most honored writers of science fiction we have. Her latest book is called "Lavinia." She talks with Steve Paulson about science fiction as a literature of ideas.

SEGMENT 2:

We hear an excerpt from the Landfall Productions audiobook production of H.P. Lovecraft's 1926 "The Call of Cthulu,read by Garrick Hagon." And Jim Fleming talks with S.T. Joshi, author of the acclaimed 700 page biography "H.P. Lovecraft: A Life." Joshi says Loveraft was always interested in pure science and has many imitators among contemporary writers. And we hear some music from the band H. P. Lovecraft.

SEGMENT 3:

Istvan Csicsery-Ronay, Jr. is the author of "The Seven Beauties of Science Fiction." He tells Anne Strainchamps where the title of his book came from, and outlines several of the beauties.

CD copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 08-11-23-A.

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Books & CDs:

Ursula K. Le Guin, Lavinia (Harcourt)
S.T. Joshi, H.P. Lovecraft: A Life (Necronomicon Press)
George R.R. Martin, Dreamsongs, Volume 1 (Orion)
George R.R. Martin, Dreamsongs, Volume 2 (Orion)
Istvan Csicsery-Ronay, Jr., The Seven Beauties of Science Fiction (Wesleyan University Press)

Websites:

• -- George R.R. Martin
  http://www.georgerrmartin.com/
  
• -- Ursula K. Le Guin
  http://www.ursulakleguin.com/
  
• -- S.T. Joshi
  http://www.stjoshi.net/
  
• -- Istvan Csicsery-Ronay, Jr.
  http://fs6.depauw.edu/~icronay/index.html

Clips:

• -- Excerpt from "Fantastic Voyage: Radio Spot Announcement"
  from "Brain in a Box: The Science Fiction Collection," Disc 1-Movie Themes
  (Rhino)
  
• -- Excerpt from "The Heirs of Turtle Castle" Commentary by George R.R. Martin
  from the audio-book CD, "Dreamsongs, Volume II"
  http://tinyurl.com/56cj4d
  http://www.randomhouse.com/audio/
  
• -- Excerpt from "The Call of Cthulu" by H.P. Lovecraft
  Narrated by Garrick Hagon (Landfall Productions) audiobook
  http://www.greylodge.org/gpc/?p=106

Music:

• -- "Fantastic Voyage: Main Title Sound Effects Suite"
  Composed and Conducted by Leonard Rosenman
  from "Brain in a Boz: The Science Fiction Collection," Disc 1- Movie Themes
  (Rhino)
  
• -- "Slow Flames"/Money Mark
  from the CD, "Mark's Keyboard Repair" (MoWax/A&M Records)
  http://www.myspace.com/moneymarkofficialfansite
  
• -- "Philosophy of Time Travel"
  Written & Performed by Michael Andrews
  from the CD, "Donnie Darko: Music from the Original Motion Picture Score"
  (Enjoy Records)
  
• -- "At the Mountains of Madness"/H.P. Lovecraft
  from the album, "H.P. Lovecraft II" (Phillips)
  
• -- "Liquid Spear Waltz
  Written & Performed by Michael Andrews
  from the CD, "Donnie Darko: Music from the Original Motion Picture Score"
  (Enjoy Records)
  
• -- "Time Travel"
  Written & Performed by Michael Andrews
  from the CD, "Donnie Darko: Music from the Original Motion Picture Score"
  (Enjoy Records)

Distribution dates: week of 11/23/2008 - hour 1 click HERE for timings and cues

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