May 2007 – Page 10

Science Fiction and Politics University Course continues

Online Audio

Professor Courtney Brown‘s course at Emory University is a Political Science course entitled Science Fiction and Politics (Political Science 190). We’ve talked about this course more than once. But, as the new lectures appear in the feed, this podcast gets renewed interest, and thus prompts new posts. So here’s another, this one lists all the currently available lectures (Spring 2007 is now completed at Emory). Brown’s lectures below are from two semesters and feature some incisive political insights found in more than a dozen SF novels.

Lectures available:

01: Introduction and Overview |MP3|
02: Foundation by Isaac Asimov (1 of 2) |MP3|
03: Foundation by Isaac Asimov (2 of 2) |MP3|
04: Foundation And Empire by Isaac Asimov |MP3|
05: Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov |MP3|
06: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1 of 2) |MP3|
07: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (2 of 2) |MP3|
08: The Left Hand Of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (1 of 2) |MP3|
09: The Left Hand Of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (2 of 2) |MP3|
10: The Uplift War by David Brin (1 of 2) |MP3|
11: The Uplift War by David Brin (2 of 2) |MP3|
12: Darwin’s Radio by Greg Bear (1 of 2) |MP3|
13: Darwin’s Radio by Greg Bear (2 of 2) |MP3|
14: How to write your essays |MP3|
15: Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card (1 of 2) |MP3|
16: Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card (1 of 2) |MP3|
17: The Forever War by Joe Haldeman (1 of 2)|MP3|
18: The Forever War by Joe Haldeman (2 of 2)|MP3|
19: Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick (1 of 2) |MP3|
20: Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick (2 of 2) |MP3|
21: The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein (1 of 3) |MP3|
22: The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein (2 of 3) |MP3|
23: The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein (3 of 3) |MP3|
24: Neuromancer by William Gibson (1 of 2) |MP3|
25: Neuromancer by William Gibson (2 of 2) |MP3|
26: On free will [based on Isaac Asimov’s Foundation trilogy] (1 of 2) |MP3|
27: On free will [based on Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World] (2 of 2) |MP3|
28: The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin (1 of 2) |MP3|
29: The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin (2 of 2) |MP3|
30: Spin by Robert Charles Wilson (1 of 2) |MP3|
31: Spin by Robert Charles Wilson (2 of 2) |MP3|
32: The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov (1 of 2) |MP3|
33: The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov (1 of 2) |MP3|

You can subscribe to the podcast via this feed:

http://www.courtneybrown.com/classes/scifi/mp3/cb_SciFiPoliticsClass1.xml

Also, Dr. Brown tells me that he’s been getting requests from some of his students for more female Science Fiction authors. He asks if we have any “top-of-the-list suggestions?” He’s been using Hugo and Nebula award winning novels, but we all know that there are plenty of novels out there that haven’t won a Hugo or a Nebula that are still worthy of examination. Can you think of any Dr. Brown should add to his class for next year?

posted by Jesse Willis

BBC Radio 3 and 4 PLUS KFAI all have Spec. Fic Audio

Online Audio

Our U.K. contributor “Roy” has clued us in on two cool BBC Radio programs coming next weekend…

The Saturday Play: Haunted Hospital
By Trevor Hoyle; Performed by a Full Cast
Broadcaster: BBC Radio 4
Broadcast: Saturday 5th May 2007 – 14:30-15:30 (U.K. Time)
A ghost story, set in a hospital and featuring two parallel storylines, one contemporary and the other set in the late 1800s, the latter drawing on real historical events. First broadcast in July 2005.

This should also be available via the Radio 4 Saturday Play “Listen Again” service for 7 days following the broadcast.

Blindness
By Jose Saramago; Translated by Giovanni Pontiero.
Broadcaster: BBC Radio 3
Broadcast: Sunday 6th May 2007 – 20:00-21:30 (U.K. Time)
“A driver waiting at the traffic lights goes blind & becomes patient zero in a contagion that sweeps through a city. The authorities isolate the blind in a mental asylum. Blind thugs take over. When all are blind, all the rules change.”

This should also be available via the Radio 3 “Listen Again” for 6 days following the broadcast.

Roy also points out that KFAI‘s Sound Affects program, host by Jerry Stearns, is running a 10 part series from ZBS called The Incredible Adventures Of Jack Flanders. This 1978 series will be in the last ten programmes before KFAI removes Sound Affects for its current slot. You can listen to the latest two programmes via the RealAudio format (including part 1 of The Incredible Adventures Of Jack Flanders) HERE. For more info on the Jack Flanders series check out THIS article.

posted by Jesse Willis

Darker Matter MP3s of Douglas Adams

SFFaudio OnlineAudio

A vintage Douglas Adams interview appears in the first three issues of Darker Matter a new online Science Fiction magazine. This exclusive interview comes from some recently rediscovered tapes, recorded in 1979 and never before made public. It’s one of the earliest interviews Adams gave, and offers a glimpse of his life and opinions at a time when the spoils of fame meant being able to get a £20,000 mortgage to buy a flat.” While the full interview is available over the first three issues they are transcribed. The good news is there are two short excerpts in the MP3 format. And Here they are: Excerpts 1 |MP3| Excerpt 2 |MP3|. To read the entire interview visit the Darker Matter site. And to lobby for the full release of the audio visit THIS Darker Matter forum thread and cast your vote.

posted by Jesse Willis